I GOT ANOTHER RTC w00t :D

[FlammingWoodChuck]

I am soo happy i just got another RTC today, thinking for getting one more :D he is 4inch kinda skinny. One thing i don't know about them is..... How fast do they grow?????? and do they grow so big and then slow down?????? my old one(may he RIP) was growing like an inch a week for the three weeks i had him untill i woke up and he was just laying on the bottom of the tank dead :cry: and he was in a 10g but this little guyt is in my 60g(only for a while and yes i know he will out grow this thing fast) but will having a tank 6 times bigger make him grow faster????

[Capo]

Umm, i think it will grow at the same speed no matter what size the tank is, up to the point where the tank is too small for the fish and then its growth will be stunted. So, it will grow to be as big as its environment until its environment is too small i think. So if you did get a big tank he would still grow at the same rate except in the bigger tank he woiuld be able to grow bigger easier and healtier.

[Vitaliy]

General rule of fish is the bigger the tank the happier and healthier the fish would be, especially fish that get so large.

I am sorry to ask you this but why the hell would you get a fish that you know you will not be able to house nor would be able to provide proper housing right now? That just does not lay still in my mind, why the hell do people do this crap?

[Blackwater]

General rule of fish is the bigger the tank the happier and healthier the fish would be, especially fish that get so large.

I am sorry to ask you this but why the hell would you get a fish that you know you will not be able to house nor would be able to provide proper housing right now? That just does not lay still in my mind, why the hell do people do this crap?


Because humans are impulsive and often irresponsible. I want a RTC in the worst way, but won't get one untill my indoor pond (16'x6'x4') is done, and even then I'm not sure that's big enough?

[AmazonPredator]

Here we go again. The fact of the matter is that it is highly unlikely that the majority of red tail cats sold will max out at their optimum size and age, so why attack him for buying one? Now I do agree that keeping one in a 10 gallon is irresponsible. If you wanna talk about ponds for a red tail cat then I would say 2,000 gallons minimally. That's about as small as I would go for a full grown red tail. However, truth be known...its a free country and he can sell it when it outgrows his set up.

[Oddball]

It's not the tank size that will stunt the growth of a RTC, it's the water quality. When the RTC gets to too large of a size for the tank it's contained in, poor water quality is inevitable and will start to slowly kill the RTC. That where the stunting will originate from.
Look at the monster fish being displayed all over the internet. The fact is most fish will actually grow larger in captivity due to better quality and more frequent feedings and better water quality than they'd find in the wild. If the size of the environment could stunt the growth of a fish then, there would be foot-long breeding pairs of silver aros, RTCs, gator gars, etc. being raised somewhere around the world.
Here's an indicator of the tank size needed to keep this cat.

[AmazonPredator]

That things looks like it just ate a duck or something.

[DeLgAdO]

It's not the tank size that will stunt the growth of a RTC, it's the water quality. When the RTC gets to too large of a size for the tank it's contained in, poor water quality is inevitable and will start to slowly kill the RTC. That where the stunting will originate from.
Look at the monster fish being displayed all over the internet. The fact is most fish will actually grow larger in captivity due to better quality and more frequent feedings and better water quality than they'd find in the wild. If the size of the environment could stunt the growth of a fish then, there would be foot-long breeding pairs of silver aros, RTCs, gator gars, etc. being raised somewhere around the world.
Here's an indicator of the tank size needed to keep this cat.

ODDBALLS THE MAN!!!!!!

great info and pic bro :thumbsup:

[Vitaliy]

Here we go again. The fact of the matter is that it is highly unlikely that the majority of red tail cats sold will max out at their optimum size and age, so why attack him for buying one? Now I do agree that keeping one in a 10 gallon is irresponsible. If you wanna talk about ponds for a red tail cat then I would say 2,000 gallons minimally. That's about as small as I would go for a full grown red tail. However, truth be known...its a free country and he can sell it when it outgrows his set up.
Just because that happens often that does not mean that everyone should get used to it and sit there without saying anything.

[Tainted Glory]

Look out for my weekly updates on my RTC. He's been growing about an inch a week since I've got him.

[Gr8KarmaSF]

I think that Flamming is also really young ( 16, if im not mistaken, see the age and name thread in the lounge) and still learning about the responsibilities of monster fish keeping, which is one of the reasons this website exists right?

He simply may have to learn the hard way. :( Though I would hate for him to post some dumb question later on about why his fish died.

[Rui]

I don't think trashing guys on this forum is doing any good.

If I was him, read that post, chances are I would never return to this site. Constructive criticism with an emphasis on teaching someone what it takes to keep certain fish is the way to go.

When I first started out, I had an 18 gallon tank. In it, were 3 oscars, 2 red devils, 2 tinfoil barbs, 2 Red Bellied Pacus and a common pleco. I learned.

