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[Acestrorhynchus]

Great work, Tom!  I've never kept Acestros because of my reluctance to purchase fish that are dependent on feeders.  Your input regarding the use of frozen/thawed fish may nudge me over the edge.

you know jesse...
i have two red tailed and i have to say that i really have forgotten all the other fish i want and just want to keep these with some Rays and Payara's.

I think that would be an incredible mix. I think with what I've written and with other facts people are finding, these fish are not so difficult once acclimated. They REALLY get used to you feeding them to the point of hitting anything that hits the water.

[Venom Stinger]

i agree...
when the two RTB's hang out above the rays it really is a cool site to watch...they look great together and they dont bother my ray one bit.

and my god...when a minnow hits the water look out...my smaller one doesn't take a second before it has one in its mouth and just destroying it...its crazy the way they hit and take in a fish..
its not a big gulp and a swallow...these fish will take that minnow and just demolish it with those teeth the way they shift it back and forth...
truely a very fun fish to watch

This post has been edited by Venom Stinger: May 23 2005, 12:13 PM

[Dirty Evo]

fantastic article.... thanks for posting.

Yeah, I would agree they are not necessarily too hard to keep. I am not the most diligent hobbyist. Sometimes skip a waterchange, or no feeding for a few days, and I SELDOM check my water conditions.... and my RTB is doing fantastic, no worries. Very tough and hardy. I am surprised. And as everybody says, he hits thawed silversides as soon as they hit the water. They are such aggressive and fast feeders, that even when feeding them silversides, its just as exciting and cool as live feeders.

When I get myself more disciplined in regards to water quality and maintenance, I also want to try a ray with my aces. That sure sounds like a really cool mix!!

Anybody who wants to try aces, go for it... they really are not difficult to take care of.. kinda like a big ol' tetra with wolf teeth.

[Acestrorhynchus]

I'm glad the hobby is up to speed now on aces. I hope someone takes it to the next level and breeds them. Frank (hastatus) has observed courtship and somewhere somebody saw eggs released. But no young acestros yet...

I'd advise being careful with water conditions, however. You can end up fighting the fin rot problem if water conditions slip too much. Leaving them without feed is a great luxury, though! I also agree that it is very close to the same level of excitement feeding thawed fish.

[Dirty Evo]

oh, an also, I TRULY APPRECIATE you going through the trouble to post this. Very cool. Also cool to see all the different pics. NICE. I have had so many questions and you have been real patient and helpful. thanks

[Acestrorhynchus]

i agree...
when the two RTB's hang out above the rays it really is a cool site to watch...they look great together and they dont bother my ray one bit.

and my god...when a minnow hits the water look out...my smaller one doesn't take a second before it has one in its mouth and just destroying it...its crazy the way they hit and take in a fish..
its not a big gulp and a swallow...these fish will take that minnow and just demolish it with those teeth the way they shift it back and forth...
truely a very fun fish to watch

I'm guessing you've seen that "shower of shiny scales" from the rough handling? Sort of a beautiful and deadly display. Aces will eat smaller fish and it's probably worth mixing in a couple of them just to see the speed they are capable of. I'll never forget the triple spin a young falcatus did at a guppy. That gup never moved and got eaten and the 4th spin!

[Venom Stinger]

When I get myself more disciplined in regards to water quality and maintenance, I also want to try a ray with my aces.  That sure sounds like a really cool mix!!

heres a shot of what it looks like


This post has been edited by Acestrorhynchus: May 23 2005, 01:56 PM

[Acestrorhynchus]

oh, an also, I TRULY APPRECIATE you going through the trouble to post this.  Very cool.  Also cool to see all the different pics.  NICE.    I have had so many questions and you have been real patient and helpful.  thanks

Well you and others seemed to really want and need this reference. I'm happy to be patient and helpful, I truly enjoy these fish and the continued appreciation of them. I was stunned at how little was out there and how much name-game confusion there was (and still is somewhat). Brian Scott and TFH deserve a lot of credit for giving me the opportunity to share info with a large audience and forcing me to organize most of my knowledge and ideas.

