Arapaima Gigas

[snow]

no pics yet of the 180,000. just clearing the space for it and getting building permits. i still have alot of work to do on the tank. i have some older pics of the 54 gallon. ill try to put them up soon.( if anyone is wonering whether or not the 180,000 is for real, it is, but i dont have all the money right now)

You live in the same province as me and even though our winters don't get as bad as the rest of Canada it still can get below 0. Is this massive pond going to indoors? I can't see how you are going to keep the fish alive during the winter months.

 

[TyMullis]

As to the cold tolerance of Arapaima, I have learned from the Jacksonville Zoo that their fish tolerate 60 degrees (F) well. They do stop feeding at that temperature though. Does anyone else have any information regarding the lower threshold for Arapaima water temperatures?

 

[Kramer123]

the tank will be in a heated building. its gonna be really well insulated.

 

[yidaoxian]

Very beautiful!!!!

 

[[PIMPIN]]

the tank will be in a heated building. its gonna be really well insulated.

Any updates?

 

[Zoodiver]

(yes, I know it's an old thread that was just bumped)

As to the cold tolerance of Arapaima, I have learned from the Jacksonville Zoo that their fish tolerate 60 degrees (F) well. They do stop feeding at that temperature though. Does anyone else have any information regarding the lower threshold for Arapaima water temperatures?

If they stop eating, that's not tolerating well. It's their body shutting down. I wouldn't let arapaima see below 70F.

 

[[PIMPIN]]

Hi Zoodiver and the rest of the Arapaima gurus - JohnPTC, arapaimag to name a few.

Was wondering if I could get some advice on how to get an Arapaima comfortable with my presence? Usually I like to buy my fishes from small so I kind of form a bond with them at least for them to recognize me such as my Koi which I'm able to hand feed and for an attachment to develop whereby I've never sold a single fish nor would I consider not housing them humanely. But this time I've bought a pair of just under 2ft long Arapaima in fact just picked them up yesterday and now they are in a 6000gal pond. When do I know if its possible for me to enter the pond for cleaning, etc without them getting spooked? How long do they need to get used to surroundings?

Also, what should I look for when it comes to the behavior of 2ft Arapaimas? Because the person I bought them from kept both in a 4ft tank which was kept dark at all times. So now they're in a pond, I don't think they quite know how to react perhaps thinking they're in a dream LOL but neither do I know what I should look out for in terms of what is normal or not as I've never moved one. First night (last night), I sat by the pond until about 10pm after picking up from seller and re-homing them earlier at around 2pm. Initially they just sat at the bottom of the pond until one came up for air and then started swimming around followed by the other one. Longest 30 seconds of my life!

But by night time they were swimming around, sometimes together but there was constant motion and pace was leisurely. Nothing points towards being stressed or spooked and occasionally they'd come and surface for air where I was sitting and sort of make contact and then go on a couple of rounds in a similar route before surfacing for air near me again. Does that mean they are curious or hungry? There were 400 1-1.5" feeders for them to eat in the pond (got them along with the Arapaimas so at least for all the changes around them their food would at least be familiar - don't know if this was bad move) and there is definitely less now.

They were brought up on feeders previously but I'd like some form of interaction. If they were used to feeding from hand would that mean they'd never go for live food anymore? I don't mind feeding them live food as I've got tilapia in abundance breeding naturally in my other ponds which are raised as food. I'm assuming if I'd personally eat them then it should be safe for the Arapaimas too right?

Btw, how old would you estimate them to be at 2ft in length?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bosanova]

Hi Zoodiver and the rest of the Arapaima gurus - JohnPTC, arapaimag to name a few.

Was wondering if I could get some advice on how to get an Arapaima comfortable with my presence? Usually I like to buy my fishes from small so I kind of form a bond with them at least for them to recognize me such as my Koi which I'm able to hand feed and for an attachment to develop whereby I've never sold a single fish nor would I consider not housing them humanely. But this time I've bought a pair of just under 2ft long Arapaima in fact just picked them up yesterday and now they are in a 6000gal pond. When do I know if its possible for me to enter the pond for cleaning, etc without them getting spooked? How long do they need to get used to surroundings?

