Vampire Tetra

**FishMaster5000** · 03-13-2012, 07:07 PM

Hello All!
I don't know if I am in the correct area for this, so sorry.

Anyhow, I just got some Vampire Tetra and wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions for them?

My Vamps are 3inches at the moment, they seem to be eating but only in the dark. I had about 20 of the pink minnows and now I am down to 9 ... or less by now.

They are doing great, I have them in a 30gal(tall) for now and when they get to about 8 inches I will put them in a 100gal. As far as decor, I dont keep any in my grow-out tanks. I can however add some decor if it would make the vamps alot more comfy.

Any tips on the vamps would be greatly appreciated.

**ScottishFish** · 03-13-2012, 07:33 PM

Done a quick google to see if I could help you out, there were a couple of species under the common name vampire tetras, some maxing out at 18inches whilst others maxing at 4feet!! So if you can give us the scientific name it would help matters.

Anyway if youve got the 18inch ones then they require places to hide as they enjoy lurking, a cave or stacked wood surrounded by tall and shady plants like amazon swords an valis would help them feel secure. Also as they are tetras they do a lot better in shoals, so id say for them to be happy they need more friends. But you cant really have 6-8 18inch fish in a 100gallon can you?

hope this helped a bit.

**MLBfan** · 03-13-2012, 07:40 PM

Yeah, +1 to SF, they look like cool fish, sorta like arowanas, but they'll need a huge tank. Especially depending on the specific species. You have an Arowana, correct? Maybe they could go together if the tank is big enough (I am no sure of this), or maybe you can find a huge tank somewhere.

**Aeonflame** · 03-13-2012, 08:21 PM

He has a payara not an arowana.

These fish get very large and are active powerful swimmers You will need a lot more than a hundred gallon tank

**MLBfan** · 03-13-2012, 08:29 PM

Oh, I saw a post

Let me know if you have any more Q's re Arowana, I am by far not an expert but Ive had Arowana for many years!

by him and I thought he had an arowana.

**FishMaster5000** · 03-14-2012, 12:28 AM

Thanks! Well, I have a bigger tank where I keep my monsters. the Vamp will stay in the 100gal untill it gets a certain size only because I dont want it to get eaten by a bigger fish. I had an incident with my Arowana's last year. I have 2 large and they ate a 12inch SR Arow that I had. Expensive feeder to say the least.

your right, i did read that nice little hiding places are good the the vamps.

its a Hydrolycus armatus. I am big time into monster fish so I always go for the big fish.

I do have Arowana's I have 2.

I also Have other fish though. I was just asking for any tips or pointers re the Vampire Tetra.

**Demjor19** · 03-14-2012, 04:55 PM

I kept one for a while. They are neat, but generally they are very skittish. I had lots of plants, wood, and other cover for ours. I could never get ours converted to prepared foods, so I ended up rehoming him.

**FishMaster5000** · 03-14-2012, 08:33 PM

Demjor,
whats up man, so you have your gars on prepared food? I see you have gars.

Re the Vamps, I need to add some hiding places for them. They have been eating the minnows so as long as he eats im ok with em. I just would like to give em the most optimal life possible you know. what sort of prepared food did you try to feed them? do you mean like pellets or do you have your own concoction?

**Demjor19** · 03-15-2012, 03:24 PM

Every predatory fish I own will readily eat pretty much anything that hits the water. I primarily feed a mix of large pellets (Hikari, Omega, and NLS) and frozen/thawed shrimp. Gars take a little extra work sometimes, but they will all eat pellets.

I tried feeding my Payara pellets and various fresh seafoods. I even tried thin cut fillets on a feeding stick to mimic live food. No luck. He would destroy live feeders though!