i have a new nemesis...

[-cAtFiSh-]

my flying fox

 

[Fish Buddy]

What is he doing? I have 2 in my 10g and they are not bugging my tetras...

 

[DrOizo]

Yep they go insane as they get older. I'm moving mine into the 50 gal along with the gourami as they'll be much happier in it. They're little rogues. Care to expand on your cryptic post??

 

[Pointy_kitty]

What is he doing? I have 2 in my 10g and they are not bugging my tetras...

oh dear
are you gunna move them when they get bigger?
they get to be 6" long!
ANG they are territorial much like a red tailed black shar,
when they are bigger they will not tolerate their own species and will terrorize anyone in their territory( the bottom of their tank)
if you can provide them with a larger tank, only one of their species or any other shark type species in your tank and give them lots of plants, then they will be MUCH more pleasant and surly become a favorite in your tanks

i have one in a 20 gallon but he should really be in a 29gallon or more
so i compensated, but a 10gallon is far too small

 

[Dwarfs]

I have bad luck with those, I got 2 young ones and put them in the quarantine. A few days later one was found with no stomach. Down to one and a few days later he went missing and a few days later we found his crunchy dry body on the countertop. Oh well

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

hes my nemesis because he attacks my poor little neons and that is so mean. so i'm gunna get rid of him. i hate him so much

 

[Fish Buddy]

Pointy_kitty, I just bought a 32g so when they get bigger, i'll put them in there. I have also heard that they suck the slime off other fish-killing them, is this true? I like my flying foxes- they are not bugging any of my tetras...

 

[noelberg]

actually i think the true flying foxes won't suck slime as they don't have suckermouths.

somebody help me out here, but is it the SAE's or the CAE's (or something else) that do that? I forget ... I'm getting senior moments about 50 years too early.

 

[tstenback]

somebody help me out here, but is it the SAE's or the CAE's (or something else) that do that? I forget ... I'm getting senior moments about 50 years too early.

Careful there youngster you know how cranky us OLD farts can get

 

[Pointy_kitty]

Pointy_kitty, I just bought a 32g so when they get bigger, i'll put them in there. I have also heard that they suck the slime off other fish-killing them, is this true? I like my flying foxes- they are not bugging any of my tetras...

this is a myth
flying foxes aren't out to kill everything
if supplied with the appropriate diet, tankmates and tank size, they can be quite pleasant
when forced to live in smaller quarters with nosey, bothersome tankmates who try to steal the flying foxes food, and try to take over their territory they can get quite adgitated
they go crazy!
in a nice big planted tank with mostly mid to top dwelling fish, they can be quite graceful and beautiful, in their own shark like way
i was once tempted to sell mine due to an outburst in a community tank with smaller livebearers (before i knew about these cyprinids)
once moving him to another tank and compensating for the smaller size (20 gallon) by supplying many caves and plants, and few tank mates (mostly top dwelling or noctornal) he is only aggressive at feeding time and every now and then gets a little crabby with the smallest gourami.

good luck

 

[Pointy_kitty]

actually i think the true flying foxes won't suck slime as they don't have suckermouths.

somebody help me out here, but is it the SAE's or the CAE's (or something else) that do that? I forget ... I'm getting senior moments about 50 years too early.

your right, flying foxes don't have suction mouths,
but they do have roundish mouths often mistaken for sucker mouths
this shape allows them do sort of "buff" food off of flat surfaces
their mouths fold in half like a muppet when eating from the surface


and i beleive it is the CAE that has a "reputation" (although i have never witnessed this) for having a taste for slime coat

some peolpe try to stick this label on the flying fox which i beleive to be a total myth

 

[modernhamlet]

hes my nemesis because he attacks my poor little neons and that is so mean. so i'm gunna get rid of him. i hate him so much

Just to be clear on this, catfish...

Your fish is not "mean". It is a fish. Fish are not capable of being "mean". It is doing what fish instinctually do. You cannot blame it for its actions.

Flying foxes are semi-aggressive fish, especially as they get older/bigger. The behavior you're seeing is well documented for them. Would you think a piranha was "mean" because it ate a guppy you put in the tank with it?

It is your responsibility to provide the right environment in which all of your fish will thrive. The fish cannot change their behavior to suit your choices for tank or tankmates.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

Just to be clear on this, catfish...

he's not a catfish
he's like a shark... only not a shark
he's from the cyprinidae family


don't worry,
i accidentally called him a cat fish the other day
blonde moment )

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

hes my nemesis because he attacks my poor little neons   and that is so mean. so i'm gunna get rid of him. i hate him so much

Just to be clear on this, catfish...

Your fish is not "mean". It is a fish. Fish are not capable of being "mean". It is doing what fish instinctually do. You cannot blame it for its actions.

Flying foxes are semi-aggressive fish, especially as they get older/bigger. The behavior you're seeing is well documented for them. Would you think a piranha was "mean" because it ate a guppy you put in the tank with it?

It is your responsibility to provide the right environment in which all of your fish will thrive. The fish cannot change their behavior to suit your choices for tank or tankmates.

oooooooooooh but i thought fish had feelings just like people!



dont be such an anorak

 

[waterwatereverywhere]

actually i think the true flying foxes won't suck slime as they don't have suckermouths.

somebody help me out here, but is it the SAE's or the CAE's (or something else) that do that?

SAEs are supposed to be very peaceful. CAEs have the repuation of getting nasty as they get bigger. (Sorry, modernhamlet, their behaviour gets instinctively more aggressive )

SAEs had BETTER be peaceful anyway as I've invested in some to help me with my algae