Wolffish info needed

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franchise513

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2008
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Cincinnati
I was watching a special on the internet, and i saw the wolfish eating in the wild, tje stealth and the speed of the attack i feel in love wtih them.

Basically i need everthing there is needed to know about the fish, like:

What are the different species
Could one go in a 55g? or what would they need?
What is good aquascape for them>
What is their diet?
and anything else i need to know is much appreciated:)
 
Wolfish are very efficient hunters indeed and quite an interesting fish in a weird way...LOL. There are various species but the main species in the hobby that are accessible are the Ery Ery, Gold Wolf, Common Wolf, and the more expensive Lacerdae and Aimara. The only wolf that can live in a 55g permanently would be the Erythinis or Ery Ery (spelling might be off). They are a mild mannered wolf that reaches 6-8in and accepts tankmates that cant fit into its mouth and that arent its same species. The Gold Wolf can reach 15-18in and is a little more aggressive but can have tankmates that can hold their own and are around the same size. The Common Wolf or Hoplias Malabaricus is the most inactive out the bunch as far as swimming around the tank but its a MEAN FISH. Its best to start them young with tankmates otherwise they'll kill anything for the most part. They can reach up to 2ft but usually are around the 18-20in mark. Diet can consist of quarantined feeders, fish filets, tilapia, catfish, and other tropical fish (steer clear of goldfish and such), shrimp, crayfish, earthworms and etc. Gold wolves and common wolves for an adult would require at least a 120g tank to live comfortably. A nice aquascape would consist of some topwater plants, they dont like bright light, a nice driftwood system on the bottom with rocks and plenty of hiding places. I personally would go with black sand as I think it looks nice and contrasts nicely with their colors and patterns. Usually I dont type this much, just thought I would be nice....b/c all of your questions could easily be answered using the search feature. Good Luck...;)
 
theres
erythrinus erythrinus and sp. peru - red wolf
hoplerythrinus taeniatus - gold wolf
hoplias malabaricus - common wolf
hoplias lacerdae
hoplias aimara
hoplias sp. black
theres others but they will be very hard to find compared to the others.
even the aimara is hard to find.

they will basically take anything meaty and sometimes will eat pellets.

only the erythrinus species will live in a 55g for life.

they dont really mind any decor or no decor.
but would prefer hiding spots.
a really nice setup IMO would be some plants along the sides and back,and a nice piece of driftwood in the center.
 
alright thanks guys very informational, and i was thinking a red wolf, because that is one of the two i have really seen and it works perfectly in a 55g. If i bumped it up to a 18" wide tank could a common wolf work? I have a 67g tank that is 36"x24"x18", could a common wolf work in there or is that too small?
 
A common wolf could go in there for a while but would like a longer tank malas will get around 18'' but can get to around 22''-24''

Both those tanks would be good for an Ery Ery ( rainbow wolffish ) Gret fish i love mine he eats everything except tubifex worms and certain fish fillets
 
alright, can you guys give me a place where i can get them? I have never seen them at any lfs so if you could help me it would be much appreciated
 
Pretty much as everyone has said.

There are a number of smaller Hoplias species but I am not sure they turn up in the hobby very much if at all, Microlepis is an example of this.

The undiscribed Xingu black seems to be a smaller fish as well 13" maybe. There is another undiscribed black wolf usually from Venezuala that is alot bigger possible upto 28".

Erythrinus Erythrinus and Erythrinus Sp. Peru are two different fish.

The common more colourful Ery. Ery. Has more charactor and I have seen one go for it's owners hands. Although you can keep them with other fish you will not be able to keep more than one in a tank of those dimensions.

They are far from fussy eaters, if thay could fit it in they would eat the kitchen sink. All meaty foods, Pellets etc will be accepted.
 
GReat question and great info, just what I've been looking for. As far as I see Common mala's need around a 24" wide tank? About how long would be perfect? What dimension tank is suggested for the Hi fin red? I know bigger is always better but I hear that malas are inactive and monsters compared to the size tank you can get away with. What is the growth rate approx, for malas?
 
Mala's are nocturnal, this is why they get a bad rap for being "lazy". At night time my mala is all over the place.

The 67 gallon tank that you have would hold a mala for a very long time. Post a link to the video you were watching of them eating in the wild. I'd love to see it.
 
Very interesting fish!!!

The more fish like in behaviour ( swimm around and interacts ) is the Golden Wolf. Hoplerythrinus Unitaeniatus.
Thay are all awesome!!!
 
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