Question About Bullhead Catfish

[KittyKatFish100]

Would a wild Bullhead that has been in a tank for a little while change how it feeds and acts during different seasons, even if the tank is the same temperature year round?

[haynchinook334]

nope.....

[kdrun76]

Seasonal behavior is triggered by a mix of things, photoperiod and water temp are the biggest cues, but don't rule out assorted pollens and food types in the water.

If the photoperiod is changing with the seasons, I would expect behavioral changes. What sort of changes are you seeing? Not much would be expected this time of year. March is a whole other situation.

[~ocean]

maybe or maybe not... it depends on the fish... ask him :)! lol

[KittyKatFish100]

The fish hasn't been eating as much and is slightly more lethargic

[~ocean]

that's water problems... or it has a disease...

[kdrun76]

What are you doing to control the water temp? What is the temp now?


Those are classic symptoms of water cooling.

What are your nitrates?

[~ocean]

I was just gunna ask that...

[KittyKatFish100]

What are you doing to control the water temp? What is the temp now?


Those are classic symptoms of water cooling.

What are your nitrates?
I have trouble keeping the nitrites and nitrates low and i use the heater that came with the tank to keep it around 78F

[~ocean]

by some benificial bacteria packs... how long did you set up the tank?

[KittyKatFish100]

by some benificial bacteria packs... how long did you set up the tank?
I think maybe three days... but the tank that it was in before wasn't big enough and i had to clean the water out everyday so I wanted to move the fish as soon as possible and three days was the recommended time on the instructions that came with the tank

[~ocean]

3 days!!!!!!!!! You need to set it up for 2 months!!!!! You'll have to be pouring the BB in quick!!!!!!!

[KittyKatFish100]

3 days!!!!!!!!! You need to set it up for 2 months!!!!! You'll have to be pouring the BB in quick!!!!!!!
I've put in some stress zyme, a biological filtration booster that contains live bacteria. Is that what you're talking about?

[~ocean]

PS... You can't always trust LFS people and instructions!!!!

[~ocean]

yeah, that's what I'm talking about... your tank will be ready in 1 month... not 3 days... that's how long I took when using BB... well... do many water changes and put a lot of the BB in.

[KittyKatFish100]

yeah, that's what I'm talking about... your tank will be ready in 1 month... not 3 days... that's how long I took when using BB... well... do many water changes and put a lot of the BB in.
Ok thank you. He's been in the tank for about two months now and has only recently within the last three weeks started to act this way but he usually starts eating again after awhile but I will try more of that stuff

[~ocean]

good luck!!!

[kdrun76]

Any time you can detect nitrites, do a 50% water change.

Keep your nitrates under 20ppm. Anytime they get up over 15ppm, change 50% of the water.

[~ocean]

If you need more help give me a shout. (you click on my username) and PM me or just type anything on my message board.

[~ocean]

plants help keep the nitrates low... as well as the carbon dioxide.

[kdrun76]

Remove the heater. Bullhead do better in colder water. Seriously, they prefer the water below 60 degrees.

[KittyKatFish100]

Any time you can detect nitrites, do a 50% water change.

Keep your nitrates under 20ppm. Anytime they get up over 15ppm, change 50% of the water.
Thank you all and thank you kdrun76 =)

[~ocean]

well... you could train it to live high and then get some pretty tankmates :)

[TStephens]

get some pretty TASTEY tankmates :)

lol

[~ocean]

lol... you could fit other big cat's in or really fast middle or top dwelling fish, depending on size of tank.

[Proteus]

why do you have a heater in there with a bullhead?

is there some type of other fish in there as well that needs warmer temp? because bullheads do not need heaters and would be more comfortable in colder temps-

[KittyKatFish100]

lol... you could fit other big cat's in or really fast middle or top dwelling fish, depending on size of tank.
I tried putting other fish in there but it likes to bite and harass them so I ended up getting rid of them lol...

