Lots of large catfish to check out

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
... And I think that's how leeri are, in all of arapaimags videos and pictures I've found them in they were always swimming,
***Thanks. At least this is consistent.

... and I feel like he talked about them like they were the boss, maybe yours will become so when larger. Will be interesting.
***At 5'+ his leerii female was/is surely the boss of the 52,000 gal.

... You've got a few fish that may need to go in there when larger, wonder if the jaus will keep them in place. Such as your dorado, artc, and possibly the gatf if you grow it large enough to where they are known to become aggressive.
***Yea, it's a dangerous game we are playing. I hope by then to have more tanks and options.

... I remember you writing about the paraiba, unless it was another one you had. Thought you took it out the peaceful 4500 because it wasn't eating though.
***You are remembering my false piraiba, aka capapretum. It was pestered too much in 4500 gal and hence wasn't eating well and then quit altogether. It grew well while back in 240 gal, probably around 16" now. I am tempted to introduce it into the 4500 gal for a third time.

... And nice to hear the jaus have grown and appetites picked up, maybe you'll be seeing a growth spurt from them lol. Or again maybe they'll attempt breeding as you said, which would be cool. It's interesting to know they bully the larger rtc, didn't expect that despite their reputation.
***From all I've seen from them through the years, I am not surprised. Especially when they squabble between themselves they turn into a mean mouth-snapping moody machine for a minute or two. Everyone scatters out of their way as they walk / swim off their anger.

... The tsn look real nice, looks like they were left behind in size though lol.
***Culls, you know. Underachievers.

... One if the hybrids looked very large as well. Seemed more active as well.
***They are about the same in activity level but one's much bolder indeed. The non-deformed one.

... And seemed like a good call rehoming the pbass and aros. Aros are pretty sensitive when it comes to aggression, don't think they'd deal well during feeding.
***My aros would fight, chase, jump mostly during courtship, meaning spring time, then second time in summers. That's when they may hit each other or hit the tank and become discombobulated for a moment. That moment is enough for the cats to sense an opening and start trying to swallow an aro from the tail. The cats don't succeed but this still results in scale-stripped tails and loads of stress. If I am lucky, I fish the aros out in time, heal them up in 240 gal, plop them back in. When it happened recently to my only female Kinky, I've had enough and rehomed all aros into the other 4500 gal except this was the first time I lost an aro to this sequence of events. Kinky passed 3 weeks later in the other 4500 gal. On the plus side, the remaining 4 males mellowed out, decreased eating and aggression to each other.

... And the pbass could've probably held their own, I've heard some stories about them. But probably a good call, they're pretty slim which makes for an easy meal as you know.
***Exactly as you say. Lost some finnage every now and then but held its own and indeed was not eating much and not growing well, I am guessing from all the intimidation by the large cats, the biggest of which could indeed swallow it. I rehomed it along with the silver aros to the other 4500 gal so I finally could sleep a bit better at night. It got 100x bolder, comes up to me, demands being fed, rips food right off of tongs. Never happened like that before. Eats 5x more.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: koltsixx and moe214
Man
Tank 22, 4500 gal, update filmed Apr 20, 2017:

10 RTC, 3 TSN, 7 pacu, 4 paroon shark catfish, 2 jau catfish, barramundi perch, arapaima, Distichodus sexfasciatum, 2 TSNxRTC hybrid catfish, Marbled Pim catfish, TSNxMarbled Pim hybrid catfish, Wallago leerii

, you need to put more Paroon sharks in there lol
 
Amazing Vid and Stock Viktor. My personal faves was the Pima's mug in the beginning and those RTC's and their brilliant red tails. Loved the write up too. It was enough to stir my imagination. It was almost like witnessing it it for myself.
 
The variety and size is just mind blowing.
 
Thank you all, guys, for the kind words and support. It means a lot to me. Especially when things turn less than smooth, I remember it.

Amazing Vid and Stock Viktor. My personal faves was the Pima's mug in the beginning and those RTC's and their brilliant red tails. Loved the write up too. It was enough to stir my imagination. It was almost like witnessing it it for myself.

Nah, you're just one of them imaginative guys unspoiled by useful post content and loch ness sightings :) (so you get excited by humble vids and reports)

Man, you need to put more Paroon sharks in there lol

I need paroons that are not badly stunted as these are :)

Amazing! Perfect collection

Thanks, Joel. Perfect only for a moment in time... Last Sunday as I was doing a large biweekly feeding I noted the Marbled Pim got ripped up pretty good. Someone tried to eat it, it seems. Shocking. Need to transfer it to the other 4500 gal. Couldn't lower the water and get in to catch it as everyone would start regurgitating the 15-20 lbs of pellets and fish they consumed. Hope to get in there today. Tried swinging my net in the tank and managed to catch the Pim once but he got out of the net. Even so, some regurgitation occurred.
 
  • Like
Reactions: M@T!@$
The feeding must cost a bomb!
It's relative. I buy economical catfish farm pellets by Ziegler Bros., 30 bags at 44 lbs each per year, which costs me $1,200 a year, $100 a month with shipping, for the whole gang (half of it goes to koi). For every 10 lbs of these pellets I also feed 1 lb of good and expensive dry foods - Hikari and NLS. That's about half of all they eat.

The other half is free except my time and effort - I catch bait fish in the ocean by cast net. Sometimes friends help out too. Freeze it. Thaw and feed. Cut if needed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: moe214
MonsterFishKeepers.com