I have considered this too when I move to my next base. I plan on getting heavier into aquaponics and have been looking at other types of fast growing fish for food. One can only eat so much tilapia and in some states they are illegal. Two good alternatives to tilapia I have thought as far as growth rate would be catfish and Pacus. Redtails seem to grow faster than flatheads and channels. I have not heard about the black meat before with them, but have read that they as well as Pacus seem to be quite tasty. Been doing research and have seen people have accomplished it through milking both the male and female. Here is one site that seems to have done it called Jupiteraquarium that has pictures of them milking.
It would also help if we knew how they bred in the wild. Do they use caves and cover like logs to breed in as do many other large catfish. Might be a good thing to attempt, but I would suspect that you will need a lot of space that it is similar to that of their surroundings in the amazon. At least 5 feet deep and with perhaps central cover like that of a cave of some sort.
It would also help if we knew how they bred in the wild. Do they use caves and cover like logs to breed in as do many other large catfish. Might be a good thing to attempt, but I would suspect that you will need a lot of space that it is similar to that of their surroundings in the amazon. At least 5 feet deep and with perhaps central cover like that of a cave of some sort.
