Big Day / Blending the Grow Out w/ the Adults

[Trouser Bark]

I've had two Kelberi's and a Xingu in a grow out for 18 months or so waiting to put them in w/ the adults in my biggest tank.

There's an adult Mono in the big tank that suffers foolishness poorly and nailed the net several times as I was putting the juvie's in. He appeared to be angry at the net but not at the new fish. Oddly, the one that's the biggest jerk is the smallest of them all. A little Kelberi that runs around flaring all the time. If he tries that w/ the big boys he'll be converted to a turd in a heartbeat. A couple of 16" Azul's in that tank look like they may be sheltering the younger fish but I'm not exactly sure of what I'm seeing. I've never noticed altruistic behavior in a bass before and doubt they're all about it.

I hope this goes according to plan. There's a year and a half's worth of care and patience on the line. The little dudes might think there's even more than that at stake.

 

[Trouser Bark]

I think I may keep a hospital tank up and running for a few days just in case.

 

[Trouser Bark]

So far so good and everyone's calm in the darkness. Definitely seems a little edgy in the tank but no tails hanging out of any adult's mouth so this is probably going to work. I came down into the fish room late just to toss a little floating feed in so anybody that was considering what might be on the menu is less tempted toward bad behavior.

 

[Ogertron3000]

I think I may keep a hospital tank up and running for a few days just in case.

Might be a good idea

 

[jjohnwm]

So far so good and everyone's calm in the darkness. Definitely seems a little edgy in the tank but no tails hanging out of any adult's mouth so this is probably going to work. I came down into the fish room late just to toss a little floating feed in so anybody that was considering what might be on the menu is less tempted toward bad behavior.

Yeah, to me that first visit back to the tank after a few hours away is the most stressful point of this endeavor. Hand on the doorknob, wondering what horrific scene awaits when you enter the room...

Good move giving a bit of extra food during this period, for sure. When I do this kind of introduction, I also actually leave the lights on throughout the night and into the next day; I find that the lack of a dark period, and especially the dim light of an evening, sometimes heads off any interpersonal disasters in the tank. Nobody in the tank sleeps or even relaxes with the lights blaring full power for 24-36 hours...but they are still together, still growing accustomed to each other's appearance and odour and prresence, growing less and less likely IMHO to take a test-bite of the New Guy.

I think that the most dangerous period for a new smaller fish in the tank...from both viewpoints, either as a meal or as a target for aggression/bullying...is that first critical day.

 

[Trouser Bark]

I like that idea. I'll leave the lights on tonight after a good sized dinner. It' lunchtime here now and all the new kids made it through the night. In ten minutes it'll have been 26 hours and I agree... it seems like this is going to work for now. I'm sure there will be some kind of ruckus in the future but as far as the initial blending, looks like it worked!

No more constant WC's in the grow out. This will be cool.

 

[Trouser Bark]

There may have been a scuffle overnight as part of the lid's torn off and laying on the bottom of the tank but there are no partial fish in the tank and nobody looks damaged. There's an Arowana in the same tank and he'd be the prime suspect when lids have been tossed around.