Anyone successfully keep a....

[GBG]

Everyone here is NOT gonna agree with me, but here's my 2 cents. I have had many RTC's over the last 15 years. Yes they do grow big and quite fast. But a 240 gallon tank WILL support your RTC for MANY years. Most RTC's usually die from choking on other fish that you will presume they can't fit in their mouths. I have NEVER had one bust a tank. My fish are in smaller tanks and they do ok. No I don't have massive 1,000 gallon tanks like most people feel you should have. Remember these are fish, as long as water is taken well care of, frequent water changes an absolute MUST, don't worry about them being a little cramped. The same guys who cry about the poor fish being in small tanks, don't seem to have a problem feeding live innocent fish. Also I would not reccommend feeding live foods, for chance of a disease, they will thrive on just about anything! Ok girls lets here the whinning!

Agree with Fishhead. Another important factor to acknowledge is the 99.9% of RTCs sold on the market are headed to tanks much smaller than a 240g. So, your decision not to buy an RTC from your lfs will condemn that fish to either a life in his LFS tank or, in all liklihood, to a life in a 30g, 55g, 90g, or maybe (if it's lucky) a 125g.

 

[CichlidAddict]

Agree with Fishhead. Another important factor to acknowledge is the 99.9% of RTCs sold on the market are headed to tanks much smaller than a 240g. So, your decision not to buy an RTC from your lfs will condemn that fish to either a life in his LFS tank or, in all liklihood, to a life in a 30g, 55g, 90g, or maybe (if it's lucky) a 125g.

But this is flawed logic. Don't buy a fish you can't house just because you think someone else will buy it and put it in a worse setup. What will happen is: You buy the RTC. The LFS says "wow, these are really selling" and orders more. 10 more people who can't house a RTC buy those. And so on....

It's just like buying dyed fish. People who know better buy them because they think "I'll be giving this poor fish a better home than most people would". Meanwhile, the LFS only cares about sales. When dyed fish are selling, they order more.

So really, unless you have a backup plan for 18 months down the road when the RTC outgrows your tank, don't buy it. I have a 240 and there's a reason I don't own a RTC - I don't have a pond.

 

[GBG]

But this is flawed logic. Don't buy a fish you can't house just because you think someone else will buy it and put it in a worse setup. What will happen is: You buy the RTC. The LFS says "wow, these are really selling" and orders more. 10 more people who can't house a RTC buy those. And so on....

It's just like buying dyed fish. People who know better buy them because they think "I'll be giving this poor fish a better home than most people would". Meanwhile, the LFS only cares about sales. When dyed fish are selling, they order more.

So really, unless you have a backup plan for 18 months down the road when the RTC outgrows your tank, don't buy it. I have a 240 and there's a reason I don't own a RTC - I don't have a pond.

Agree in priciple to your analysis, but not in actual practice. Since you can't control the other 9 people who buy RTCs, most or all of whom will have a small tank, I beleive that my analysis holds. I wouldn't preach my advice to the world at large, just to the tiny percentage of the market here, all of whom (I assume) are reasonably responsible hobbysist compared to most.

 

[ng80]

i have kept a red tail til it reached 18" in a tank and then moved it to a tropical pond. if you are thinking of a tank then acyrlic is a very good idea as it lighter and tougher although more expensive. you need a tank at least 14 foot long and 5ft wide to house an adult, this may sound over kill but they need a huge water volume to keep them healthy.

thats why i reccomend tropical ponds. cheap to build and can be made to fit any location.

 

[IMFishHead]

I agree with youn guys, especially about no room down the road, but I have been a tropical fish hobbist for over 30 years, yes I have always like having fish tanks most of my life. And I truly believe that a RTC can "survive" in a 240 and it most like will stunt it's growth. Is this healthy for the fish? proably not, but where the RTC's come from they are EATEN for dinner. The fish Will adapt to it's surrounding, and if it's eating well, swimming ok, not breathing hard, water parameters ok, then let it be cramped if its a fish you desire to own. Even the great Herbert Axelrod, of TFH publications was known to eat a fish he has raised for many years once it got to big!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

have you ever seen a big fish thrash around in a tiny aquiraum???? becuase of it's tank be too small??

you got a point on water changes but their is a limit to that. i talk to a sales person who was keeping 5 of a customer's really large fishes because they broke his tank he came home one day for work and saw water and broken class everywhere with his fishes on the ground that pic of your redtail is ok for now but in 4month you'll have and angy redtail for being in a small house, Would you make your how your living size, size of a bathroom??? (i think nobody in their right mind couldn't say; yes) you Just being mean to your pet. can you keep a 3ft cat in a 75 gallon!!!!! from the look of the cat it is 18inches from its color pattern. can You say that with a straight face and say you'll keep your baby/toddler in a box size of itself? You will end up torchering your fish to the point it doesn't want to eat.

You are curel/shelfish and shouldn't keep a big fish in a tiny tank

Everyone here is NOT gonna agree with me, but here's my 2 cents. I have had many RTC's over the last 15 years. Yes they do grow big and quite fast. But a 240 gallon tank WILL support your RTC for MANY years. Most RTC's usually die from choking on other fish that you will presume they can't fit in their mouths. I have NEVER had one bust a tank. My fish are in smaller tanks and they do ok. No I don't have massive 1,000 gallon tanks like most people feel you should have. Remember these are fish, as long as water is taken well care of, frequent water changes an absolute MUST, don't worry about them being a little cramped. The same guys who cry about the poor fish being in small tanks, don't seem to have a problem feeding live innocent fish. Also I would not reccommend feeding live foods, for chance of a disease, they will thrive on just about anything! Ok girls lets here the whinning!

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

well a stanard large max wit. of a large tank is two feet. and 4.5years a redtail will be close to 4feet long, Mr. smarty pants . If you wanted fish to eat than buy it from a store. I proably own more redtails than you! (i love redtails...)

 

[wingbak48]

HAHA wned:

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

also where they come from the natives a scared and superstious because of their meat are dark as their blue eyes. the reason why they keep a big fish at the pet store or any one in a small tank is because the are trying to get rid of it. It just sound like you need a bigger tank!

 

[ng80]

as these post decend into a great big fish small tank debate. i will add one further piece of advice concerning red tails. when the get big and i m talking 39" plus they have a habit of eating tank ornament s and heater etc so it is best to leave them outside the tank in a sump.

I recived a call from a rather upset red tail owner and i had to break the tank to get a 2ft red tail out a tank way to small for it as it wouldnt fit through the gap between the lid and the tank above it. It is not fair to put a huge fish in a 2ft wide tank and expect it to be happy. It is the same as leaving a dog in a small cage. this red tail lived with us for about 6 years in a pond and grew to nearly 4ft long and lived on a diet of trout. all its tankmates got exterminated over the years regardless of size.

i love these fish and i think if you cant respect there needs please dont buy them, but as this a monster fish forum its not really us we have to educate but other fish keepers .