# Sabertooth Characin



## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

any one ever had experince with keeping one of these? or have any info about keeping them in the home aquaria.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Non-aggressive, impressive when feeding. Need good circulation of water.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

whay are they impressive when feeding?


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

from what i hear they like to spit on their foot to digest them outside their body...









... what youve never seen the fly?


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## syd (Nov 6, 2004)

da f*ck are you talking about


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

jonscilz said:


> from what i hear they like to spit on their foot to digest them outside their body...
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not as far as i am aware, the info i have been able to find is that theyb are a highly predatory species, and there main staple of food in the wild id piranha.


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## heffer2028 (Oct 10, 2004)

anyone have a pic of these fish i never heard of them?


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ya here 
from google


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

one more


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## heffer2028 (Oct 10, 2004)

eww they are scary.. u can actually buy them?


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

jonscilz said:


> from what i hear they like to spit on their foot to digest them outside their body...
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Get back on the meds....

They are impressive because they impale fish on their "sabers". In the wild, that includes.... piranha!


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## compton ass steve (Nov 12, 2004)

i wish i could impale things on my sabers....


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## jan (Apr 24, 2004)

compton ass steve said:


> i wish i could impale things on my sabers....:laugh:
> [snapback]841868[/snapback]​












But on topic: they look like a great fish to own, but you will need a HUGE tank!


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

jan said:


> But on topic: they look like a great fish to own, but you will need a HUGE tank!
> [snapback]842271[/snapback]​


ya no joke, any body know the growth rate on these things,

acestro.... so non aggressive means twords things that are bigger than them? would that thing eat live food? in the home aquaria


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

All my sp. of this type grew to the 5" mark rather quickly and then slowed way down. As Ace said, they are impressive outwardly with the formidable fangs but not an agressive fish persay. They can be on the skittish side and somewhat withdrawing. Also, I have only heard of a few to be lucky enough to ween them off of feeders. That with their big appetite can make for an expensive fish. But I enjoyed keeping them and because they aren't an "agressive" fish, you can house them with anything that won't fit in their mouth.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

so they are much like their close relative the piranha, as far as shyness and shuch


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## firepisser8104 (Dec 7, 2004)

this is funny, cause i was gonna post one like this cause my lfs, not my work was suposed to get me a barracuda, but the tankmates had ick, so he didnt get one, but he said he could get my two of these "vampire tetras" that are now 8" long for $30/ea, but i knew nothing about them.
I looked them up online and found out a good deal of info on them. but yea they do grow big and the nest says fast. I may get one just to see how they are.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

any one know where to get these other than riverwonders


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## jan (Apr 24, 2004)

Maybe this is an usefull link:

http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php?showtopic=68170


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

rbp 4 135 said:


> any one know where to get these other than riverwonders
> [snapback]843226[/snapback]​


Wes from Rare Fish gets them in from time to time.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ok i couldnt help it i orderd one

ill get some pics up when it comes in


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## firepisser8104 (Dec 7, 2004)

i should have 2 8"ers in thursday!! i take pics for ya. HMMM new feeding vids!!! what did you pay rbp? i am getting mine for arounf 25 or so ea.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

sh*t how are you getting them so cheap, mine are going to be about 8 in i got them for 69 $


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## firepisser8104 (Dec 7, 2004)

i pay cost, well discounted at least, I work for a pet store as well as have connections at a few others


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ahhh i see


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

firepisser8104 said:


> i should have 2 8"ers in thursday!! i take pics for ya. HMMM new feeding vids!!! what did you pay rbp? i am getting mine for arounf 25 or so ea.
> [snapback]844832[/snapback]​


Whoa, killer pride man. Can't wait to see the pics of those guys.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

SLANTED said:


> Whoa, killer pride man. Can't wait to see the pics of those guys.
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Me neither, I saw a slowed down vid of one feeding that was incredible. I'll try and track that down sometime..


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

acestro said:


> Me neither, I saw a slowed down vid of one feeding that was incredible. I'll try and track that down sometime..
> [snapback]852072[/snapback]​


That would be great ace


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## killerbee (Aug 18, 2004)

Before i got into piranha's i researched on these fish around on the net and what used to be predatoryfish...the people who had them said theat they will usually grow to 12" and then for some reason they die.

They said they grow pretty slow in the home aquarium and yes they will eat only live food that can fit in their mouth. since i had a 60 gallon only 12 width i decided not to get these guy. good luck to ya guys


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## Fresh2salt (Jul 16, 2004)

thats a bad ass fish


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## acidWarp (Jun 30, 2003)

killerbee said:


> Before i got into piranha's i researched on these fish around on the net and what used to be predatoryfish...the people who had them said theat they will usually grow to 12" and then for some reason they die.
> 
> They said they grow pretty slow in the home aquarium and yes they will eat only live food that can fit in their mouth. since i had a 60 gallon only 12 width i decided not to get these guy. good luck to ya guys
> 
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I was about to say the same thing, you beat me too it







I've also heard they grow to about a foot in captivity and then die for no explainable reason. So if your looking into one, you may want to start small so you can at least enjoy it for a while


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

The 12" mystery death is a myth of sorts. I have seen plenty of 12"+ payara in the home aquaria. I say of sorts however because I have also seen a few die in this size area for no apparent reason. This has been debated before as to why some die in this size range and there are many theories. I personally feel it is due to the diet of captive payara. As mentioned, it is very hard to get them off of live food. It can be done but is very difficult. So because of this they are fed a diet exclusively of feeders. This means a high fat diet with high risk of bacterial infections. This would be like a toddler eating pizza for every meal up until adulthood. All fat, very very little vitamins. Due to this liver, heart, and immune problems occur. But as said before I know many hobbyist who take of their payara to combat this. Using other types of fish to feed them( platties, mollies, etc) and will gut load them with vitamins and/or plant matter.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ya that is my current plan, i am currently feeding tuffies, or rosie reds. i feed them with a high quality ciclid flake, untill they will eat no more right befor they become a snack. i also plan to make a salt dip for fture aplacation, but the ones in the tank currently have been in there for over a month now, so no worry about deasises. How about breeding some cons for feeders?


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## mykil73g (Aug 28, 2004)

I heard they were a white water fish that likes a strong current...


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

definately ^


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## Brendan (Oct 7, 2004)

nice pics


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