diet options for large arowana

[peaceypea]

we recently purchased a ~5-6 inch silver arowana because we spend quite a bit of money at the LFS that just opened and they kept it at baby price for us to purchase because they didnt have a larger tank to put him in and still keep their other fish as well.

well 15 cichlids bagged and a couple rock re-dos and the arowana is nestled comfortable from a 30g, into one of our 75g tanks with only a large pleco and large red devil cichlid.

my issue is, we put in 10 feeder guppies, they run around and school and poop and we are good, then boom we go to bed and none are left and i just dont want to keep buying feeder guppies and minnows while i wait for my livebearers to mass produce, so question is other alternatives to arowana diet? preferably cost efficient, im in NC so something local maybe? any ideas are welcome.

[Goes to 11!]

I can't help but I know who can lol.

Crispy will have some answers for you but they might not meet the 'cost efficient' criteria since even baby predator fish [Which yours is] have big appetites.

Obviously the 75 won't do long term considering the adult size this fish will attain, What size tank do you plan to upgrade to?

[peaceypea]

we were going to sell him to another fish store most likely after about 6 months, we know we cant keep him in the 75 for long but it is WAY better than sharing a 30g tank with a freshwater stingray -_-

i understand the LFS's intention that it would probably sell fast, but the economy is so bad and the amount of fish lovers we have in my town.... not so much.

so ~maybe~ we will get a 125g(we have been looking at a 180g gosh i would love it) but we cant decide whether to jump into that before i finish school or after i finish school and we move to the western part of the state, because the last thing i want is 180g of water inhabited and then have to figure out or accommodate for that transport :[ LOL esp in the kia forte or the g6, that would work im sure.

[Nephalem]

Lol. If I tried to be reasonable with myself like that the addict in me would just tell me if I wait till I might never have to move it, I will wait forever for a tank.

As far as the food fish, I only have very limited monster experience, but I do know like all fish they have the instinct to eat whenever they can, so what I have seen others do even with feeders that they aren't breeding is to keep them in a separate tank, and only drop in fish as you feed the aro.

Red devils are rampant feeders as well right?

[peaceypea]

yea thats why we left only him in the tank as far as free swimming fish go, so between him and the slow going arowana, we arent sure whats gobbling them up at night bc the both wont eat unless we are out of the living room. lol.

i didnt know if there was anything that they really love to eat that we could drop in, watch him eat, then be done with it.

[Crispy]

5-6" is hardly a large arowana. lol.

an arowana that size should be by himself. a large red devil could easily kill him. anyhoo, to answer your question... I recommend crickets for a start.

taken from my Arowana basics sticky:
Baby arowana (2"-10") - 3x per day. The hardest size to feed a variety since most small arowana are fed feeder guppies or other small live fish before ending up in your aquarium. Feeder fish are usually kept in deplorable conditions which run rampant with disease and are not recommended for any small predator. If you can breed your own, fine. If not, I suggest bloodworms, blackworms, small crickets, mealworms, krill, and a quality pellet which is proper size for the aro to eat. Some arowana won't accept pellets right away, but live foods are rarely turned down. Getting your arowana on a quality pellet is great, but not all will accept them. Make sure to get rid of any uneaten food from your aquarium promptly.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...ad.php?t=96094

[peaceypea]

we try and feed him high quality pellets but he refuses, probably try blood worms as i want to feed my cichlids them once bi-weekly.

and maybe my red devil isnt a "large" its larger than the rest of the cichlids, and is the only one that would swim with him, and they are usually beside each other peacefully in the tank

[Crispy]

bloodworms won't keep him full. I would try crickets, krill, and cut up raw shrimp.

[Rocksor]

I would stay away from tiger shrimp or tiger prawns because it contains thiaminase. Other shrimp are fine.