Arowana planted tank: Observation I

[vinz]

On the weekend on 15th March, I introduced 25 Tiger Barbs to my arowana planted tank. I figured the barbs' agility and alertness coupled with the space and ample hiding places will help them stay away from the jaws of death. I wasn't wrong.

However, the arowana's behavior took an interesting turn.
1. Agitated, almost constantly swimming up and down the tank. Initially, no attempts at attacking the barbs, but as the days pass, I noticed that he started trying to catch them.
2. Reduced diet. He halved his normal consumption of his regular meal of market prawns.
3. Extremely protective of his food. On occasions when he found the barbs nibbling his market prawns, he made aggressive dashes for his food.

Subsequently, 1 week after, I managed to remove 20 of the barbs, with 4 left in the tank. I have no idea what happened to the 25th. Perhaps it was eaten, perhaps it died. Within a day, the arowana returned to his previous "normal" calmer nature, taking breaks under the crypts and lotuses, and consuming his usual amount of market prawns.

My conclusions are that he was interested in making meals of the barbs, eating only enough market prawns to stave off hunger.

A good turn of the event, was the (seemingly) complete eradication of the planaria infestation within 3 days of introducing the barbs.

[chaq]

Hi vinz, interesting, i thought of getting smaller fishes (tetras or barbs) for my tank too but maybe when the aro is much bigger, hope that by then, she wont bother them coz they are too small to be seen as food []

Have you tried any live feeders? My aro's main diet is MP too but occasionally, i feed her some froggies. Thinks aros prefer live food to MP. She can reject anymore MP but still eat another 10 or so froggies.

What is planaria infestation? Some algae?

Will you be perfoming planting Aropac's fiberglass tank on the 29th? what time?

[vinz]

Chaq,

Sam's Pets' Joo Chiat showroom has another planted arowana tank with a 1.5 ft red. The tank is full of neon or cardinal tetras. That arowana seems quite calm in the tank.

Someone told on one of the forums that reds (you have a red right) are less aggressive then RTGs. That may be a factor.

I have not tried live feeders on my RTG. I don't want it to get use to live feeders.

Planaria are little off-white worms that sometimes turn up in tanks that feed raw food such as market prawns.

I will be helping AroPac setup the tank on the 29th, but I will not be "performing" or demoing. Probably after lunch, around 2pm.

[chaq]

Oh planaria are white worms, i have them too but they appear on and off.

Not sure whether reds are calmer, my algae eating crew has depleted over the months and 4 congo tetras have gone missing too :P The only fish that she doesnt seem bothered by is the distichodus sexfaciatus.

Anyone knows where to get larger SAEs?

Cool, hope i can make it this saturday to aropac ... what plants will you/aropac be using for the planted tank?

[nivlekx]

I have a similar observation with vinz. I suppose the tiger barbs must be reducing the aros food intake. Maybe I should take em out.

[vinz]

The aropac tank is going to be really simple... no base fert even. Just Anubias, Java fern and Moss. Maybe a few A. Longiplumolus. So no big deal...

[Vican]

From comparing notes with a some other aro in planted tank keepers, seems like MP is normally stomach filler if no other food are present.

So far, all the cases seems to be that the aro is full with MP, rejecting extra pcs, but are able to eat more of froggies and superworms.

General consensus is, reds are less aggressive, but are more choosy in food. Whereas RTGs are more aggressive and are less choosy in food.

Happened to me. My red is choosy about food, but my RTG eats market prawn readily without training.

[chaq]

Aiya, if only aropac decide to change their huge community tank to a planted one, that'll be real cool :P

Agree with vican, aro's appetite seems much bigger when it comes to live food. I have not seen my 5 otos for a long time.

[vinz]

I thought I could leave the 4 remaining barbs in the tank to control planaria, etc. Unfortunately, they are still too visible to the arowana and getting him worked up... so I'm gonna have to trap them again this weekend. * sigh *