[MonsterMinis]

yep.. take the heater out.. the heat may be a large part of your problem.. Just unplug it and let it sit in the tank 24 hours then remove it completely. This allows the water to slowly drop in temp and the heater.. so it doesn't explode when you remove it from the tank ( yes I've seen heaters explode). Bullheads ime also like dim lighting and aquatic plants/caves to hide in and among. an untreated flowerpot would do well to offer him a place to relax. Stress may also be a culprite. If he was wild caught you may also be dealing with internal parasites. depending how long you've had him, they can take awhile to manifest themselves inot a problem.

1) unplug heater
2) get a water test done and list perameters
3) get him something to hide in if he already doesn't have something/dim lighting
4) what are you feeding him?

and it is possible if he's wildcaught and has run a few seasons wild you will see decreased appetite, lethagic actions in prep for season changes. If he seems ot be openeing his mouth alot and "gasping" it may simply be the heat is finally getting to him. or Your water quality.

[~ocean]

alright forget the heater... lower the temp by 1 degree every day, then get rid of it...

[Tjend]

i would feed it pelletsfor a while then add either some more cats maybe a bass idk mainly somthing it cant fit in its mouth

[SFury]

alright forget the heater... lower the temp by 1 degree every day, then get rid of it...
Totally unnecessary. Water temps vary a lot in the wild during seasonal changes. Chances are the temp will only drop 10 degrees or so to be at room temp. Not a big temperature swing for a WC native fish.

As far as tankmates go, not much will work. They either beat up or eat other fish or get beat up themselves. I've had success keeping multiple bullheads together though.

[Tjend]

As far as tankmates go, not much will work. They either beat up or eat other fish or get beat up themselves. I've had success keeping multiple bullheads together though. wrong and right they have eatin my crappie but i have 2-3in perch with a 9 inch bullhead that live in peace chiclids also should be fine with them idk about a 14 incher though another fish of same size should work probably a big oscar 10in+ largemouth bass

[KittyKatFish100]

Ok uh, well he's eating again now so I guess he just went thru one of those "fasting" times when they get overfed lol... How do you dim the lights in the tank?

[Tjend]

i dont really know but maybe get a different bulb with less wattage or cover it with something make sure that it wont melt or burn whatever you cover it with

[KittyKatFish100]

Alrighty then

[KittyKatFish100]

My tank has a glass top that the light sits on. Would it be alright to dim the light by tinting the glass?

[Tjend]

yeah that would work get some tissue paper and cover it on my tank its the opposite when my fish eat they splash the lid glass like crazy and it forms a white/yellow film on it i have to clean it like every month

[KittyKatFish100]

Alright awesometastic :D

[Tjend]

"awesometastic" thats a new one :) you should put some more blugill in your tank or maybe a bass

[KittyKatFish100]

I thought about putting in another bluegill, but I thought that the catfish might go after the bass. I might get a bass one day but probably not soon. Even if I wanted to I couldn't because I can't get out my own driveway yet! We just got 15 inches of snow!!!

[Tjend]

wow thats cool i guess. im in texas and it never snows :( its funny how the weather people always say it gunna snow but it never does and where do you get your natives from , i get mine from my ranch we have 4 huge ponds stocked wit bass catfish white crappie lots of kinds of perch and minnows

[KittyKatFish100]

I get them from a lake that's not too far from my house

[knifegill]

Have you checked for ammonia in there? I didn't see anyone mention the big A.

[Tjend]

in my tank there is none tested the waters yesterday if your talking to me which i think you are because of how many fish in my tank

[KittyKatFish100]

Ammonia isn't the problem for me. Its at a normal level.

[knifegill]

What's your normal level? You shouldn't have a normal level.

[KittyKatFish100]

I mean the normal colour on the test thing lol

[~ocean]

^ 0 you mean...

[KittyKatFish100]

I'll test it again soon and post on here what it says....

[~ocean]

alright...

[KittyKatFish100]

I tested it today. It was at 0 which amazes me because that catfish is a piggy and therefore he goes alot lol.. I guess the undergravel filters have done a pretty good job. I still can't wait to move him into his new tank tho!