Beautiful RTC in Boulder, CO

[Havoc]

I was browsing a local pet store and saw an amazing RTC (nearly 2 feet long) in a 55 gallon tank. I considered buying him/her for my new 210 but I'm unsure if he'd play nice with my frontosa colony and the future rays I'll be keeping.

I'm not very knowledgeable about RTCs since I've never kept them. I was very surprised to see them available locally. Although, I'm positive this guy was a trade-in. Seeing him in a pet store makes me doubt their place in the aquarium hobby. A fish that can get -that- big shouldn't be carried in a pet store where the average person thinks a "big" tank is 55 gallons.

If I don't buy this guy I hope someone else will

 

[haynchinook334]

in a 55 gal....check if his gill are folding, if not, ask to see him feeding, if you check him and you see he is good...gett'um.

 

[Bderick67]

Cool it's been awhile since I've been to the boulder stores. May have to get up there just to see that beast. Golden fish store on Colfax has some redtail cats that are only 2" long.

 

[necrocanis]

210 is way better than a 55 gal. There's been a member keep one in a 180 gal for many years, I don't condone it, but it's possible. I've noticed that my rtcs and hybrids do better if you add them to an established community. They don't have any territory and they have to learn to play nice with others. Of course the community tanks I move them to is all large catfish. RTC that are 2'+ are very strong and don't need to be able to eat a fish to kill it. Think of it as a swimming battering ram!!!

 

[killerfish]

I see RTC in Co all over even a large RTCxTSN if you have a much larger tank then that i would save it but if not it will just become a 3-4 foot fish in a 210 thats not happy instead of a 2 footer in a 55

 

[USMCtanker]

if u plan on rays i wouldnt risk it, rtc and most cats can yurn any min when hungry and eat things bigger than there mouth

 

[yohan]

id say dont get it. after a month or so in your frontosa's tank he will be the only one left. anything that fits in their mouth is considered food. you cannot teach/train it to be a community fish unless the fish is as big a him or bigger.

 

[pwmin]

are you talking about the RTCxTSN at Aqua Imports?