CAN A CHAIN PICKERAL WINTER IN A TROPICAL TANK?

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Chefken

Chefken

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Sep 17, 2010
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Harwinton CT
i have a juv chain pickeral about 9" and still pretty lean in my outdoor pond in CT. i am thinking he might not be fat enough to winter over and was thinking of trying to fatten him over the winter in my tropical predator tank? Probably be for about 4 months. What do you all think??
 
Whats in the tank? It really depends as pickerel are very sensitive and dont like active tankmates.
 
The tank has a 9 inch mellow silver aro, a toothless but fairly large Blood Parrot, two good sized silver dollars and two bottom cats.....would the pickeral spend time up top or on the bottom like a pike cichlid?
 
mine spend most of their time in the middle and top of the tank unless theyre sleeping Im not sure how aggressive your blood parrot is and whether they can deal with that or not it could stress it out I have mine alone so Im not really sure how theyd react with other tankmates the only other fish Ive ever seen them with as far as aquariums are like sunfish and plecos hth Mike
 
Whats in the outdoor pond?

If it were me I would get about 4 dozzen minnows for the outdoor pond, and make sure there are still minnows eeryday untill it freezes over. You should still have time to fatten him up.
 
Technically he is going to become much more active in the winter, they seem to respond to the cooler water better. I would not put him in the tropical tank as aeration really is important to these guys, not to mention one of your other fish probably will end up as lunch for him. Also just for a side note I noticed that my chain didn't really start to fill out in girth until he was around 14-16 inches. I say he will be fine.
 
I would leave him in the pond. Like stated, put a few dozen minnows in there and add more as he eats them.
 
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