Very aggressive/Predatory fish for a 60g tank

[MonsterfishGuy]

I just find it odd that a fish that can get 5' in the wild only gets 24" In a tank. Something about that just doesn't add up.

Its just near impossible to feed him enough as he is so nervous.

He would need huge meal three times a day. I feed him dry food and for carnivorus( true one) they grow faster and bigger with fresh meat and feeder( that you feed for a month at least and you dont give the sick one). As i stay to dry food he wont be much larger.

In a large pond with more exercice and fresh meat and koï of 15 inch as feeder its another story!!!

Thats why i say they get stock in aquarium at 24 inch max.

Maybe i could put my two breeder channa marulioides in the 400 gal and put him in the 900... But its hard to move those fish!!!! And dangerous!!!

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

My emperor snake head feed on dry stay at 18 inch with 6-7 years and in 3-4 years with fresh meat and feeder( good healthy one) he gets to 29 inch

 

[kdpuffer]

this thread has been quiet a while, any luck deciding on a fish? i am surprised your goliath wont grow past 2 feet. i have a vittatus and they are said to reach 3 feet.

 

[boadams87]

180 gallons are you kidding me?! Hydrocynus goliath, also known as the goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish or mbenga, is a very large African fish from the Congo River Basin. This large-toothed, highly predatory fish grows to a length of 4.9 ft and a weight of 110 lb.

I really don't think that's a fish for a tank, maybe a large swimming pool.

I WOULDN'T clean that tank. I have oscars and come out bleeding everytime I clean the tank

 

[Jack Jeckel]

Most "Predatory and aggressive" fish you find in LFS come from fish farms or are tank raised and do better on a staple diet of high quality pellets.

Feeding live fish gives little to no nutrition to the larger fish and actually has a better chance of getting the fish sick or giving them a disease that affects there internal organs because they've had to much protein.

IMO wanting a fish for only this purpose is not responsible fish keeping. If you want to see that kind of stuff watch shark week on discovery.

That's not true at all not even close arrowanas need a rotated diet mostly live prey oscars need live prey to gold fish are a great thing to feed oscars as they are high in fat but you also maintain a pellet diet to keep nutrition for them if you buy fish to see them eat other fish it's because they need fish to eat to me it sounds like you posting bad info do a little research before you give people that malnourish there fish and as far as diseases go that's bad feeders you can't help that only that you catch it early now that shark weeks over I'm going to feed my oscars some mollies

 

[kdpuffer]

Actually your both right, a balanced diet is key but who buys predators to feed them pellets. It's best to gut load your feeders prior to feeding. As far as gold fish go they are actually not good feeders, same with rosey red minnows. These fish contain thiaminase and it has proven to be bad for fish. It poses health risks (long story short) by preventing vitamin B1 (if memory serves it was B1) absorption which causes long lasting and possibly fatal effects. It is the same effect on fish as seen in alcoholics. alcoholics often drink and don't eat properly causing the exact same issue. Plus goldfish being high in fat has also been shown to cause heart problems in the fish eating them. This being said its just like in people, some people smoke for years and don't have issues, some smoke and get lung cancer. Some fish are effected more than others, I've known people that feed their fish goldfish and never had a problem, scientific studies have found it does have an impact. The more you feed these feeders the more likely it is your fish will be effected, this is why I started breeding guppies. Guppies don't contain thiaminase so as long they are gut loaded with quality food they don't pose the risk to your fishes health. I personally really enjoy my predators so I don't want to take a risk with them.

 

[boadams87]

Actually your both right, a balanced diet is key but who buys predators to feed them pellets. It's best to gut load your feeders prior to feeding. As far as gold fish go they are actually not good feeders, same with rosey red minnows. These fish contain thiaminase and it has proven to be bad for fish. It poses health risks (long story short) by preventing vitamin B1 (if memory serves it was B1) absorption which causes long lasting and possibly fatal effects. It is the same effect on fish as seen in alcoholics. alcoholics often drink and don't eat properly causing the exact same issue. Plus goldfish being high in fat has also been shown to cause heart problems in the fish eating them. This being said its just like in people, some people smoke for years and don't have issues, some smoke and get lung cancer. Some fish are effected more than others, I've known people that feed their fish goldfish and never had a problem, scientific studies have found it does have an impact. The more you feed these feeders the more likely it is your fish will be effected, this is why I started breeding guppies. Guppies don't contain thiaminase so as long they are gut loaded with quality food they don't pose the risk to your fishes health. I personally really enjoy my predators so I don't want to take a risk with them.

I never knew this. I have 2 oscars and I feed them feeder fish once a mth. They would have to eat 100 guppies to get enough.

