red tailed cat
- Thread starter brcacti
- Start date
It's not going to stop growing just because you put it in a small tank and would probably grow until the tank pops. If you want one get at least a 4,000 gallon.
You'll hear a lot of answers I'm sure but I had one outgrow a 150 in about 1 year, then it outgrew my 300 in about another year and a half or so. Mine is a 10x2x2. What's the footprint of yours? The wider the better so they have turning radius.
In time, no matter the footprint, it will outgrow your 300 and need more space to not stunt and remain healthy.
In time, no matter the footprint, it will outgrow your 300 and need more space to not stunt and remain healthy.
By "outgrow" I'm rather sure you mean merely space.
It appears to me (from Oddball's comments) that large fish outgrow their water volume and flow before they outgrow their enclosure space. In other words, the amount of water is crucial not only to their physical movement needs but also to instant dilution of toxins produced by fish.
The instant dilution of the toxins happens before the toxins are taken care of by BB. That's even more important of a reason that a large volume of water is needed to keep a large fish humanely and not have it constantly stressed and suffocated by the regularly spiking toxins, which most usually eludes the water tests.
To further clarify, let me offer a reverse hypothetical example: a 3' RTC in a 300 gal tank with a 5000 GPH flow and a 3,000 gal pond for a sump would probably not suffer from the toxins thanks to high turnover and high water volume but will suffer from inability to move.
Of course, it is far better to provide a 2000-2500 gal tank for this RTC and, say, a 500-1000 gal sump.
As for my standard answer, please look through this collection of pertinent links, if you will: http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36395&hilit=+thumb
It appears to me (from Oddball's comments) that large fish outgrow their water volume and flow before they outgrow their enclosure space. In other words, the amount of water is crucial not only to their physical movement needs but also to instant dilution of toxins produced by fish.
The instant dilution of the toxins happens before the toxins are taken care of by BB. That's even more important of a reason that a large volume of water is needed to keep a large fish humanely and not have it constantly stressed and suffocated by the regularly spiking toxins, which most usually eludes the water tests.
To further clarify, let me offer a reverse hypothetical example: a 3' RTC in a 300 gal tank with a 5000 GPH flow and a 3,000 gal pond for a sump would probably not suffer from the toxins thanks to high turnover and high water volume but will suffer from inability to move.
Of course, it is far better to provide a 2000-2500 gal tank for this RTC and, say, a 500-1000 gal sump.
As for my standard answer, please look through this collection of pertinent links, if you will: http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36395&hilit=+thumb
What I was trying to elude to was another posters name. The bigger the better. When it comes to tank size. I'll never buy another RTC and I have far bigger tanks now than I did when I owned one. Very few can properly house these monsters. Not even myself with an 8x4x3 and a couple 8x3x2.5. Which aren't even that big compared to many people here.
By outgrow I meant I couldn't keep water quality up. Even with 70% WC every third day. The fish was upgraded long before physically outgrowing the tanks.
If you get one know the 300 is a very temporary tank.
By outgrow I meant I couldn't keep water quality up. Even with 70% WC every third day. The fish was upgraded long before physically outgrowing the tanks.
If you get one know the 300 is a very temporary tank.
unless you have a 10'x10'x4' pond forget it for either fish, the TSN actual gets longer than the RTC, 2000 gallon is the minimum tank size to properly house an RTC but bigger is better, your filtration rate needs to be 10x or greater than normal flowrates for these large cats, and don't forget the cost of the food you have to feed these fish ,my 26" RTC already costs me $80 a month to feed, my 8-9" one is at about $20-$30 a month.
