Post by ASHLEY on Jul 16, 2012 17:52:26 GMT 1
Scientific name: Hydrolycus Scomberoides
Common name: Pirandira`,Payara, Vampire Tetra,
Synonyms: Hydrolycus Pectroalis
Genus: Hydrolycus
Order: Characiformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Cynodontidae
Subfamily: Cynodontinae
Origin: South America, through out the Amazon River basins.
Minimum Tank Size: Aquariums over 500 U.S. gallons would be needed to provide adequate space for one adult sized fish.
Tank setup: Lots of open swimming space, a tight lid cause these fish can jump and are very powerful. You will need a powerful power head, this fish are often caught in very fast moving waters.
Temperament: Can be territorial.
Compatibility: They may form schools when young, I wouldn’t keep them with any other fish in the tank though, especially anything small and bite sized.
Water Type: Fresh, 75*F to 82*F, common to the Rio Orinoco and the Rio Amazonas basins you should aim to make your water chemistry match close as possible.
Size: They can get up to 3 feet or more but the biggest I have heard of is 15 inches in the home aquarium (There is a world record of 39 lbs. 4oz.). They have a mysterious death syndrome myth once they get to a certain size. Though there is lots of speculation as to why, I think it’s that they need different requirements at that size that a home aquarium can’t give them. If it’s a change of diet, water chemistry/conditions, or something else, no one really seems to know for sure.
This fish IS NOT for the beginner hobbyist.
Sexual dimorphism: Could not find anything on sexing.
Breeding: Never been accomplished in the home aquarium, or any aquarium that I know of.
Feeding: Live foods, very hard to train to take anything prepared.
Other Info: A very popular game fish in the Amazon and it pretty easy finding a fishing guide using the internet.
One thing I have always been interested in is the way I have read that they swim, at approximately a 45* angle, I have always wanted to see video of them just swimming around to see this.
Their long teeth that give them so many creative common names seem to be used to spear fish when hunting. Then they work the fish around head first.
Common name: Pirandira`,Payara, Vampire Tetra,
Synonyms: Hydrolycus Pectroalis
Genus: Hydrolycus
Order: Characiformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Cynodontidae
Subfamily: Cynodontinae
Origin: South America, through out the Amazon River basins.
Minimum Tank Size: Aquariums over 500 U.S. gallons would be needed to provide adequate space for one adult sized fish.
Tank setup: Lots of open swimming space, a tight lid cause these fish can jump and are very powerful. You will need a powerful power head, this fish are often caught in very fast moving waters.
Temperament: Can be territorial.
Compatibility: They may form schools when young, I wouldn’t keep them with any other fish in the tank though, especially anything small and bite sized.
Water Type: Fresh, 75*F to 82*F, common to the Rio Orinoco and the Rio Amazonas basins you should aim to make your water chemistry match close as possible.
Size: They can get up to 3 feet or more but the biggest I have heard of is 15 inches in the home aquarium (There is a world record of 39 lbs. 4oz.). They have a mysterious death syndrome myth once they get to a certain size. Though there is lots of speculation as to why, I think it’s that they need different requirements at that size that a home aquarium can’t give them. If it’s a change of diet, water chemistry/conditions, or something else, no one really seems to know for sure.
This fish IS NOT for the beginner hobbyist.
Sexual dimorphism: Could not find anything on sexing.
Breeding: Never been accomplished in the home aquarium, or any aquarium that I know of.
Feeding: Live foods, very hard to train to take anything prepared.
Other Info: A very popular game fish in the Amazon and it pretty easy finding a fishing guide using the internet.
One thing I have always been interested in is the way I have read that they swim, at approximately a 45* angle, I have always wanted to see video of them just swimming around to see this.
Their long teeth that give them so many creative common names seem to be used to spear fish when hunting. Then they work the fish around head first.
