# May your piranha trimble in fear...



## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Last Tuesday River Wonders sent me this beautiful and healthy payara. I cant wait until he is a big boy!

Day 1 in a 29gallon QT:

















Day 4 in 125gallon (rubbed nose in 29)

















Shed tooth approx 1/4" long. I found it laying in the bottom of my 125 even though it has sand in it!!!


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

JD7.62 said:


> Last Tuesday River Wonders sent me this beautiful and healthy payara. I cant wait until he is a big boy!
> 
> Day 1 in a 29gallon QT:
> 
> ...


Those fish wont last long!!!!


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

that looks like my caribes tooth pick :rasp: awesome looking fish lots of water movement is what i hear is good for them and a huge tank, good luck


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

That is what you hear but it is not true.

This boy isnt your run of the mil $50 payara....


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

how big do those guys get?


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

The world record is 40 pounds. Here is a pic of a big one.









The largest in the aquarium is about 24"


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

yep the lfs near me has some that are probably 5-6 inches for 15 bucks, i dont think they know what they are, i should be picking one up this week


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Post pics cause I HIGHLY doubt that they are the species of the one I posted. Even so if they are the common payara that is a good price.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

What species is yours JD?


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

The new one is a TRUE Hydrolycus Armatus!!!









Here is a pic of my hydrolycus tatauaia:


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

from what i can tell it is an armatus, i use to own one but it died, not my fault, long story. i have a threa posd a long while back with some pics of mine.


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Post up some pics. Armatus are very rare and have only been imported a couple times in the last several years.

I went through your past topics and and the pics are not showing up. Also if it was the one you sold for $40 I feel bad for you because if it was an armatus, they run from $250-500!!


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

That's an awesome looking fish!

I don't know much about these fish..I have just read places that they usually die around 12" in the aquarium. Is this only some species? Do some actually live normal lives in the aquarium and get big?

Feel free to school me on the subject :laugh:


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

There are three species in the genus (actually four but H. wallacei I dont think has ever been imported). The common ones you see in the pet shops around $40-50 are H. scomberoides. They are a small fish attaining 12" or so in the wild. They are very sensitive to water conditions and can die very easily, hence the bad reputation the genus has.

The next to common sp. is H. tatauaia (second fish I posted pics of). They repotedly get 24"+ but I have never seen pics on the net of one much larger then 16". Also interestingly enough I have never found pics of them being caught by sport fisherman. They are a hardy fish and do very well in the aquarium. They run from $50-100. The only draw-back is that they grow slow. Mine has grown maybe 3" in 7 months or so. This species is highly variable in color pattern, some have silver bodies, some have gold bodies, some have grey bodies, some have red tails, some have yellow tails. When small it is hard to tell them apart from armatus. It is hard to explain, but in person it is very easy. A good way to do it is to go by the adipose fin. Tatauaia's adipose fin has a color that tends to match their caudal fin, while an armatus' adipose fin is always more brilliant orange compared to their caudal fin. Also armatus have the ivory white fangs while the other species have translucent fangs.

Lastly there is the holy grail, Hydrolycus armatus. These are the big boys, the ones you see fisherman holding. They are very rare in the hobby, but people who have had them say they are a hardy, easy to care for fish. The biggest in aquaria is currently around 24" and in a 10ft tank. They grow FAST. Ive had mine for a week now and I can see easily that it has grown. Once they hit around 12" their growth tends to slow down. A tank with an 8'x2' would work for a small armatus for 2 years perhaps. A 10x3 should be good for life. They are not a skittish and jumpy fish like most characins. They hold their ground, in fact mine after only a week is acting like a cichlid! He bullies any other fish including a 10-12" silver aro and 9" Datnoid and he is only 5" or so!! Obviously one should maintain good water quality, however the strong flow requirement is just not true as they are found in lakes as well. A strong powerhead like you would use for P's is all that you need.

Baisically all the," you need a bajillion gallon tank with power heads flowing 6,000,000,000 gallons per hour and an O2 tank the size of a gas tanker to oxygenate the water properly" is all bullshit. Stay away from H. scomberoides unless you want a challenge, and spring for H. tatauia or if you have the cash H. armatus.


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

If i was to get one, i'd go for the Armatus!

10x3 tank would be amazing to have


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## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

Great looking fish. How long will it take the fish to re-grow the tooth he shed?


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## TheWayThingsR (Jan 4, 2007)

Those look like some bad boys. I haven't read up on them too much, but I think if I do some studying I might set up a tank for one. Are these like piranha in a way that they're illegal in some states?


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Coldfire, the new tooth springs up immediately very much like a sharks tooth does.

Payara are only illegal in I think Texas and Florida. If you want an armatus you better hurry. They are very rarely available. Once River Wonders sells out they may not be available again for a couple of years or more!


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