Ornate' first month home (image heavy)

[overdrive]

So this is Brutus' growth from January 24 to today! He's already roughly doubled in size. Though it's hard to tell since, as you can see, he's quite the elusive little guy.

I'm already planning the frantic tank switching I'm gonna have to do when he starts eating the smaller fish in the tank.

 

[DMD123]

Cute little guy! What are the plans for him when he is bigger? A solo bichir or other poly friends? You know they are like the chips... You cant have just one! lol

Keep us updated with his growth pics.

 

[overdrive]

There's already a little Senegal named Udon in there with him, so they'll be tank buddies barring aggression issues! I'm hoping the pair of parrots I have will grow fast enough to avoid being snacks, but we'll see.

I'm thinking either switching him to a 55 with Udon or else setting them all up a 75-100, but that really depends on what his growth rate is moving forward. And what I can get away with before my housemates finally kill me for all these tanks.

 

[DMD123]

Glad to see the poly bug got you. Ornates can be a bit more on the aggresive side so watch out with the sen when you do put them together.

 

[overdrive]

Thus far the ornate seems to be pretty retiring, but he is pretty small compared to most things in the tank.

 

[jaws7777]

Great looking ornate. I love mine, one ofy favirote polys and overall fish. I wouldnt waste time on a 55 gal. 75 would be much better and wouldnt cost that much more.

Like dmd said watch for aggression. Mine killed a gold dust and beat up on a sem both were much smaller he does fine with other polys that are similar in size. Not saying yours will be aggressive as other members have ornates that are very chill, boils down to the individual fish.

 

[overdrive]

He's already in a 55, but I have a "spare" with some goldfish that may need to be moved to a 40 if he shows signs of the aggression you describe. I'm really not in the position to buy a 75 right now, though that's where he'll end up when I have the cash.

 

[jaws7777]

You shoild have plenty of time

 

[overdrive]

Do these guys slow down after a certain size? Cause if he keeps growing at this rate he'll reach 20 inches pretty quick.

 

[tlindsey]

Do these guys slow down after a certain size? Cause if he keeps growing at this rate he'll reach 20 inches pretty quick.

My Ornates had growth spurts, have one female I raised from a little over 3in. she is now over 17in.lol.