bullhead catfish

demjor19

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 17, 2006
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Venom SS;2228602; said:
I agree on the lazy part lol. I caught 2 of them about 3" long and put them in my 55g, within 2 weeks one of them had more or less killed the other. Within about a year he was 12", hand fed, and kinda enjoyed being rubbed on the head. But yeah lazy...he would not move from his hiding spot unless I tapped the tank a little, which was his que to feed.
That sounds about right! I am raising a small one right now. He's almost 2" now and just as lazy as any of the others i have kept. Nature of the beast i guess.
 

le patron

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 4, 2008
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demjor19;2228473; said:
Every Bullhead i have kept was uber lazy! He would only ever move to get food and then go back to his spot under the log. Neet fish to keep, but i wouldnt make them the 'centerpiece' of the tank.
that's why they dont need very big tanks. i'd say a 75g min for 2 of the smallest. i think theyre snailheads and only get like 6''
 

MN_Rebel

Blue Tier VIP
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Aug 5, 2008
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Not all bullheads are lazy, some bullhead can be actively all day. I got a yellow that never stop swimming around in the tank, all he thinking is food. And snail bullhead can reach more than 10 inch long depends on what conditions, therefore 75 isnt ideal for house a pair of snail bullhead. And sometimes bullheads dont get along each other bullheads. In fact my yellow bullhead have killed 8 black bullheads, a 12 incher channel catfish, his own sister and a stonecat when my yellow bullhead is 10 inch long. The bigger space of tank, the better for a pair of snail bullhead in case theres fighting going on.
 

Eamiles

Feeder Fish
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Sep 19, 2008
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It is hard to answer i spose because you will have diff personalities. I have had a tank with 8 bullheads mized species, all over 8 in long. Only in a 37 gallon tank. You may say that is too small but they lived for about three years before i let them go. Never lost one.
 

Big and Bald!!

Feeder Fish
Apr 4, 2018
4
2
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40
I read yesterday, you don't need a license to keep in a tank, the license is a general license the shop get to sell them which covers you to own them, whether the shop then charge more to cover said license, which I imagine is inevitable, I'm not sure. Sorry for digging up an old post but they are legal to own provided you've bought them from a shop that has a license to sell them, that license fee the reason most shops probably won't sell them. Absolutely gutted myself to be fair, only type of cold/temperate fish I'd keep if they were more available
 

xraycer

Arapaima
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Sep 5, 2013
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My 12" mottled bullhead, grew out and lives quite comfortably, in a 90gal for the past 4 years. I would have no problem housing it in a 55gal with another.
My BH is not lazy at all, constantly cruising every part of the tank. It does have it's favorite corner when it thinks I come to feed. Mine isn't aggressive towards tank mates nor is it submissive either.
Here's an older pic from 3(?) Years ago
20150911_210022.jpg 20150915_160010.jpg
 

dogofwar

Potamotrygon
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Jan 3, 2006
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www.capitalcichlids.org
I have a Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) caught in a local pond (in Maryland). It's alone in a 40 breeder with massive filtration (an overhead or "dump" filter and a big sponge).

It's about 10-11" and pretty active, especially when it sees me or my kids (and associates with food). They're supposed to max out at about 15". Might move it to a bigger tank then but seems happy where it is!

As they're not tropical, we keep ours in the 40s (F) in the winter....

Really cool fish!

Matt
 
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xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
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Like I said, it doesn't stay still. I just tried to get some pics, but the low lighting and constant swimming made it nearly impossible with a cell phone. Here's the bedt I could do
20180416_153146.jpg 20180416_153149.jpg
 
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