• We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Six GATF from Wes

@CMTrey5 @moe214 Could the explanation be more trivial? In that when you start a water change, the fish, of course, freaks out, just like it does at any change inside or outside of its tank, then bumps its head against the wall, and then swims around "leisurely" because it is half out of its mind / somewhat discombobulated?

I mean could you be mistaking a mild brain concussion for calmness?
Well actually when all the pumps are off he doesn’t freak out or bang into the walls. He just starts to swim around leisurely. And then once the pumps turn back on, he’s back to his one spot in the tank.
 
Diligently reporting on my experiment.

It failed 100%.

I had 5 GATF remaining in that GATF/VATF 240 gal tank more or less successfully for some stretch of time and then one day there was a nuclear meltdown in the tank when I was merely throwing the feed in as usual. As a result 4 of the 5 GATF died, some sooner, some later, and one the smallest one remained.

The matting on the end sides of the tank didn't save them.

Note that none of the VATF have ever died in that tank, only GATF because they are significantly more skittish and the VATF are more dominant over GATF.

100_8498.JPG100_8558.JPG100_8557.JPG


The last surviving GATF (out of a few dozen of them I got from Wes) was the smallest, around 8"-9", of them all. After that loss of 4, I transferred it into a different 240 gal, where there were no other ATF... and it blossomed. Started feeding delightfully, didn't mind me at all, no freak outs, no any problems actually. (5 VATF remained back in that original 240 gal.)

Then I had to kill it myself... as a consequence of our venture applying for licenses to exhibit prohibited and conditional fish species and the ensuing inspections by the Florida Wildlife Commission. (Will be covered in a separate thread. Please, don't ask any questions in this thread.)

The last little poor GATF is at the bottom of the first column:


100_8618.JPG

100_8619.JPG


No more GATF here.
 
Last edited:
So what have I learned?

What Wes, Fishtankphil, and others have been saying long ago. Keep ATF one per tank (GATF or VATF)... unless the tank is enormous and by enormous I personally mean a fairy tale "for life" tank, like 30,000 gal or larger, better 50,000 gal.

Be patient. They will have a varying growth rate even within a factor of 2x, but it is not what limits their final size. The poor husbandry like mine and the ensuing accidents will determine their final size.
 
I went back and counted.

Discounting early losses of tiny GATF, I have raised 17 GATF in two batches of 6 and 11 to varying sizes of 7"-14" and one by one lost them all to smashing into tank walls except the last one which I had to, ironically, kill myself while it was flourishing.
 
I went back and counted.

Discounting early losses of tiny GATF, I have raised 17 GATF in two batches of 6 and 11 to varying sizes of 7"-14" and one by one lost them all to smashing into tank walls except the last one which I had to, ironically, kill myself while it was flourishing.
This breaks my heart to see buddy.....im sorry you had to do this.
 
Back
Top