has anyone ever kept a flathead catfish in an aquarium before, i catch them all the time and really want to put one in my new 220gal i jus got, i know that they r a very predatory fish and they only eat other living creatures
anyone ever try this
- Thread starter zac_battles
- Start date
I might be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that flatheads grow upwards of 100 lbs. I don't think you'll be able to keep him in a 220g for all too long.
i know they grow that big actually the world record is 124lbs but in a tank it will be much smaller i just want to knowm if anyone has tried it
I've caught catfish, small ones that no doubt would have made nifty tank pets.
I have tank kept tiny bluegill Ive caught, and they grow so fast and eat so much, in a few months you have to toss them back in the pond.
I've kept female crayfish, since they have tiny pincers and dont try to grab the fish. When they are small, they are pretty neat. When they get big, they start grabbing the fish resting and thats not good.
I kept a small brook trout I caught years ago in a big tank, that was a cool fish. I fed him earthworms. He got a little bigger and took a run and jumpped the tank, knocked off the board I had on it to keep him in, and died on the floor one night.
But a catfish.... I really had not thought of a little catfish as a pet. They live in some really bad waters and will eat anything.
You give me an idea for another tank!
where I live there are several species of little catfish that dont get over a foot long, and in thee right spot I can snag some real small ones.
yeah, no doubt, they would make a really bulletproof pet fish.
I have tank kept tiny bluegill Ive caught, and they grow so fast and eat so much, in a few months you have to toss them back in the pond.
I've kept female crayfish, since they have tiny pincers and dont try to grab the fish. When they are small, they are pretty neat. When they get big, they start grabbing the fish resting and thats not good.
I kept a small brook trout I caught years ago in a big tank, that was a cool fish. I fed him earthworms. He got a little bigger and took a run and jumpped the tank, knocked off the board I had on it to keep him in, and died on the floor one night.
But a catfish.... I really had not thought of a little catfish as a pet. They live in some really bad waters and will eat anything.
You give me an idea for another tank!
where I live there are several species of little catfish that dont get over a foot long, and in thee right spot I can snag some real small ones.
yeah, no doubt, they would make a really bulletproof pet fish.
flatheads dont eat just anything like misconception says, they only eat crayfish as small ones and live fish as larger ones, catfish are not bottom feeders as myth has it, i just dont want my lil flathead to turn the other tank mates into meals haha
i mean you could put a juvenile oscar in a 5g, and it won't get as big as one in a 100g tank because you've stunted it's growth, but thats inhumane. while i do think that flatheads are a pretty cool species and it would be awesome to have them in a tank, you're either going to need a massive outdoor pond to put him in, once he outgrows your 220g, or basically have an indoor tank of several thousand gallons, taking up most of a house.
you also don't want to keep him in your tank, then re-release him back into the wild. Once in the tank, it's possible that he'll be exposed to bacteria or parasites or other diseases not encountered in the wild if your area. If he is re-released, he could introduce a disease or parasite to the area that the other fish cannot survive and it could lead to devistation. Ontop of that, once the fish is used to being fed, and not hunting for food, he might not survive back in the wild.
This is just my opinion, You can do what you want with fish and your tanks and either way i do wish you the best, i just think you should re-think the flathead and maybe go with a species that doesn't get quite so big.
you also don't want to keep him in your tank, then re-release him back into the wild. Once in the tank, it's possible that he'll be exposed to bacteria or parasites or other diseases not encountered in the wild if your area. If he is re-released, he could introduce a disease or parasite to the area that the other fish cannot survive and it could lead to devistation. Ontop of that, once the fish is used to being fed, and not hunting for food, he might not survive back in the wild.
This is just my opinion, You can do what you want with fish and your tanks and either way i do wish you the best, i just think you should re-think the flathead and maybe go with a species that doesn't get quite so big.
thanks bro, i would never relese one into the wild if it outgrew my tank, i would probly eat it, they are the best tasting catfish there is
Sure why not you could keep them in an aquarium and i know some people have before just make sure you have a plan for it when it out grows your tank
Also its a good idea to check your local laws some states prohibit catching and keeping wild fish and animals in aquariums
Also its a good idea to check your local laws some states prohibit catching and keeping wild fish and animals in aquariums