Also, what should I look for when it comes to the behavior of 2ft Arapaimas? Because the person I bought them from kept both in a 4ft tank which was kept dark at all times. So now they're in a pond, I don't think they quite know how to react perhaps thinking they're in a dream LOL but neither do I know what I should look out for in terms of what is normal or not as I've never moved one. First night (last night), I sat by the pond until about 10pm after picking up from seller and re-homing them earlier at around 2pm. Initially they just sat at the bottom of the pond until one came up for air and then started swimming around followed by the other one. Longest 30 seconds of my life!

But by night time they were swimming around, sometimes together but there was constant motion and pace was leisurely. Nothing points towards being stressed or spooked and occasionally they'd come and surface for air where I was sitting and sort of make contact and then go on a couple of rounds in a similar route before surfacing for air near me again. Does that mean they are curious or hungry? There were 400 1-1.5" feeders for them to eat in the pond (got them along with the Arapaimas so at least for all the changes around them their food would at least be familiar - don't know if this was bad move) and there is definitely less now.

They were brought up on feeders previously but I'd like some form of interaction. If they were used to feeding from hand would that mean they'd never go for live food anymore? I don't mind feeding them live food as I've got tilapia in abundance breeding naturally in my other ponds which are raised as food. I'm assuming if I'd personally eat them then it should be safe for the Arapaimas too right?

Btw, how old would you estimate them to be at 2ft in length?

Thanks in advance!

I can sense the enthusiasm and the joy you are experiencing over your new pimas all over your text ,and truly you have every reason to be that way ,they are really amaszing fish to keep ,my friend owns a 40 incher in an aquaruim setting i sometimes visit him daily si i can look at that monster , he also avoids feeding the fish anything live, his diet consists most of ,,spirulina mixw/high protein flakes ,,if you do not mind the occasional grab of your hand into his mouth its a joy to hand feed, do nt be afraid they are thoothless but still you can feel some pressure depending on the size of the fish , or you can always use a stick , Hopefully your pond is huge since they do not particularly care for each other company in small settings as they can be fierce fighters/ All the best

 

[[PIMPIN]]

I can sense the enthusiasm and the joy you are experiencing over your new pimas all over your text ,and truly you have every reason to be that way ,they are really amaszing fish to keep ,my friend owns a 40 incher in an aquaruim setting i sometimes visit him daily si i can look at that monster , he also avoids feeding the fish anything live, his diet consists most of ,,spirulina mixw/high protein flakes ,,if you do not mind the occasional grab of your hand into his mouth its a joy to hand feed, do nt be afraid they are thoothless but still you can feel some pressure depending on the size of the fish , or you can always use a stick , Hopefully your pond is huge since they do not particularly care for each other company in small settings as they can be fierce fighters/ All the best

Hi,

To be honest, its actually a mixture of excitement but at the same time anxiousness as I worry about them settling in. Hopefully how they were cared for in the past won't stunt their future growth. Before they were placed in the 4ft tank, I think they were kept in very briefly with some Pacus which nipped at one of them.

When I first heard about this, I didn't want the fishes because its so obvious of someone getting in over his head but after thinking about it and seeing the fishes in the 4ft tank I figured that there was no other options left for these fishes and if I didn't do something then the future of the pair didn't look too bright.

Cost me 700 bucks for the pair which is nothing compared to the future upkeep of these fishes. Small price to pay because the second they started swimming around the pond, I'd have paid 10 times that. I guess next few days will let them slowly get used to their surroundings before changing anything in their diet.

They seem fine for now in the pond which is the smallest one I have currently. I've just completed another three ponds as I've been dreaming of keeping monsters for sometime but I wasn't planning on this exact pair but perhaps the best things are often always unplanned.

 

[Zoodiver]

The way to get them acclimated to you is time. The more time you spend with them, the better off you'll be. They are very smart and will quickly learn who you are.

With animals new to people, move slowly. They do spook easily, and will dart into walls or jump as a natural reaction.