I was just wondering....?

[callmestill]

So I know ALLOT of people buy red tail cats I see them all the time as babies in fish stores. Most of these people will have 75 gal tanks maybe 125's. And within a year they're already too big. I'll see a few here and there posted on Craigslist, or on this site for sale but there's way more out there.
What happens to the rest of them I know it's gotta be in the thousands?
Do ppl throw them in some river?
Cook them up?
Anybody have any theories?

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Lol they go to fish heaven I'm sure most die within the tanks. The rest probably get thrown at lakes or ponds the Giants. Die In the winter in the Midwest

 

[krichardson]

Agreed,I suspect that a large number of them die off long before space is even an issue and some of those that do make it to a decent size are probably turned loose. They are very eye catching when they are but a few inches in length and they seem to be cheaper and cheaper every time I see them at a shop.....two things that make them attractive to the less informed customer.

 

[typicalalex1]

I'd say a large percentage die due to poor care. Anyone who knows anything about fish knows to stay away from RTC unless they have a monster tank or heated pond.
Which means idiots and inexperienced keepers buy the majority of them and don't know how to look after them.
When it comes it re homing, a very small percentage will be sold to people who have the space for one, a very small percentage will be donated to a public aquarium / zoo and a large percentage will be sold to another idiot who think they have the room to keep one and the cycle starts all over again.

 

[duanes]

A friend of mine is the zoo keeper in the fish house of a local zoo, says that almost every week he gets offers of red tail cats, and pacus and can't take them. The zoo already has more than they need in a 10,000 gal tank.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

as stated the majority don't make it past 8-10" due to poor care/inexperienced owners. The large ones that do make it past that foot mark generally get cramped into small tanks for a shortened life or craigslisted for months on end until they pass away or the owner euthanizes/releases them to their fate. Zoo's in my area won't take any large cats unless they are rare. The PPG aquarium in Pittsburgh has an Amazonian display with roughly 8 BIG rtc's in it. I mean the 4-5' range big, alongside another famously overbought fish, the pacu which are the size of manhole covers in their display.

 

[Warborg]

I've ever only seen a fish store have baby RTC's for sale @$30 one time.

I learned my lesson with a Niger cat back in the early 90's. I've never owned a RTC or Pacu. I have no desire to either.

 

[krichardson]

One shop I frequent has had a tank full of three inch RTCs for under thirty bucks each.
I must admit to buying a young red tail years ago but I was very new in the hobby and the internet had not even taken hold yet.My biggest tank at that time was a massive thirty gallon tank that my grandmother thought was taking up too much space in my bedroom and was going to fall through the floor.

 

[moray eel man]

So I know ALLOT of people buy red tail cats I see them all the time as babies in fish stores. Most of these people will have 75 gal tanks maybe 125's. And within a year they're already too big. I'll see a few here and there posted on Craigslist, or on this site for sale but there's way more out there.
What happens to the rest of them I know it's gotta be in the thousands?
Do ppl throw them in some river?
Cook them up?
Anybody have any theories?

My mom had some for years in a 30 gallon and they stayed small so im guessing as long as you dont put them in a bigger tank they will stay small

 

[krichardson]

My mom had some for years in a 30 gallon and they stayed small so im guessing as long as you dont put them in a bigger tank they will stay small

Classic example of stunting,did she do any water changes?