My RTC couldn't stop eating

[GiantFishKeeper101]

It's already more than a year since I got my rtcs. Healthy fish, bite my hands a few times, 4 of them. But I've read somewhere (one of the thread in monsterfishkeeper) that these cats will slow down their eating after reach 2'+ and aged more than a year.

The problem is that my cats won't stop eating. I have to prepare food for them 5 times a week. Sometimes everyday. I'm not complaining since market fish are cheap here. But in my experience, their eating become more and more frequent as it age and grow. My question is, how true the rtcs' eating habit thread?

 

[moe214]

Well how big is it? If it's a juvenile you should be feeding small amount everyday. Or you can fill the belly till you see a small bulge and wait for the bump to go down. When they get bigger their metabolism slows down so they eat less. Right now it's fast because they're growing so they eat a lot.

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

Well how big is it? If it's a juvenile you should be feeding small amount everyday. Or you can fill the belly till you see a small bulge and wait for the bump to go down. When they get bigger their metabolism slows down so they eat less. Right now it's fast because they're growing so they eat a lot.

Currently 2'+. Not juvenile.

 

[Just Toby]

Can we see some pics of the tank and fish please, always nice to see what people are keeping

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

Can we see some pics of the tank and fish please, always nice to see what people are keeping

Cant, they're in unused swimming pool, green water, it's a temporary place. Currently renovating the pond. But they do come when I call them by tapping on the pool stairs. They know its feeding time.

Not poor husbandry, just too busy to do it all at once. Only can get 1 day off a week. So, I do what I can.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Since you can't see their stomachs (should feed when the tummies are flat), I'd feed them each no more than 1 lb of food a week. You can feed it all at once (I would) or divide in portions, whatever is convenient for you.

The RTCs will eat themselves to death and it sounds you have been aiding and abetting One of the most common causes of death in adult RTCs (barring accidents and poor husbandry) is from overeating and clogging.

 

[Just Toby]

Get an ultraviolet clrifyer that will sort your green water

 

[moe214]

Since you can't see their stomachs (should feed when the tummies are flat), I'd feed them each no more than 1 lb of food a week. You can feed it all at once (I would) or divide in portions, whatever is convenient for you.

The RTCs will eat themselves to death and it sounds you have been aiding and abetting One of the most common causes of death in adult RTCs (barring accidents and poor husbandry) is from overeating and clogging.

The guru has spoken lol

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

If I do that, they will chased other fish. Even every night there's water splashing from them chased some bait fish at the water surface.

Always thought that these guys are a lazy and slow predator fish. Didn't know they're this aggressive.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Adult RTC will usually only chase tank mates that they know they are able to swallow. So if you have tank mates in with them that they can swallow or attempt to swallow, the RTCs will do just that, sooner or later, no matter how much you feed them. Stories of this abound. The end is always the same. You don't have to be an efficient predator in a puddle of water where your prey can't run away.

If there are only bait fish in with them, then let the RTCs chase them all they want.