View Full Version : largest pangasius (ID shark)
Planetcatfish and other sources list IDs with a max length of around 4'. What is the largest iridescent shark you have had or seen in a home aquarium and what age was the fish? (not paroons)
piranha45
10-18-2005, 10:38 PM
prolly around 2', i dunno how old it was. i doubt theyll ever hit anywhere near their max size in conventional sized tanks.. they are a fine example of a fish that shouldnt be in the hobby.
There is a Canadian woman that has a 3000g+ tank with a ~2' pangasius. (only 1/2 the listed max size) We all have our opinions on fish that should and shouldn't be in the hobby but putting that aside, wouldn't you think a tank of that size would allow for more growth? We've all seen the pictures of the 3'+ wild caught specimens. I'm thinking that the growth of this fish much slow drastically around the 2' mark. I'd like to find out if anyone has a larger specimen and its age.
piranha45
10-18-2005, 11:26 PM
well it also depends on how often she fed it, if it was kept in a school with other pangs, and the quantity n frequency of water changes.
mkpeters6
10-19-2005, 12:29 PM
prolly around 2', i dunno how old it was. i doubt theyll ever hit anywhere near their max size in conventional sized tanks.. they are a fine example of a fish that shouldnt be in the hobby.
i agree, the problem w/ keeping ird sharks is that they are a schooling fish and are very skiddish unless they are in a group of like 4-5 so even a 3000 gal tank might even be too small for a shoal of these big cats -- plus if i had a 3000 gal tank a school of ird sharks would be the last thing i would have in it (just my personal opinion)
most of these fish that are held in captivity that reach anywhere near 2ft are usually deformed from smashing into the glass - and like its been said that size is only half as big as they can get
i wouldnt mind them being in the aquarium trade as an exotic monster fish like some others, but these fish are sold by the 1000s in petcos and other big retail stores that know nothing about the husbandry (i dont know how many times ive seen them for sale at petco with the info on them saying their max sixe is 8in!!)
blacktip
10-19-2005, 12:55 PM
(i dont know how many times ive seen them for sale at petco with the info on them saying their max sixe is 8in!!)
I believe that they consider this the maximum size they will get before passing away in an average 20 gallon aquarium from banging into the glass too many times...
Actually, I agree that this fish should not be sold as frequently as it is. It is a shame that so many of these guys have to suffer through a mediocre existence trapped in a tiny glass box.
Oh yeah, the biggest I have actually seen in captivity were about 15". My LFS has two of them that size in a 6' x 4' x 3' tank right now.
well it also depends on how often she fed it, if it was kept in a school with other pangs, and the quantity n frequency of water changes.
I talked to her (e-mail) and she said her shark is 4-5 years old, 27" long and in a 3240g tank with a variety of other fish. Its diet consists of mainly hikari cichlid pellets with other food as treats. It is fed every other day at this point. Her set up is very impressive and she has threads about the set-up and filtration. This information seems to backup my assumption that a 4' specimen would take years/decades to achieve even under good conditions.
TaratronVaeVictus
10-20-2005, 9:15 PM
One of the fish I think -most- of us can agree die very young and in very cramped quarters.
At PetsMart, they note the fish grows to a max of 8 inches as well.
Jeff M
10-20-2005, 9:33 PM
I've seen one at a friends ff in so fl thats a minimum 40". Lives in a several thousand gal overflow retention pond with misc african cic and 30 giant plecos(15-20"). Been there 5-7 yrs.
kentobizmol
10-23-2005, 10:29 PM
i saw iridescent sharks in japan, they were around 3'+ i think...i'll try to post some pictures.
i scanned the picture so they said the file was too large.
