I noticed a local fish store near me seemed to have what looked like a couple of dwarf red tail catfish about 3 inches long. they also had a separate set of red tail catfish of the same size in a tank nearby which def looked to have longer bodies. I've read about the dwarf/shortbodied red tail catfish before, but was wondering what were the tell tale signs that one is actually a short body fish, vs a juvenile version of the regular fish? no gap between the dorsal fin, middle fin, and tailfin? Hopefully someone can offer some valid information, as i am looking for a very personable/interactive catfish and know i wont have the space for a regular red tail cat.
dwarf rtc
- Thread starter Stucks
- Start date
Id just google shortbody red tail catfush then compare to the regular ones at the LFS then compare to the suspected SBs. There is a member here who has a very nice SB RTC, since seeing it ive been looking at all the rtcs i see carefully to see if they are normal or sb.
Just wondering, how much do they cost? If they are a lot more then the regulars then they probably are shortbody. Pics would help tremendously. As far as differentiating on looks, i usually just look for a much shorter middle section
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Just wondering, how much do they cost? If they are a lot more then the regulars then they probably are shortbody. Pics would help tremendously. As far as differentiating on looks, i usually just look for a much shorter middle section
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No gap between the fins is the best indicator when small. Are they labeled sbody?
The first pic is current second is when i first got mine. There is a thread i stated about him including more pics and vids.
The first pic is current second is when i first got mine. There is a thread i stated about him including more pics and vids.
I didnt even see any label on the tank (this is one of those places notorious for writing on the outside of the tank in magic marker the name and price of the fish inside). They have always been known for having lots of big/oddball/aggressive fish too. always seen regular red tail cats there as well as airapaima, arowanas, piranhas, and other large aggressive catfish. They even have a nice 2' long RTCxTSN that likes to stick his whiskers out of the tank at me whenever i come up to greet him! I work nearby, so I will go check it out next time I get a chance. We are about to get almost a foot of snow here in MD so that may take a couple of days, maybe a week lol.
Just be aware that choosing the most squat body may not be a good idea. SB, as with all dwarfism, usually is associated with a score of health issues as the specimen grows. Mainly, a smaller body cavity places alot of stress on internal organs that can lead to premature death from organ failure.
