Carnivorous Fish

[Awesome Guy]

Ok, I'm not exactly a newbie, but I have been out of the game for a couple of years. My last tank was a 10Gal. of Fancy Guppies, and a spotted pleco.

I have decided after my family and I move to the new house, I would like to set up a carnivorous tank.

What kind of fish should I get? I want something that will be really fun to watch as it eats its live prey, and other food varieties.

I want to experience the whole feeding frenzy.

I plan on getting whatever size tank is suitable for whatever fish, I will only be using the 10G for feeder stock.

Thanks

A.G.

[anonapersona]

I would think that any live food would turn even guppies into piranahs.

I fed frozen daphnia to my tiny ember tetras, what a madhouse! I can only imagine if they were alive not defrosted.

[Awesome Guy]

I was thinking along the lines of Oscars, or FireMouth Cichlids. No local shops carry Parahna's, and My GF thinks Pirahana's would be a bad idea.

[OrionGirl]

What would you be using as food? Oscars are frequently and erroneously fed goldfish, a very poor source of nutrition. The other factor is of course the size of tank you'll be setting up. There are several interesting predators available, but most will require a larger tank. For anything less than a 75, I would go with some of the lurking predators like leaf fish, or the african butterfly. Both are beautifully colored to resemble floating woods debris, and lurk at the surface. The leaf fish has an extendable mouth piece (very much like you see in Aliens ), and sucks down fish voraciously. The african butterfly is amazing to watch feed--it eats insect and small fish much larger than you'd think it could.

Both fish would appreciate some floating debris--either wood or plants, and could be kept with a variety of fish, as long as they were larger than a neon.

Piranha are illegal in many states, and they tend to be disappointing. Singly or in very small groups, they are shy and territorial. They will not display the feeding frenzy behavior made famous in movies.

You may be interested in visiting predatoryfish.net

[Awesome Guy]

Thanks, I plan on using a minimum of a 29Gal. Tank, I'll let know of what has been decided on.

[PumaWard]

I'm just going by what I've read, by the Siamese Tigerfish seems like it is a very interesting predator.

[yshurtleff]

have you thought at all about a fahaka puffer?they have alot of personality and they love to eat....:D

[ChilDawg]

The folks on www.predatoryfish.net/ibforums would be willing to help you through this...

For shear carnivorousity, I'd think about Nimbochromis spp. ambush predators (cichlids...you can usually find N. venustus in PetCos).

[demon_surfer]

if you are willing to go up to say a 75 i would recommend a jaguar cichlid.

I think a solitary firemouth *could* be housed in a 29 but they are not really predators. (someone please correct me here if i am wrong)

[ChilDawg]

You'd be correct in saying that about the FM, demon.

[demon_surfer]

ack its a chilidawg! /runs

[demon_surfer]

another gorgeous carnivore is the african pike cichlids, they are just plain stunning

[ChilDawg]

African Pike Cichlids??? Not sure that I've heard of them...are you talking about Crenichla spp?

(Yeah, it's me...don't hide, I don't chase demons or surfers and my bark's worse than my bite! :))

[demon_surfer]

this is what i mean

someones random pike cichlid pics.. (http://pictures.care2.com/view/2/715349500)

ill dig up some info on it, you may be right on the scientific name

[demon_surfer]

heres a nice article on them, im going to finish reading it

cichlid room article (http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a078.html)

the pictures kinda suck maybe i can find some good ones, i know that a couple of people on pfish keep them. and yes you were right with the scientific name.

this place has alot of info on the diffrent pike cichlid strains. :)

a pike site (http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/5491/articles.html)

[ChilDawg]

I think the Crenichla spp. are South American...

[demon_surfer]

ok but they are pike cichlids :p

[demon_surfer]

man i just realized i didnt put in either of the two links i meant to, what a fool i am

ok sorted, they are intresting.

so man tell us, have you decided on a predator yet? :)

[ChilDawg]

Originally posted by demon_surfer
ok but they are pike cichlids :p

True enough. :)

[Andy16]

I was just going to mention the pike cichlids. Very cool fish, and definantly predators. I have had one once without knowing much about them, lots of casulties were the only result.

[demon_surfer]

I have a picture in my head of a pike hiding behind a piece of drift would with a knife in its fin making the "evil eyes"




yeah im good today LOL :)