How many Red Tails are sold every year? Out of those, how many will actually make it to adulthood? I would say less than 1/10th of a percent.

This site is WONDERFUL for sharing info, pics, getting excited, and teaching others what it takes to keep fish and keep them responsibily. As well, we are all hobbyists here. Many are very new, but it is our job to try and encourage other hobbyists instead of flaming them on the forums.

This is a haven for guys who enjoy keeping huge fish. Lets keep it that safe haven where we all can learn and where we can all pass knowledge on. Not to mention, there aren't too many other sites around where we can boast about our fish and put pics up ;)

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Ok here is how it is. my old RTC in the 10 was in there for a few weeks to get big enough for my 100g but he died when he hit 6inch. my new one is a 4inch one and he is in a 29g. i put him in the 100g but my FU*KING fish beat the $H!T out of his tail. He has like 1/2 inch left and blood spots on his tail. Just a question, will his tail grow back all the way or even half way????? but back to what iu was saying he is in a 29g with my silver Aro, jewel ciclid(i think), and a black ghost knife. he is eating just has a bit of troubble swim but not to the point were he can't move. I am new to fish keeping and i would like if people please stop tell me that i am making stupid mistakes and all that it makes me not want to read some of my post. so plz stop saying crap like that. i don't mind if u put it like "you might wana rethink that" or something like that. much apreciated :)

[Blackwater]

Alot of people didn't know any better in the days before the internet, good information was hard to come by. In this day and age of being able to research fish before purchase, there is absolutly no excuse for situations like this. Read the stocklist..Arowana, RTC, Knife, etc. What kind of long term housing are you going to provide for these fish? When I was your age I had the owner of an lfs tell me I could put a RTC in a 240 and it would only "grow to the size of the tank" Even back then without the internet and nothing but bad advice, my 16 year old brain knew better

[FlammingWoodChuck]

i am planning on getting a 240 for the Aro and for the rtc i am gana get a pond for the RTC. I do plan for the future. i have done plenty of reaserch and I always ask the guy i buy my fish from like 10-20 questions about fish. so i do know what i am getting into. I plan to have like 3 or 4 other house mates when i move out and they all are into fishkeeping so ya i do have plans for the future ok. i am trying to get a job but it is hard when u are 16 and have 0 experiance and have to make it work around school. Just so u all know and stop say i have no clue of what i am doing. my funds are limmited and i don't have a job but i do plan like 1-5 years in advanced.

[thamunsta]

Look out for my weekly updates on my RTC. He's been growing about an inch a week since I've got him.


hes gonna have a growth spirt and graw more than an inch a week when he decides he wants to eat YOU and ALL YOUR FAMILY lol jk ............. but seriously watch out :ROFL:

[Blackwater]

I have limited funds as well which is why I don't own a RTC. A RTC need a HUGE indoor pond that is HUGE, like 16 feet x 8 feet x 4 feet deep. The cost to build and maintain suitable housing for an RTC is a really big deal. Plus there's other points to consider for you (I have a 16 year old son and know how you fellas think) what happens when you move out of your parents house? NO landlord is going to be ok with you having a pond in the house, I gurantee it. What happens when you decide to get a job, and a car ($$$$$$ gas, ins, GIRLS) All I'm saying is do some serious thinking. My stepson wants a Quaker Parrot and I told him fine as long as he could tell me his plans and living situations for the next 25-30 years, he couldn't NO PARROT. :grinno: There are lots of cool catfish that would be fine in your 240, and even in your 100 some will work, just not the RTC :thumbsup:

[FlammingWoodChuck]

ok but my parrents might give me the house we are in now/ it is a 1900 square foot single storie house. so i have planed far ahead. i know that gas will be a B!TCH but i will just pay as it i have to. I know i am still young and u probly think i dont know what i am doing but i still wana keep my RTC i will just have to find him a good home later on in life if i cannot provide for him. Thx for trying to kinda look out for me but i have a very easy going attitude. I just take things one step at a time and am not in a big hurry about everything. My friend has been all " i can't wait to get my license" and drive with his mom or dad all the time and I don't mind if i get it now or in a year. I do plan ahead but ill deal with it when it happens :D

[fishnthings]

how much do one of these bad boys cost?(small)

[FlammingWoodChuck]

how much do one of these bad boys cost?(small)
depends on the store. i got mine for 17.50$ but i saw one at a store like 2 miles away for 72.99# :WHOA: :WHOA: :WHOA: same size too

[boredcpl]

the way i look at it is find someone that can house it or buy it if it gets too big or you cant keep it.. if you have a big tank cool.. some ppl see a cute little catfish for around 18.00 they would buy it for their kids 10 gal.. atleast the ppl on here can house the beast for a lot longer than a week or 2......So what im saying is nice fish nice buy and good luck on the housing of the fish and i hope it is healthy for a long time..