96 x 30 x 24 Tank and Arowana Species

[Backfromthedead]

You are right. I still think that the 300 is too much tank for a newb but it would look nice and give him all the proper real world experience he could handle. As they are aggressive enough to give some issues there, he will want to add more at some point so he will gain experience in introducing a parasite or if done correctly qt'd.

An 8' 300 will indeed be a lot to take in as a beginner. But after seeing enough big fish-little tank situations in my lifetime, i can do nothing but encourage @The-Almighty-Zugs in this situation. even if he does go aro at least he will be a novice with a big tank instead of a novice with a 55. Thats half the battle won right there.

 

[RD.]

FYI ……….. for those that missed it, the tank is already on order, so no turning back on the tank size.

 

[RD.]

The problem is that while he seemingly has a good grasp on the King's language, and seems reasonably intelligent, he can't seem to get it into his head that this won't be a good community tank, if an Asian aro is added - EVER.

 

[RD.]

So Zugs, when you read this later, here's the reader digest version. If you really want an Asian aro to go into this tank some day, at that point the other fish will have to be removed. If you were considering housing an adult Asian aro I don't know why you chose a tank to be built that is only 24" tall, but that was your first newbie mistake. Width and length are fine, but hold a 24" tape measure in front of you, then imagine a fish that is 6" deep, and 24" long. A fish that is a predator, that now has only 24" for wiggle room top to bottom. IMHO your tank is best suited to a single aro, no other tank mates. Period. Forever. Got it?

Good luck.

 

[Backfromthedead]

The problem is that while he seemingly has a good grasp on the King's language, and seems reasonably intelligent, he can't seem to get it into his head that this won't be a good community tank, if an Asian aro is added - EVER.

I cant comment on it, you would know better than i. Some folks need to learn the hard way though. Ill admit I'd be tempted to try too.

 

[Galantspeedz]

Let me try be devil's advocate

Personally, as someone new to fish keeping, I see nothing wrong with you going big or wanting to keep an arowana

You just have to be prepared to lose money, I.e dead expensive fish or finding that maintaining a 300g tank is not as easy as it looks. And if you do not have a QT tank, any treatment will have to be treated based on a 300g tank. Water bill, electricity
bill, etc. You may even have trouble getting someone to take over your tank if you get bored of it.

Not definitive one or all will happen but a much higher chance

So I will say, since the tank is ordered, just go with whatever fish you like... in the meantime try to understand the nitrogen cycle and do not rush into getting your first fish till the tank is cycled

 

[Akeno071]

Width and length are fine, but hold a 24" tape measure in front of you, then imagine a fish that is 6" deep, and 24" long. A fish that is a predator, that now has only 24" for wiggle room top to bottom.

Good luck.

Out of curiousity, what height would be considered suitable for an "arowana community"

I wanted to keep smaller fish, like SAEs and moonlight gouramis when I was looking at the possibility of a super red.
This thread... ..is very effective at dissuading against ideas like this for sure.

 

[RD.]

I cant comment on it, you would know better than i. Some folks need to learn the hard way though. Ill admit I'd be tempted to try too.

One of the greatest problems that I have seen over the years in this is hobby, is the "just one more" mindset.
Been there myself, more than once. But even with prices coming down over the years, any decent quality Asian aro here in Canada is going to cost $1,000.00+. So putting the health & well being of the fish aside for the moment, it also becomes an expensive gamble for most. DIY Joey's aro takes flight to never-never land and it's no big thing, he can probably find someone to pay for his next mistake, but for most of us $1,000.00 is a serious hit in the wallet.

I'm not trying to be mr doomsday, and I am certainly no expert on the subject. What I know has all been gleaned from experience with my friends tanks over the years. Lots of things have been tried, failed, succeeded, short term, some maybe long term, who knows how things will play out? Nobody can ever say with 100% certainty, but it's always safer for the fish, and the fish keeper, to go with what is most likely. Pretty ballsy move to take a young aro from a vendors tank, and drop him into a comm tank setting, and simply hope for the best.

You just have to be prepared to lose money, I.e dead expensive fish

Bingo, not to mention the heartache that typically accompanies the loss of a magnificent fish that has become a family pet.

Out of curiousity, what height would be considered suitable for an "arowana community"

Depends on the comm. The comm vid of my friends tank that I posted earlier was 40" tall. Now watch the vid again, for most folks that tank probably looks like 240. Those aros were all monsters!

It was a 550 gallon tank, with a 180 sump, on a drip that added a 100 gallons of fresh water a day. He fed heavily, and kept it stocked heavily, as in that type of tank one has to. Which is why I stated, "Don't try this at home kids."

 

[Nilsafeller]

One of the greatest problems that I have seen over the years in this is hobby, is the "just one more" mindset.
Been there myself, more than once. But even with prices coming down over the years, any decent quality Asian aro here in Canada is going to cost $1,000.00+. So putting the health & well being of the fish aside for the moment, it also becomes an expensive gamble for most. DIY Joey's aro takes flight to never-never land and it's no big thing, he can probably find someone to pay for his next mistake, but for most of us $1,000.00 is a serious hit in the wallet.

I'm not trying to be mr doomsday, and I am certainly no expert on the subject. What I know has all been gleaned from experience with my friends tanks over the years. Lots of things have been tried, failed, succeeded, short term, some maybe long term, who knows how things will play out? Nobody can ever say with 100% certainty, but it's always safer for the fish, and the fish keeper, to go with what is most likely. Pretty ballsy move to take a young aro from a vendors tank, and drop him into a comm tank setting, and simply hope for the best.





Bingo, not to mention the heartache that typically accompanies the loss of a magnificent fish that has become a family pet.





Depends on the comm. The comm vid of my friends tank that I posted earlier was 40" tall. Now watch the vid again, for most folks that tank probably looks like 240. Those aros were all monsters!

It was a 550 gallon tank, with a 180 sump, on a drip that added a 100 gallons of fresh water a day. He fed heavily, and kept it stocked heavily, as in that type of tank one has to. Which is why I stated, "Don't try this at home kids."

Beautiful settup

 

[twentyleagues]

My main issue with threads like this is we are just treating the animals as objects. If you grow tired or it outgrows the tank you can just grt rid of it. I know ive done it too in the past but usually because of some sort of issue that was unavoidable and it was better for the welfare of the animals. My recent life changes (not a story for this thread) were a line drawn in the sand, and I still have all my fish for better or worse and intend on keeping them. Why? Because I made a commitment to thise animals when I took them home. Most are long lived animals and now rely on me to support them.
Again I stress this and stress others the tank is to big. I know its been ordered. Get a smaller tank in the mean time with some suitable fish for that size tank and learn. Worse comes to worse you can later use that tank for a qt or a grow out. You can start your sds in a 75g learn and grow them some till the 300 is done and move them over. It happens all the time.
Basically what im saying has been said before when you buy an animal you now have the obligation to care for said animal for its entire life in the best manner possible. To do less is unfare to say the least.