Arowana/Altums

[mr_tee0419]

I was wondering if anyone could predict the compatobility of an Altum angel with an arowana as opposed to any old lfs angel. It seems to me that the Altums are more hardy, but I don't know if they are hardy enough to avoid being arowana lunch... Please help

 

[madasafish]

It's all a matter of time. If the arrowana continues to grow, it'll get more than large enough to eat the angel. Compare 3 feet (Arowana fully grown) to 8 inches (angel fully grown top to bottom). I don't think the angel stands a chance. BUT, I've never kept the two in one tank!

IF you go for the arowana promise all us sticklers that you'll put it in a huge tank! Arowana are not small-tank fish. I'd recommend nothing under a 180 for a fully grown specimen. I, personally, wouldn't house it in anything under 1000 gallons (my high standards!).

Pterophyllum altum are really beautiful. I'd just go with those!

 

[mr_tee0419]

ha...to put your mind somewhat at ease, I plan on putting it in a 210 gallon setup a recently purchased

 

[Allivymar]

I actually am not sure about this one, but wanted to add altum are not necessarily more hardy then domesticated angels. They require MUCH stricter protocols, and usually come in with disease/parasites. If you get them from a place which has acclimated them well, and has had them for a while to be sure they are disease free, you'll stand a decent chance of having surviving altums.

Also, I forget the water parameters for arrowanas, but the altums really need a very low pH/very soft water.

 

[madasafish]

Oy! well, then. No complaints here. Good for you!

The other strategy commonly employed by aquariums and aquarists is to put large fish in with tiny fish. The piranhas at the NYC aquarium are in with cardinal tetras (actually, they've just been changed to pristilla tetras, but same idea). They don't do a thing to the tiny fish. I was also speaking just today with Paul Loiselle, the curator of the NYC aquarium, and he said that this would work, even with electric eels! Apparently their shock is only powerful if they touch you (don't know how true this is....)

Regardless, you can certainly consider putting a cully-grown arowana in with 1-2 inch fish if you want another fish in the tank to add color and liveliness.

Maybe some of you will tell me this is poppycock... but I doubt a fully grown 3-foot arowana will bother chasing after neons or white clouds for his dinner! Just another thought...

 

[AdamsZoological]

How hardy they are, isnt gonna prevent them from being lunch, they still get the same size as regular Angels, so, no difference really. But, to ease your mind a little, Arowanas usually go after their prey at the surface of the water, so as long as the Angels dont put themselves in that position, they 'should' be ok...no guarantees though

 

[Christmasfish]

Well gee..if altums can go with a lovely active monsterfish like an arrowana..they could go in the 177 with my poor froggy polypterus for sure..(they have to be in front of his face to be at risk there..^_^ And only if he thinks he can swallow em...heh!)
Or they could go with my comparative wee fella, the Ghost knife. Maybe make the knifes tank a larger biotope and concentrate on black and white theme too, with exceptions of the rummies and phantoms. and have angels in the biotope.

Angels are an expensive snack though. Depending what kind of nile my bichir-bichir is......he may be able to gulp an angel. I wouldn't chance it personally. :?
but a larger biotope....hemmm.

 

[madasafish]

Yeah, especially Altum angels... a really $$$ snack.

 

[Guest]

Thread hijack alert!

How often do any of you even see Altum Angels at your lfs?

Granted, before the last few years I never really specifically looked for them at fish stores, but I think I've seen them for sale at one store, one time, in the past 3 years or so.

 

[Allivymar]

Nevah. Evah. Then again, the lfs around here are pretty much crap for unusual fish; only the icky one thats really close by gets something unusual once in a while (like my keyholes, or the schistura loach that unfortunately didn't make it).

 

[Christmasfish]

My guy has those prolly twice since I started going there Christmas, they lok kinda freaky with those spooky eyes..i love teh colors tho. He usually has some pretty big ones. they are within range usually. His most expensive fish right now under the lung is a 10 inch long electric blue cichlid(forgot waht it is. Striking!). That is why I was considering them for my black , silver and white tank. Their colors got me started thinking.