# Payara size



## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

I'm curious as to the largest payara anyone has kept in captivity. I've heard of their mysterious deaths around the 10" mark. Is that the largest one anyone has had?


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

my lfs has a 13" one for sale. It's been there for like 4 months now in a 75 gallon tank. Someone donated it to him because it out grew there tank.


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## EsoxHunter (Feb 3, 2003)

I had two that were pushing 12 inches and doing great, they both died within a couple hours of treating my tank with Aquarisol for some ich my clown loaches had. Turns out Aquarisol contains copper and obviously toxic to payara. I have a few theories now on why they die early and copper sensitivity is one and I believe since they only eat feeders, b1 deficiency the other. I'd love to get a couple more and give it another try and never again medicate a tank haphazardly!







For sure they would have grown bigger if I hadn't.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

That's interesting Esoxhunter, I know that some people's pipes add copper to the water. Even if that was a small amount it could add up and knock out a payara (mysteriously...) if it is sensitive to copper.

Maybe R/O water and bulked up feeders (pre-fed/gut-loaded)?....


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## EsoxHunter (Feb 3, 2003)

I agree, I had mine totally off goldfish feeders and they grew very quickly. Instead I fed them shiners and chubs that I'd get from the bait shop or ones I'd catch out at the lake. Never tried gut loading, because I never needed to with the other minnows available around here. Also tested my water for copper and there wasn't any so I think if I didn't have this mishap with the meds they'd still be around and much bigger.


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

You can Just inject Feeder goldfish with Vitamins..

i dont think this is the problem... i dont think Fast moving water is the problem either..

I think ALOT more research needs to be done DOWN in south america..

at any rate.. hows it going Exo and Ace, Long time no see!


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

I think the vitamin deficiency definitely plays a part for the unexpected death syndrome but I also think the build up of fat in their diet plays a big part also. Most feeders, if not all, are very high in fat. Fish that only eat feeders get a large fat build up around their liver and this, I have been told, plays a big part in premature death.


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

SLANTED said:


> I think the vitamin deficiency definitely plays a part for the unexpected death syndrome but I also think the build up of fat in their diet plays a big part also. Most feeders, if not all, are very high in fat. Fish that only eat feeders get a large fat build up around their liver and this, I have been told, plays a big part in premature death.


 You would be able to tell weather your fish was overweight or not..

Payara eat Live fish in the wild.. feederfish are not much higher in Saturated fat then other fish like cichlids.


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## IDONTKARE47 (Jan 5, 2004)

i want one though


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

> You would be able to tell weather your fish was overweight or not..
> 
> Payara eat Live fish in the wild.. feederfish are not much higher in Saturated fat then other fish like cichlids.


I was told it is really not a matter of obesity but of fat content. A fish can eat fatty foods and have a severe fat build up along his liver and not look overweight. The fish that paraya eat in the wild are wild fish and are drastically different from goldfish and guppies and other feeders in terms of vitamin content and nutrional value. If you're familiar with the 20% rule in biology, the value recieved from a feeder that is not recieving sunborn nutrional content is minimal at best and is usually going to be high in fat. If somebody were to spend the money to feed their feeders the proper kind of food, feeders such as gfish are still high in fat by design.


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## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

WOW! payara look vicious.


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## the grinch (Feb 23, 2004)

that payara is bad ass. Where can i get one and how much? You should never feed any fish just one thing.


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