Arowana and Bala Sharks

[IoStrisciare]

I seriously doubt there will be fatalities in your tank for several reasons.

1) The balas can outrun the aro anytime.

2) The 2 species occupy diff areas of the tank and unlikely to clash over territory.

3) The aro now is eating artificial food which means he will only attempt to eat live
food only unless he is starving which will be highly unlikely.

4) Silver aros are remarkably placid most of the times.


You sure can try. Ive had balas kia by oscars which are smaller and slower than silver aros . Im just trying to be on the cautious side here .

The diff between an oscar and a silver aro's body design is what enables this to be a possibility. I would be more concerned if the aro was an asian or australian. The oscar is suitable to make a sudden short spurt of speed. A silver needs to wind up to strike and can launch itself forward like an oscar. I have a silver and black and i have observed their behaviour.

 

[IoStrisciare]

exactly. Just my 2 cents. Like i said, you can try and experiment. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. if you dont mind losing balas then just go for it.

i seriously do not understand why you all are making the south american aros to be big, psychotic tank mate killers.

I have a 16" silver that has a 3" dat as a tankmate. A bite size morsal. But he just ignores it.

S.A aros are freaking pussycats. Only rarely do psychotic individuals show up.

 

[redtailfool]

The diff between an oscar and a silver aro's body design is what enables this to be a possibility. I would be more concerned if the aro was an asian or australian. The oscar is suitable to make a sudden short spurt of speed. A silver needs to wind up to strike and can launch itself forward like an oscar. I have a silver and black and i have observed their behaviour.

And the striking motion is a deterrent for the silvers to eat the balas ? I seriously doubt that theory.

 

[IoStrisciare]

And the striking motion is a deterrent for the silvers to eat the balas ? I seriously doubt that theory.

silvers aren't designed to hunt fish like balas. Simple as pie. They're surface predators. They weren't made to dive and pursue fish around for prolonged periods.

 

[Kutty]

If the silver is well-fed, it probably won't eat the bala sharks even if they're less than half its size. I also once kept tiny datnoids with huge, long, elongated arowanas (silver), and they lived harmoniously. You cannot assume that every fish will eat something that can fit into its mouth.

 

[redtailfool]

silvers aren't designed to hunt fish like balas. Simple as pie. They're surface predators. They weren't made to dive and pursue fish around for prolonged periods.

What about feeders that silvers arowanas consume en masse? I dont think they swim on the surface either ??

 

[redtailfool]

If the silver is well-fed, it probably won't eat the bala sharks even if they're less than half its size. I also once kept tiny datnoids with huge, long, elongated arowanas (silver), and they lived harmoniously. You cannot assume that every fish will eat something that can fit into its mouth.

Who assumed??? I said its a risk but i never said it was a certainty. A fish small enough to be swallowed by a large predator is a risk .

 

[IoStrisciare]

What about feeders that silvers arowanas consume en masse? I dont think they swim on the surface either ??

what feeders?

feeders are of many kinds. Mollies and platies swim at the surface.
frogs and insects are at the surface.

have you ever seen a silver chase feeders before? They give up after awhile due to their inability to cope w prolonged pursuits. You can't argus with nature's design. If they were true fish killers they would be designed like asians with a powerful tail and muscular stout body to provide the speed and stamina necessary to chase down or strike fish prey.

 

[redtailfool]

what feeders?

feeders are of many kinds. Mollies and platies swim at the surface.
frogs and insects are at the surface.

have you ever seen a silver chase feeders before? They give up after awhile due to their inability to cope w prolonged pursuits. You can't argus with nature's design. If they were true fish killers they would be designed like asians with a powerful tail and muscular stout body to provide the speed and stamina necessary to chase down or strike fish prey.

Sorry. I meant feeder goldfish. They are mid swimmers or stay at the bottom. Many silver aros are primarily fed feeder goldfish and i dont see the aro having any problems with that. And what do you mean by prolonged pursuit? This is in a fish tank where the chases are all dashes and not long pursuits.

 

[IoStrisciare]

Sorry. I meant feeder goldfish. They are mid swimmers or stay at the bottom. Many silver aros are primarily fed feeder goldfish and i dont see the aro having any problems with that. And what do you mean by prolonged pursuit? This is in a fish tank where the chases are all dashes and not long pursuits.

Do feeder goldfish swim as fast as balas?

You mean its not possible for fish to chase their prey ard the tank? I know oscars do it. Pugnacious fish. Even my former african tiger fish did.

Hell.... you win. You win.

Silvers are great fish predators in the same league with pikes and Doviis.