Best Light For Bringing Out Small Red Pacu's Color

[spatterfree]

Hi,
I just bought two 3.5 to 4" Red Pacu's
Not the Big ones' They only get 10" big.
And I have the 13watt 50/50 floresant lights and it's seems like the Pacu is kind of too blueish tinted. What sugestions would anybody have for me.
Also Give me Any advice you think would be important for me in caring for the fish. I have A 40 Gallon Tank with a eheim 2026 canister filter and a heater at about 80 degrees. Right now I have 2 of the red Pacus and two 3 inch Tinfoil Barbs.

 

[yvez9]

i don't know where you got the info that red pacus grow to 10 inch, but they will grow closer to 24 inches. They need massive tanks, at least 6 feet long... tinfoil barbs will also grow to be about 12-14 inches.

Barbs also like to school so getting more would be better.

 

[CFC]

True red belly pacus, Metynnis maculatus, only grow to around 8 inches unlike the black and brown pacus which grow to 2 feet or more, it is a common mistake that people make when they hear the word "pacu".

 

[pica_nuttalli]

how can you differentiate between true red-bellies and the black/brown pacus?

 

[wrs]

how can you differentiate between true red-bellies and the black/brown pacus?

well I know my lfs sells them, and the red ones have red stomachs, and the black ones are just all black.

 

[CFC]

red bellied pacu http/www.amazon-exotic-import.de/Galleri...%20Araguaia.htm (site doesnt allow hot linking)

black pacu

brown pacu

 

[pica_nuttalli]

heh, well that was simpler than i anticipated...

 

[Arfie]

Not 100% sure but I believe that these were labelled as red belly pacu's

If so, they are huge, there are in the 1,500 gallon display tank at Wharf Aquatics, that red bit at the bottom is the top of the tail of a 2 foot long adult Red Tailed Cat .

But to answer your question, there are bulbs that will highlight red, in fact I have on in one of my tanks, but I cant remember the make/model, your LFS will be able to advise you, or they often have a chart with the bulbs that tell you which bulb is best for what type of lighting effect you want

Arfie

 

[CFC]

Those are black pacus

 

[astroboy]

that red bit at the bottom is the top of the tail of a 2 foot long adult Red Tailed Cat .

Haha, and thats only about 1/2 the size of a full grown RTC

 

[spatterfree]

I Bought them at a local Petstore and the guy told me the grow approx. 10"
Ya the tinfoil Barbs tend to grow 14"
I'll post a pretty picture on the Red Pacu later

 

[spatterfree]

Please give me the model number or just the color it would take.
Really what I'm thinking is, I have blue Gravel in there as well.
Maybe a different color would be better too. Any Advise???

 

[pica_nuttalli]

green gravel. red and green are contrasting colors, meaning the appearance of one makes the other look stronger.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I find arcadia orginal tropical tubes bring out the reds well, when just that tube is on the red on my arowana are amazing!

also you might want to try black gravel if you don't like the sound of green(i know i don't !!), my mate keeps red bellies with black gravel and they are pretty damn bright.

 

[spatterfree]

Would it look good black gravel with the 50/50 florecent lightening. with 50/50 lightening I actually mean 50% White 50% Blue for these who don't know what it means.