We put away 1.5' mullet yesterday - 4 apurensis

[thebiggerthebetter]

Jello has been 3.5 months in the less aggressive 4500 gal. No improvement in her demeanor from the 240 gal. Very little appetite, movement. Here is one of the rare moments she came over and asked to be fed, took only one 6inch finger mullet, very little for her.

4:00-4:40 min:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Update on Jello Sr. and Jello Jr.:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Jello Sr feeds at 2:35 min:

 

[celebrist]

That is one fat gar

 

[Fishman Dave]

Had to smile when you mention they don’t eat as much cos it’s winter and down at 74.
My tanks are generally 74-78 in summer and now 67-70 in winter and they have slowed down a little.
Interesting to see they still keep the same seasonal rhythm even just at different temperatures.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Again on the apu fighting: they wrestle for dominance, not at all to injure or kill.

20" Jello Jr meets 28" Jello Sr:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Two Jellos feed. Clumsy but it's a beginning.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Fascinating thoughts from our California peer on the video two posts up. I wonder what you guys would say.

Gil334 Just tonight on the OFR live stream, Josh was reiterating about how the worst bite he's ever had, was from one of these fish. "Harder that a 4 ft. Alligator Gar, And 2 6ft, Arapaimas". Of which one, put his arm in a cast. Obviously, the strong bite is part of their nature.

Fish-Story Thank you for this, I didn't know any of this about Josh. I assume the arapaima must have shaken his arm / hand because a plain bite would only leave abrasions and shallow cuts? I can't say I have experienced enough bites from various fish to draw any such conclusions. I usually try to avoid them

@Gil334 Yeah.. One bite was from a fish they relocated for a public aquarium, and it thrashed, twisting his arm. The other time, he was working on the pond, when Brutus swallowed his hand, and wrist. He said he felt the bony tongue, trying to crush it. And about your bigger cat not biting down, on the smaller one, I'm sure you know, only the bottom jaw can move. And when you grab the bottom lip of a bass, they can't bite down, or even move, really.

Fish-Story Thank you. Are you speaking about grabbing the bottom jaw of a bass underwater? I don't know what would happen other than they will thrash around to try to free their bottom jaw. If you are talking about doing that in the air, then it is obviously due to not having enough strength in the jaw to pull the entire weight of their body up in the air to close the mouth. No?

Gil334 Correct sir. And only after you get the mouth open, and "Lip" the fish. Although I've done it many times with just the mouth out of the water. Like I said, they can't move the upper jaw either way. From the video you showed, I think the fish who gets the bottom lip, wins. No matter the size. It could be why their bite is so strong. It might even be a mating ritual, not just for squabbles.

Fish-Story Interesting thoughts. Could explain well why the Sr didn't try to close her mouth. May I share them on the MFK forum in my blog, please? To see if any peers offer their thoughts.

Gil334 Go for it.. Any time.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

No thoughts?