necrocanis
10-23-2005, 11:37 PM
check out this link. Wonder how long it would take him to get over 4' lol
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwcatfish&1130382305
arapaimag
10-24-2005, 2:39 AM
The largest pangasius suchi (I.D. shark I have seen was 4 months ago at DJ's Pet Shop in Woodstock, Ontario Canada. 1 was 32 " the other was 30". They were about 12 years old. They were raised in a 500 gal plywood tank. One of your other replies states that they should be kept in a school and he is very right. Also they need a big tank (a few K). My favourite is pangasius sanitswongi the Imperial or Emperor shark. I had a school of 6 which eventually went from my mini mega 15k to my mega 50k+. They were not skittish in the big tanks and very slow growing. reached 36" at 8 years.
kentobizmol
10-24-2005, 11:23 PM
are iridescent sharks also called pangasius catfish?
kentobizmol
10-24-2005, 11:25 PM
so you are the one that really has a 50,000gallon tank.
i want to check out the pictures, if possible.
reefraymaster
10-25-2005, 7:29 AM
we need pics of all this
Oddball
10-25-2005, 10:57 AM
This may help in IDing some of these cats:
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 1:05 AM
this is the irrd. shark i saw
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21318
and
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21317
Oddball
10-29-2005, 1:38 AM
That cat is a "Monster in the making". It's a paroon shark (P. santiwongsei). These cats grow to about 9 feet.
Oddball
10-29-2005, 1:48 AM
I'm happy with my group of irridescent sharks (P. hypophthalmus). They 'only' grow to 40". Here's one of my albino cats.. I have 3 albinos and 9 standards.
necrocanis
10-29-2005, 3:15 AM
that's a beautiful fish oddball. I'm jealous.
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 4:52 PM
oddball, u talkin too me?
then oh, ok thanx
someone answer please, are irrid shaks also called pangasius shark or pangasius catfish?
TaratronVaeVictus
10-29-2005, 6:22 PM
In short, yes.
so you are the one that really has a 50,000gallon tank.
i want to check out the pictures, if possible. :ROFL: LOL seriuosly dude if you belive that then hear's another one I have an outdoor salt water pond with great white shark's... :ROFL: :OMG:
xxxdrewww
10-29-2005, 6:26 PM
no he really has a tank the big and a 15K too i think
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 6:31 PM
i can't post pictures on this site so look t the one i posted on aquatic predators
ok sure dude 50,000 gal's it seem's a little unreal . I mite belive 15,000 but no way 50,000 .. this fellow in the netherland's built a 26000gal and it was a monster . if he does then he should opean it to the public.. and how much rent and electric cost to house the tank it self never mind the fish .... :bs: :OMG:
i can't post pictures on this site so look t the one i posted on aquatic predators that was a nice joke heard about that one :thumbsup:
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 6:53 PM
no; i'm serious check out my pictures of the Japanese aquarium i went to this summer.
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21317
and
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21318
yeah; i thought about it, i don't believe him...unless he shows pictures!
I can see a public aquarium having a 50k tank .I don't mean to be a d@#k or anything but I think however is full of DOO DOO....
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 7:06 PM
me too!
do you like my pictures though...although blurry
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 7:28 PM
you know that one guy working on his ray tank the giant one??
i believe that since he has pictures but the other guy is bull
kentobizmol
10-29-2005, 11:13 PM
hurry up arapaimg, lets see them pictures
yes though's pics are straight little blurry though . and yes the guy in the netherland's with the ray tank (massive 26000 gal) notice how he's building that tank steel frame ( cargo box's / truck box) not just any one can get though's, they themself cost some money and to now the right people to acuire them from... it's possilbe for you or me to build a 5000 gal , this guy on the net and maybe a member of this forum (ted's aquarium/ ted giant fish pic's ) he build a 2,400 gal outdoor tank/pond housing pacu/arrowana/ tsn/ rtc/ various large cichlid's aswell. point is most on this forum know of it and think it's silly these ppl here at MFK'S know there s@#T and are a close group not easly fooled , more or less they may ignore you EX: I post on some thread's and they seem to just stop all together no biggie !!!
kentobizmol
10-30-2005, 1:34 PM
i'm sorry, i get shaky when i see fishHAHA