Do freshwater fish need lots of flow?

[tdam]

I know good flow is pretty important with saltwater fish. Is it just as necessary with freshwater fish? Are good powerheads necessary for freshwater tanks?

 

[dakota9]

Depends on the fish you keep. River fish like more flow, but typical ornamentals like average lower-flow.


One source of flow is usually enough without supplemental powerheads

 

[gradybaby16]

Yeah the amount of flow and oxygen depends on the fish, some fish it doesnt matter, other fish REQUIRE good amounts of flow and oxygen, or soft and acidic conditions

what fish are you looking to keep?

 

[tdam]

arowana and a catfish. the flow seemed to throw the arowana off.

 

[gradybaby16]

I have a tank with a Silver Arowana, Red Tail Catfish, Tiger Oscar, Albino Tiger oscar, cichlid, etc. You need both Flow and Oxygen

I know when the Aro swims past the flow it will push its body sideways but thats normal, the arowana needs this flow and will get used to it especially as it gets larger......... im using two air pumps for oxygen, and for flow im using 1 Canister Filter for direct flow and a Penguin 350 Filter for gentler flow

Edit: And im sure your aware that besides lots of flow and oxygen these fish will need atleast 300 gallons for adult size and the tank should be around 3 feet wide... BUT the biggest thing is to make sure the tank is covered and weighed down, i have two 10 pound weights on each of my lids now because these fish are big jumpers

 

[tdam]

thanks. yea, i plan to take precautions.

 

[gradybaby16]

LMK if you want my fish ha.... tryna get rid of my entire setup and fish lol

Oh one other thing DO NOT FEED WITH FEEDER FISH, unless your breeding your own

Edit:

alt="" /> They are beautiful fish though

 

[tdam]

i saw your ad on craigs today. and i was thinking "dang, i probably coulda got that". i bought my fish over the weekend.

typical. u buy something, and then find it for sale a day later.

 

[gradybaby16]

Yeah, ive decided to sell all my FW and SW tanks and most of the stocking, mainly because i lost a bid on a larger 300 gallon which i need to transfer my fw fish to, so now its time to get rid of them before they get to large in their current tank and im just going to do a larger reef instead sucks though.......... Good luck to you though, awesome fish, especially when you feed them live food

 

[tdam]

just curious. how big are your arrowana and catfish right now? and how much would u sell them for?

 

[gradybaby16]

Thats a good question ha, havnt measured in a while since last growth....... RTC may be 5-6 inches or more, but my Aro is def more than 6 inches....... hadn't thought about pricing them either because i was going to throw them in with the setup....... but pm me with offer or w/e , so after work tonight i can remember to measure them and get back to you

 

[tdam]

i was just curious. I would offer, but i can't return my two that i just got.

i know red tails get big, but i love them!

 

[gradybaby16]

oh you picked up a red tail too? oh yeah they get big, and Fat and heavy, but out of all the fish they are the most gentle, can be hand fed etc. and dont mind a hand in the tank........ my plans where to while i grow them out, buy a 300 gallon or larger and place them all there, then possibly build a pond a while later..... But its taking a little bit longer than i thought to get the larger tank ha so i figured sell them now before they get to big......... my RTc actually ate my Albino Cory cat i had in the tank lol....poor fella, i took out his main hiding spot for a new tank and forgot to move him too

 

[tdam]

years ago, my 15 inch red tail ate my 15 inch arrowana! i came home one day, and it was in his mouth. took him a day to digest.

 

[gradybaby16]

:O, do you have a pic or video, id love to see that.... well its sad but still thats crazy, i know these RTCs will eat anything, another reason im trying to sell before i come home one day and see my fish to dissapear, i see him sizing the fish up with his mouth already lol

 

[tdam]

i had a pic on my work computer. but they changed it out and i lost the pic. his belly was sooo big for days.

 

[gradybaby16]

Yep, i got home and was like time to move the cory, oh no who ate him, saw the RTC swim out his pot to be fed with a fat tummy and was like nvm i know who ha..... my lfs had a hybrid of a RTC and shovel nose, that had a cory in its mouth wide open the cory was just chillin and still breathing, to big for the hybrid so it was stuck ha

 

[tdam]

yea, seen that too. i had this other catfish that once ate a freshwater puffer. it choked on it and they both died. this was years ago, and i try to be more responsible now.

 

[gradybaby16]

ha, its hard, they think everything that moves is made for it to eat ha....... it gets even harder if you feed live food, because once you add a fish intended for show they mistake it for food and chase it too ha