 

[Jack Jeckel]

Actually your both right, a balanced diet is key but who buys predators to feed them pellets. It's best to gut load your feeders prior to feeding. As far as gold fish go they are actually not good feeders, same with rosey red minnows. These fish contain thiaminase and it has proven to be bad for fish. It poses health risks (long story short) by preventing vitamin B1 (if memory serves it was B1) absorption which causes long lasting and possibly fatal effects. It is the same effect on fish as seen in alcoholics. alcoholics often drink and don't eat properly causing the exact same issue. Plus goldfish being high in fat has also been shown to cause heart problems in the fish eating them. This being said its just like in people, some people smoke for years and don't have issues, some smoke and get lung cancer. Some fish are effected more than others, I've known people that feed their fish goldfish and never had a problem, scientific studies have found it does have an impact. The more you feed these feeders the more likely it is your fish will be effected, this is why I started breeding guppies. Guppies don't contain thiaminase so as long they are gut loaded with quality food they don't pose the risk to your fishes health. I personally really enjoy my predators so I don't want to take a risk with them.

High fatty diets mixed with pellet food keeps them healthy I don't just throw 3 dozen goldfish in there I regulate feeding plus I hand feed them so I track there diets. As far as the drug thats in the goldfish and rosies it's minimal and almost harmless in most cases though I thank you for your insight this other guys input was beginner knowledge at best

 

[boadams87]

High fatty diets mixed with pellet food keeps them healthy I don't just throw 3 dozen goldfish in there I regulate feeding plus I hand feed them so I track there diets. As far as the drug thats in the goldfish and rosies it's minimal and almost harmless in most cases though I thank you for your insight this other guys input was beginner knowledge at best

That's how I feed mine. They only get a few feeders once a month.

 

[Jack Jeckel]

That's how I feed mine. They only get a few feeders once a month.

I feed my oscars goldfish only when my mollies and guppies fish aren't pregnant also I feed them blood worms brine shrimp beef heart meal worms the occasional bug I find in or around the house a variety is key to long living healthy fish you should look into setting up a breeder tank nothin fancy 20 gal produced about 5000 fish a year for me mollies and guppies are fast breeder and you can almost always find a pregnant pair in the pet store

 

[boadams87]

I feed my oscars goldfish only when my mollies and guppies fish aren't pregnant also I feed them blood worms brine shrimp beef heart meal worms the occasional bug I find in or around the house a variety is key to long living healthy fish you should look into setting up a breeder tank nothin fancy 20 gal produced about 5000 fish a year for me mollies and guppies are fast breeder and you can almost always find a pregnant pair in the pet store

Ok. Thanx. I've got an empty 30. I've fed crickets to but I don't think they are very nutrious because the whole cricket would come back out and wasn't digested.

 

[jetajockey]

That's not true at all not even close arrowanas need a rotated diet mostly live prey oscars need live prey to gold fish are a great thing to feed oscars as they are high in fat but you also maintain a pellet diet to keep nutrition for them if you buy fish to see them eat other fish it's because they need fish to eat to me it sounds like you posting bad info do a little research before you give people that malnourish there fish and as far as diseases go that's bad feeders you can't help that only that you catch it early now that shark weeks over I'm going to feed my oscars some mollies

You are not going to malnourish a fish by giving it a balanced staple diet of high quality pellets. There aren't very many fish that *have* to eat other fish, and even most of those can be transitioned to a better pellet diet.

So perhaps you should reconsider your own research and statements, and please use punctuation marks, it's very difficult to read what you are writing.

 

[Jack Jeckel]

You are not going to malnourish a fish by giving it a balanced staple diet of high quality pellets. There aren't very many fish that *have* to eat other fish, and even most of those can be transitioned to a better pellet diet.

So perhaps you should reconsider your own research and statements, and please use punctuation marks, it's very difficult to read what you are writing.

Consider pellets like energy drinks yeah they won't go malnourished just off pellets but oscars are fat fishes and won't stop eating until the food is cut off if your fish keeps on eating like that to much of a good thing is sometimes bad that's why you balance it out with live game I've done my research and learned from past mistakes sorry about the grammar iPhone app

 

[Jack Jeckel]

I was looking into getting a very aggressive fish that will fit in my 60g tank and will give very entertaining feeding times. I of course wont only feed it live fish, the diet will consist of pellets as well. I have had experience with flowerhorns and tiger oscars (the oscar lived 9 years) but neither had quite the aggressiveness that I want. I also don't want red belly piranhas. I'm located in Canada so I don't think I can get snakeheads, I'm not completely sure on the laws involving them. I will also be getting a 100g ish tank once I move into my new house and have more space. So the fish must be able to fit in this 60g tank for at least 6-9 months.

