thank you! Great info!I have kept them a couple times over the years.
They are primarily vegetarian once they grow to 3" or so, so a diet not too heavy in protein a best.
Mine always liked leafy greens like romaine, and dandelion, along with thawed peas and pellets high in Spirulina.
A150 gallon is a good grow out tank, but not adequate for 15=" adults, especially for more than one.
They are not aggressive as long as they are provided enough space, but get testy in cramped quarters, something in the 300 gal and up range would do as full grown adults.
View attachment 1446017
Above, bocourti eating hair algae I would raise in ponds for them.
Below, eating dandelions
View attachment 1446018
They appreciate temps in the mid to high 70s, and above neutral pH (@ 7.8) similar to the conditions in Lago Isabel in Guatemala, where they are found.
View attachment 1446019
I heard fisherman attract them with coconut then cast net them!I don't remember the red, and agree about their rapid growth, mine went from about 2" juvies to being too large for my 150 gal, in less than 2 years.
Something I forgot before, they even eat wood, mine would gnaw on sunken logs, and leave a lot of saw dust type waste around the substrate.
They were also the only fish (other than C pearsei), that would eat old Papyrus stems (Papyrus plants are what paper was originally made from), they managed to take 4 ft plants down to nubs.
View attachment 1446042
Below an example of the size plants they reduce to nothing.
Luckily papyrus grows and reproduces quickly, under the right condition almost a footer day.
View attachment 1446043
Below a dandelion plant after they've fished with it, this is the emergent part of growth (the part growing out of the tank).
View attachment 1446044
Below, papyrus growing out of my current 125 gal tank.
View attachment 1446045