[Venom Stinger]

i agree...
when the two RTB's hang out above the rays it really is a cool site to watch...they look great together and they dont bother my ray one bit.

and my god...when a minnow hits the water look out...my smaller one doesn't take a second before it has one in its mouth and just destroying it...its crazy the way they hit and take in a fish..
its not a big gulp and a swallow...these fish will take that minnow and just demolish it with those teeth the way they shift it back and forth...
truely a very fun fish to watch

I'm guessing you've seen that "shower of shiny scales" from the rough handling? Sort of a beautiful and deadly display.

yes i have...and yes it is a very beautiful and very deadly display.
Besides rays...it has to be the coolest looking aquatic i have ever seen eat.

[Acestrorhynchus]

[quote=Venom Stinger,May 23 2005, 06:09 PM]
[quote=Dirty Evo,May 23 2005, 05:57 PM]

When I get myself more disciplined in regards to water quality and maintenance, I also want to try a ray with my aces.  That sure sounds like a really cool mix!!



heres a shot of what it looks like

[/quote]

If it weren't for your healthy fish (and Gilf's), I'd be on a goldfish rant. Somehow you guys aren't having any problems. I'd expect nutritional problems (and problems with that dorsal spine). Any insight here?

This post has been edited by Acestrorhynchus: May 23 2005, 01:53 PM

[Venom Stinger]

im glad you brought this up...
i dont feed them Gold fish anymore...but i do feed the Minnows.

i am wondering,how healthy are these anyway?

Thanks Ace,
V.

[Acestrorhynchus]

Oh, cool! Minnows made those falcatus I had into the healthy, thick Monster's that you see in the pics (and my avatar). That just leaves the mystery of Gilf's fish.

Because this is an informative thread I'd say, as a rule, avoid goldfish. They have thiaminase (destroys vitamin , have spines, and are usually a sickly fish when there are often better alternatives.

In snakes (I know, a little off topic) there can eventually be convulsions and death (it takes a while). My question to those who want to feed goldfish is; do you want to find out if this happen in fish too? I dont, I've seen it in snakes and it was so sad.

Minnows can bring a huge host of parasites, but if conditioned and quarantined they are usually fine (you'll see the really diseased ones drop like flies). It is probably best to go the route of thawed silversides, as this has worked as a staple for many other preds.

[Venom Stinger]

sounds good but i was going to set up a 5-10 gallon tank to hold about 4 dozen minnow to treat and get get healthy.

hey man...im a freak..i love to watch them chase fish !!!!

also..how would i feed them silversides..do i need to get some type of wire and dangle it in the tank ?

[Acestrorhynchus]

What you're planning is what I did (and still do) over the last several years; it works. There are clear acrylic tubes that salt water enthusiasts have used for years to trick fish like lionfish into feeding on silversides. But those aces should be getting used to feeders hitting the water. A simple "splash" as you introduce the silversides might work.

[Venom Stinger]

got ya...
and that might work for the smaller one..but my bigger one likes the chase.he doesnt eat them right away...he will chase them for a while and then hit.
ill try it out though

Thanks alot for all the help,
Gary

This post has been edited by Venom Stinger: May 23 2005, 01:59 PM

[Acestrorhynchus]

No prob. I understand what you're saying about feeding habits. Falcirostris in particular would be hard to trick without the acrylic 'wand' with the food attached to it. I've never heard of them eating non-live. I've had falcatus that were wary as well.

If you have the means to get and treat minnows, no worries!

Jesse, these isalinae are very easily tricked into feeding thawed fish, if you want to choose an easy ace to trick.

[Jesse]

Jesse, these isalinae are very easily tricked into feeding thawed fish, if you want to choose an easy ace to trick.

Tom, isalinae are beauties but their small size means that they will likely become feeders for my other preds. I'm thinking of possibly some A. falcatus for my 100 gallon datnoid grow-out tank.

For my larger tanks, I'm loving the low maintenance dorado/brycon shoal. Of course, those guys are far too rough for Acestros. My 360 gallon is like a war zone!

[Venom Stinger]

If you have the means to get and treat minnows, no worries!

ok..so if i start feeding these guys minnows all the time they will be ok?
ill try the frozen silversides in a few weeks.

thanks again,
V.

[Venom Stinger]

thanks for resizing my picture..because im a dumbass that doesnt know how too.

[Acestrorhynchus]

If you have the means to get and treat minnows, no worries!

ok..so if i start feeding these guys minnows all the time they will be ok?
ill try the frozen silversides in a few weeks.

thanks again,
V.

Yeah, I did the minnow thing for years, I still do. I've only tried non-live a couple of times. Life in the south has the benefits of many available feeders!

For the pic, I'm just proud that I know how to do that! I'm slow with that stuff myself...