TSNxRT (yellow fin cat) ?

[waynes world]

I have seen one of the above in the LFS, i was going to get it but then i asked about it as it is so small i wasnt sure what type of cat it was, the shop sign says a yellow fin catfish ( grows very large).

The shop worker says its a TSN X RT but thats what they call them? new to me that one.
Now one says it will grow to max 24 inch, the next said more like 4-5 foot, a bit of difference there.

It is no more than 3 inch long and looks a bit like a X but i was a bit unsure.

Anyway i have heard the X can be a bit aggresive and is possible to have a few defects as they get older, also can get larger than the RTC and TSNC.

I have 2 rays (5inch) and a couple 3 inch oscars and 2 large severums.

Dont worry i only have a 150g tank (UK) at the minute but i am building a tank around 1100g for them all, i intend to keep for life.

If anyone can shed some light on the names, sizes teprement etc i would be greatfull.


wayne

 

[aquaman45]

Hi Wayne.
I visited a fish farm in Brasil 18 months ago,they had some of these Phractocephalus x Pseudoplatystoma at the time.These fish were initially bred because they grow larger and quicker than both the Redtail and the Tiger shovelnose,this is the reason they have been artificially created....for food!.....oh and yes they make 5 feet long no problem........havent found them to be aggressive though as captives,ive kept a few in the past.
Regards.

 

[waynes world]

Why do shops sell them then, even with my 1100g (9x6x3) tank it will grow to big, i dont realy want to get a fish that i will n ot be able to look after all its life.

Different species but i was looking at a spotted gar fish, i googled the latin name as in the shop and it can grow to 15 foot, that maybe in the wild but in a tank it will still get near that, even at 6 foot the tank size needed is few around.

Having second thoughts now on this one

Thanks mate

 

[aquaman45]

Why do shops sell them then, even with my 1100g (9x6x3) tank it will grow to big, i dont realy want to get a fish that i will n ot be able to look after all its life.

Different species but i was looking at a spotted gar fish, i googled the latin name as in the shop and it can grow to 15 foot, that maybe in the wild but in a tank it will still get near that, even at 6 foot the tank size needed is few around.

Having second thoughts now on this one

Thanks mate

Hi Again Wayne.
Lets be realistic here,these sizes you have found are sizes attained by wild specimens,Redtail for instance rarely exceed 3 feet in captivity where as 5 feet specimens are caught regularly from the Amazon river.
The Alligator gar attains huge proportions like you say in the wild,this species ventures in and out of fresh and saltwater.The Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus ocullatus) however is much smaller,36 inches in the wild but seldomly larger than 24 inches under captive conditions.

 

[waynes world]

But why would the shop keeper say 4-5 foot, that lost me a bit.

So you would recomend it ok to buy?

As for the spotted gar, i got the latin name from the shop and googled that for the sizes.

Anyway is it safe for the x cat then.

Oh the name, is that a common name for them `yellow fin cat`..?

 

[aquaman45]

But why would the shop keeper say 4-5 foot, that lost me a bit.

So you would recomend it ok to buy?

As for the spotted gar, i got the latin name from the shop and googled that for the sizes.

Anyway is it safe for the x cat then.

Oh the name, is that a common name for them `yellow fin cat`..?

Why would the shop keeper say that....because he or she has little or no experience in keeping large predatory cats in captivity,ive been keeping them 35 years!
Regarding the Gar,they obviously had the common name spotted gar which refers to a 3ft Gar and the latin name (A spatula) which refers to a huge monster up to the size you quoted.Lots of shops sell oddball fish,very few have the necessary knowledge to back it up!!!..be careful where you buy your fish....
To answer your question .....should you buy such a fish? well providing you have a tank for say a 3ft catfish,a 1000 gals or more i would say this,lots of people keep these tank busters but not too many have a 1000 gal aquarium at their disposal.
Good luck!

 

[waynes world]

I have been thinking about this and i have decided to get it. I am fine with the size that it groes to as i am building a tank around 1200g.

I will post pics when i get it.

Thanks mate for the help.

wayne

 

[alexpie001]

cant wait to see these pics

 

[waynes world]

I picked it up a f ew days ago, a wee belter, hope he keeps his markings, my good lady picked him as they had a few which i didnt notice as they are so small LOL. Not even 2 inch long.
I did try and get some pics but he hasnt been out much from lying in the plant leaves and half way up the plant, definatley a catfish LOL
I forgot how they eat like pigs, i gave him blood worm and they wre snapped up, then a chunk of prawn floated past as big as its head and that soon went aswell, going to need the big tank sooner than i thought at this rate.

Will get pics as soon as i can

wayne

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Good choice of fish, selling mine on was the hardest thing i've ever had to do (pond had to come down.) Treat it right and as it grows it'll gain a brilliant personality, mine would respond when i'd enter the room and happily eat from my hands. Just watch for it considering your other fish as food, i heard somewhere that rtc can learn to roll rays up like pancakes before eating them but don't know whether hybrids know this. Lost a 4" cichlid to mine when it reach 18" but the 6"+ cichlids it lived with when he was 24" all were fine.

Be prepared for amazing growth rate! I had 3" - 18" in just a couple of months. Looking forward to a pic.