Wolf fish Hoplias malabaricus size?? urgent

[Oddball]

I've kept H. malabaricus pairs together for years. However, I didn't start out with adults. And, I never offered them live food. They always ate thawed cut trout, catfish nugget fillets, and tilapia fillets (all with vitamins added). Plus, the occassional clam, crayfish, frog, worm, etc.
I put the young in with other preds that were already weaned off of feeders and it became a case of "monkey see, monkey do" since the wolves picked up on eating the dangled food, instead of live, quickly. They didn't waver on going after the dead food after moving them to their own tank once they built up some size.

 

[KRSwop1]

Yeah, I think raising them together from a small size makes a huge difference between live and dead fish.

 

[kane1]

thnx for all ur posts

The guy only has two, they have been together for 10 months, they have been fed on heart, white bait and prawns. I wish he had three i agree KRSwop1 one or three however i am willing to take the risk with 2 due to the fact they have been together for so long, i have taken this risk with piranha and have been succesfull. Fingers crossed!!

People i cant wait, after all ur replies the appeal for this fish has risen to the next level

I will keep you all posted with progress once i get them.

Question: do you think i should build hiding places for them or leave the tank open? i have noticed with piranha the more hidding places the more aggresive they got

Kane1

 

[rumblesushi]

I would leave it open actually, with just 2 mals in the same tank. Less likely to squabble over territory.

 

[kane1]

thank rumblesushi, i think it works the same with all predatory fish please correct me if im wrong

kane1

 

[Oddball]

Open!! Multiple hiding places don't help in a small environment since a staked wolf territory can have more than a 10 foot circumference.

 

[kane1]

Open it is out comes my bog wood, i guess it will look more impressive with 2 beasts in there in full view i can just imagine the looks on peoples faces when they c them

Question: possible tank mates if any at all?

kane1

 

[rumblesushi]

kane, for sure, I think it works that way with all fish, no hiding spaces is usually a good thing. Thought with some fish it makes no difference, an aggressive aro or snakehead wants to claim the whole tank, not a cave.

Kane, I think open tanks tend to look better and more spacious with natural sand, that's how I have my cuban gar tank at the moment, and one tiny piece of driftwood for a spiny eel to escape the gar's fury.

 

[stotty]

Totally agree as I said they are very inactive during the day if you did have hiding places you probable would not see the fish in the day and have a huge fight at night.

 

[kane1]

rumblesushi have any pics of your tank?

i have silversand in my tank, shall i keep this?

Keeping them in the open willalso probably get more confident, the guy has had his in the open and yes there is always more swim space.

Stotty is there any lighting issue i mean lighting i use for my rhomb will this be ok its like a natural light?

Kane1