Pal for a Pacu?

[rhetor]

I just put my Pacu in his new 125 gallon tank. Being that he is a pack fish, would it be a good idea to get him some buddies? By buddies i most certainly do not mean another Pacu! I was thinking maybe two large silver dollars would get along with him well, they look very similiar, sometimes the Pacu is almost all silver, but most of the time he's black and lighter grey.

Right now he hangs out with the new Jack Dempsy (named him Jack Daniels) and one of the feeder gold fish he never ate that grew to about 4.5" in no time. He seems to have really taken a liking to that feeder fish!

Would a large silver dollar or two make my Pacu feel more at home? Any ideas of a better fish to get for him?

 

[Cafe Jeff]

I have seen a Giant Groami in with a PACU once.
It looked very regal with his long barbels. Jeff

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Just read your post again.
JDs and GGs tend not to get on that well.

 

[rhetor]

I have two gorami's in there right now, they abour 2.5", the JD doesn't give them any strife unless they poke their heads behind his plant in the corner, then he'll chase them out about 6" and head back. He does seem very teritorial, but he's just growing personality to me! There's lots of room in the 125 for them to set up their own little areas. Most of the fish have never even seen the other half of the tank!

Thanks for the advice about the GG. I'm trying to get a good general opinion to see which fish or fishes would make good Pacu companions.

 

[trent]

"Other fish that are often seen in the same aquariums with Pacus are: Oscars about the same size, White Tip Shark Catfish, Plecostomus Catfish, and Neotropical Cichlids such as Firemouths and Jack Dempseys. Sometimes Pacus are kept with Arowanas."
"Pacus are also often seen in aquariums with Tinfoil Barbs, Clown Knife Fish, Snow Flake Eels, and Siamese Tiger Fish."
http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/wild/pacu.htm

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Well, I never.... Soon it will be raing cats and dogs, Jack Demsey's and groami's living under the same cancopy. It' like, um, world fish peace.
I suppose things really are different in a 125. Jeff

 

[rhetor]

The JD isn't very large, probably about 3.5"

One of the gouramis hopped out the tank (or maybe got flung out by my pacu, he sometimes splashes) He was found dead on the floor. Well, almost. My dad picked him up, he made a slight movement so he tossed him back in the tank. My dad watched him float for a couple seconds, but just as he reached in to pull him out and dispose of him, he sprang to life and swam away! Well 2 hours later he was doing fine. Then another 30 minutes went by and he was dead with a bite in his gut. I have no idea if he died before he got bit or if he was bit because he looked weak...


Any how, the JD doesn't like to hang around too much with the other fish, and certainly not one thats 10 times his size and has massive teeth. I'm still thinking a silver dollar would be nice, but they didn't have any at the LFS.

Might have to get one from petco, but he's deffinitely going to be in QT for a long time if i do.