I'm new on here so any help would be appreciated, thanks.

(Edit: People said my OP was a tad... "Sick." Sorry. I just wanted to make it clear what I wanted. I've helped care for snakes before and I always thought that it was very entertaining to watch them eat and strike. So thats kind of what I meant. Didn't mean to offend anyone...)

Arrowanna that's a fun fish gets big enough to eat mice birds and rabbits

 

[boadams87]

Arrowanna that's a fun fish gets big enough to eat mice birds and rabbits

That would be fun to watch!!!!

 

[jetajockey]

Consider pellets like energy drinks yeah they won't go malnourished just off pellets but oscars are fat fishes and won't stop eating until the food is cut off if your fish keeps on eating like that to much of a good thing is sometimes bad that's why you balance it out with live game I've done my research and learned from past mistakes sorry about the grammar iPhone app

Consider pellets like energy drinks? Care to explain?

Most fish will overeat if you let them, I'm not sure how giving feeder fish somehow balances out their nutrition. That's like giving someone a well balanced meal and then throwing in a greasy cheeseburger every once in a while.

I'm not anti-feeder, I have a few fish that eat live only, just trying to understand your reasoning.

 

[Jack Jeckel]

Consider pellets like energy drinks? Care to explain?

Most fish will overeat if you let them, I'm not sure how giving feeder fish somehow balances out their nutrition. That's like giving someone a well balanced meal and then throwing in a greasy cheeseburger every once in a while.

I'm not anti-feeder, I have a few fish that eat live only, just trying to understand your reasoning.

It was a metaphor energy drinks have alot of stuff in them as well in pellets to much of each is a bad thing

 

[jetajockey]

It was a metaphor energy drinks have alot of stuff in them as well in pellets to much of each is a bad thing

Too much of anything can be bad. Too many feeders is far worse than too many high quality pellets, from a nutritional standpoint.

High quality pellets have a lot of nutrition in them, but they aren't in the level of supplements, like a multivitamin, so there's no concern of 'overdoing' it.

I'm not sure how your analogy works in this topic.

 

[Jack Jeckel]

Too much of anything can be bad. Too many feeders is far worse than too many high quality pellets, from a nutritional standpoint.

High quality pellets have a lot of nutrition in them, but they aren't in the level of supplements, like a multivitamin, so there's no concern of 'overdoing' it.

I'm not sure how your analogy works in this topic.

Ok I see your point

 

[Mogurako]

That's not true at all not even close arrowanas need a rotated diet mostly live prey oscars need live prey to gold fish are a great thing to feed oscars as they are high in fat but you also maintain a pellet diet to keep nutrition for them if you buy fish to see them eat other fish it's because they need fish to eat to me it sounds like you posting bad info do a little research before you give people that malnourish there fish and as far as diseases go that's bad feeders you can't help that only that you catch it early now that shark weeks over I'm going to feed my oscars some mollies

Firstly posting via iPhone app has nothing to do with not adding punctuation, many of us use it and are just fine, I call it being plain lazy. Secondly I never post bad info I always have a reason for posting what I do. I can always back it up with past experience and/or reasearch.

Predatory fish can be adapted to accept prepared food it is allot of work but can be done and in the long run its allot healthier for the fish. The fish will not become malnourished do to feeding a high quality staple like NLS, Hakari or OmegOne. These foods are designed to give fish all the nutrition they require.

Example: NLS Thera-A

Ingredients:

Whole Antarctic krill meal, whole herring meal, whole wheat flour, algae meal, garlic, soybean isolate, beta carotene, spirulina, vegetable and fruit extract (spinach, red and green cabbage, pea, broccoli, zucchini, tomato, red bell pepper, kiwi, apricot, pear, mango, apple, papaya, peach), vitamin a acetate, DL alphatocophero (E), d-activated animal sterol (D3), vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydro-chloride, calcium pantothenate, L-ascorby-2-polyphosphate (stable C), choline chloride, copper proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, cobalt sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate.
Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (min.) 38.0%, Crude Fat (min.) 7.0%, Crude Fiber (max.) 5.0%, Moisture (max.) 10.0%, Ash (max.) 8%, Vit A (min.) 8000 IU/kg, Vit D (min.) 2500 IU/kg, Vit E (min.) 200 IU/kg.

Looks pretty balanced to me almost like it was designed to be exclusively fed?!

If someone feels that a food like NLS will not provided enough nutrition there are safer options than feeding live fish. For instance beef heart, cooked prawns/shrimp, salmon, clams and scallops.