Altum Angels

[klkch1]

Hi Everyone

I understand that the genuine young altums (unlike the scalare altum version) are hard to come by in our LFS and I dont see any semi adults for sale either. No doubt it is very costly considering that at the size of a 10 cent coin (body), it's priced @ RM75 per pc (correct me if I am wrong).

So overall, is it due to rarity or lack of popularity that's contributing to the very fact that lfs hardly have this majestic fishes available for sale ?

Thank you guys....

[rickodiscus]

Altum angels are really beautiful fish if you rear them in planted tank. A year ago I venture into rearing this imorted from Columbia 10 sen piece size fish. I bought from an importer 3 batches of 200 fish and finally I have 28 fish left. They were 8" fin height when I decided to sell half of them for RM200 each. I rear them just like discus and they will fall sick and die just like discus. My dream of breeding altum was shattered. Finally I have to sell my remaining 5 for RM600.

The importers take a lot of risks to bring this fish in and before they can sell them, fish are dying one by one. Large stable fish are a collector's item. The fish took 50 to 60 hours to reach us and the people there do not handle the fish well and the mortality rate isw very high.

It is not surprise you paid RM75 for a piece of 10 sen size. The altum season is on now and you can buy them from some importer here. Happy trying - no venture no gain, hahaha.

[Cichlid Connections]

Altum Angels are usually shipped wild direct from the Rio Orinoco in Venezuela or other tributaries of the Amazon from Colombia. They are very difficult to stabilise and usually die off during quarantine. No LFS would dare stock them. We've had some previously and awaiting more to come in coming weeks. Stay tuned and cross your fingers.

[klkch1]

Ricko

Wah lao eh... fr 300 to only 28 left. This is heart breaking man !! They died on the way to Malaysia OR it was while you're raising them that they fell sick ? Or you sold all of the balance for a handsome profit ? Must have paid quite alot of the small fellas.

Cichlid Connection

I would assume therefore, fr ur post, that most altums survives the shipping period but dies while trying to adapt to the water conditions in our country ? It's not surprising considering that it's wild fish but I dont think anyone could get their eyes off this awesome fish. Very swee !

Cheers

[Cichlid Connections]

Originally Posted by klkch1

Ricko

Wah lao eh... fr 300 to only 28 left. This is heart breaking man !! They died on the way to Malaysia OR it was while you're raising them that they fell sick ? Or you sold all of the balance for a handsome profit ? Must have paid quite alot of the small fellas.

Cichlid Connection

I would assume therefore, fr ur post, that most altums survives the shipping period but dies while trying to adapt to the water conditions in our country ? It's not surprising considering that it's wild fish but I dont think anyone could get their eyes off this awesome fish. Very swee !

Cheers

Yes, you're right. Death on Arrival do occur too.

[Dark Lord]

All Angel TAi Kor out there,

After viewing the pic, I am totally in love with altum....but before I plunge any deeper.....can someone share some experince in rearing them???

Otherwise I am worry I will "waste" a lot of this lovely fish..

[dom]

you need to have a very stable planted tank or aged water with lower PH to house them.

Standoyo keeping 9 pieces which is around 1 feet long from top fin to bottom anal fin. Heard he got few small pieces recently. Those small fellas doing very well inside his planted tank.

[Dark Lord]

Originally Posted by dom

you need to have a very stable planted tank or aged water with lower PH to house them.

Standoyo keeping 9 pieces which is around 1 feet long from top fin to bottom anal fin. Heard he got few small pieces recently. Those small fellas doing very well inside his planted tank.

Aiya....I am not godd at planted tank..so far only got BB tank (discus mainly)..

But judging from their height... will need a relatively deep tank, right??

So I will need a 3-4 feet and deep planted tank.... that should be expensive..

How about non planted..is that possible with altum??

[dom]

Currently stan's adult altum keeping in non-planted tank. I believe those are very stable. coz he never bother about the PH or temperature.

Yes. if you want to breed them....at least 4ft height. Saw a pair of real adult altum in a farm years ago. they were keeping in a 4ft height x 3ft depth and 2ft wide tank.

I believe most of you guys never bother about the PH of the commercial discus. Unless it is F0 hackel or torquise. Handling the wild altum is the same with handling the wild discus.

CC and stan, correct me if i am wrong.

[Cichlid Connections]

There have been no 'guidelines' from anyone whatsoever in handling Altums. They are one of the hardest fish to handle. The way I see it its the way they are handled from the wild. Fishes are all lined in nets by the rivers within the location, bagged and shipped out immediately when an order is put in. No quarantine whatsoever. Trip from the deep remote areas of the Amazon to the departing airport could take days coupled with a few extra days to reach the destination i.e Malaysia, Singapore etc. Do you know there are no direct flights for cargos from South America to South East Asia. They would have to transit in Frankfurt, Amsterdam prior to landing in Malaysia. So, being a susceptible creature they are, most just cannot handle the stress in travelling. I would think that all the pathogens would break free during shipping and upon arrival they are really really bad. To tell you all the truth, the fish is not as overly expensive as they are upon purchase, but the death rates and the freight cost added and wallaaaa......... there you have it RM80 a pop.

In such, our methods of trying to stabilise them is to keep the PH low, add some driftwood for them to take cover and plants if necessary. They would settle way better in a decorated environment rather than a bare tank. Another point to note is to have large volumes of water in circulation i.e having a real big system or tank would really help. That being said its still no guarantees.