Arapaima Gigas

Zoodiver

As seen on TV
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Aug 22, 2005
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Haha, getting soaked is half the fun! I took that thing Steve Irwin style....jumped the fella! Maybe someday I can be known for that.:headbang2
 

blacktip

Fire Eel
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May 22, 2005
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Hmmm......let's see....Matt, the Arapaima Hunter...that has a nice ring to it...

Anyways, my local LFS has babies that are 4-5" for $100 with permits. There were at least 3 or 4 that were obviously eating live blackworms according to the owners. I was soooooooooo tempted. My kids literally had to drag me out of the store making fun of me all the while as I muttered "but they're so cute. who cares if they would outgrow my 200 in less than a year, they're so cute". I also saw two others at another LFS that were slightly larger for $80 although I'm not sure those two were eating.

Anybody think I should buy a few of these and raise them up for John or Matt???

Anyone know how flexible these guys are compared to arowanas? The little babies looked very flexible and agile, but I've always had the impression that larger ones would need a larger turning radius than a similar sized arowana? How long could one of these guys be kept in a 240?
 

johnptc

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Apr 6, 2005
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they are like a 2x4 compared to aro's............

thanks for the nice thought............although even the 5000 gal is too small for an adult !!!!

john

ps what lfs has gigas ???:naughty:


blacktip;719091; said:
Hmmm......let's see....Matt, the Arapaima Hunter...that has a nice ring to it...

Anyways, my local LFS has babies that are 4-5" for $100 with permits. There were at least 3 or 4 that were obviously eating live blackworms according to the owners. I was soooooooooo tempted. My kids literally had to drag me out of the store making fun of me all the while as I muttered "but they're so cute. who cares if they would outgrow my 200 in less than a year, they're so cute". I also saw two others at another LFS that were slightly larger for $80 although I'm not sure those two were eating.

Anybody think I should buy a few of these and raise them up for John or Matt???

Anyone know how flexible these guys are compared to arowanas? The little babies looked very flexible and agile, but I've always had the impression that larger ones would need a larger turning radius than a similar sized arowana? How long could one of these guys be kept in a 240?
 

blacktip

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 22, 2005
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johnptc;719821; said:
they are like a 2x4 compared to aro's............
Thanks. That's what I thought. So 18"-20" would probably be the max length I could keep in my 24" wide tank.

johnptc;719821; said:
ps what lfs has gigas ???:naughty:
Theresa's Pets in Simi Valley has about a dozen.
The others I saw in a store on Van Nuys Blvd. Can't remember the name of it though.
 

Zoodiver

As seen on TV
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Aug 22, 2005
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WeeNe858;719834; said:
so you have to have papers to sell and buy arapaimas?
They are CITIES protected, so you have to prove they were shipped over international borders legally. That sheet must stay with the fish for it's lifetime. A lot of states also prohibit them, so you have to make sure you're in good with those laws as well. All arapaima are shipped into the US. Nobody has breed them in the States........ yet. :naughty:

As for how long one would live in a 240....
The four footer we got was brought into the US as a hatchling in '05 (according to the previous owner - and from my experience with them, it's close to accurate). Hope that gives you an idea of how fast they grow. They need a very large turning space when compared to how tight an arowana can turn.

One of the biggest issues for keeping them is small tank size while they are young. These things grow very fast, and confinment at a young age will lead to one of two problems: heart defect or a liver issue. Their metabolism is very high in order to grow fast when young. They need a lot of food and a lot of swimming space to burn that food off. I'd start with something in the 750 gallon range for new hatchlings.
 

blacktip

Fire Eel
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May 22, 2005
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Thanks for all of the info Matt. I guess I owe my kids some ice cream for stopping me from making a purchase I new I would regret later...
 
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