Electric Catfish

[black_sun]

Does anyone keep electric catfish?

I saw a few juveniles (3-4") at the LFS today, but they couldn't give me much information on them other than "Don't touch them, they'll zap you".

I read that they reach, commonly, 2ft in captivity and the larger it grows the more powerfully it can hit you with electricity. But other than that, the info I found was based on their behavior as adults in the wild (don't know if that's the same in captivity or if they adopt different behavior).

Do the make decent pets? The idea of an electric catfish seems really cool, but I don't want to buy one based on that, lol. Additionally, how quickly does this species grow? The largest tank I have currently is a 115gal. I'm moving in several months and I could be a bigger tank after I'm settled in at my new place, but if they grow quickly perhaps I should wait until I can get something bigger than the 115gal first?

Any other thoughts, comments, experiences on this species would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[FireMedic]

Speaking from my experiences Electric Catfish are very satisfying pets. However you need to realize that they are predator through and through. Yes many keepers (myself included) have successfully transitioned these cats to pellets, yet any new fish less then half their size seems to eventually "disappear". There is then a suspicious bulge in one of the bellies.

I am currently attempting to keep two like sized cats together. I would not call it harmony but an uneasy truce.

You must provide shelter for them. My observations and the literature that I have read all points to a very sedentary existence until the lights dim. Once its dark, they rule the roost.

The only fish that has co-existed long term has been plecostomus. Not danios, not corys, not Red Hooks, not Stingray, not Bumble Bee cats.....nothing but plecos.

I think I may have to trade off one of them to make room for the other but for now all is ok.

I recommend getting one. Don't worry, so far the worse that I have experienced is a bad taste in my mouth and the urge to urinate
Respectfully,
FireMedic.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

I have read that you can keep some species of Synodontis catfish with them. But I'm not sure which species. I imagine that the reason pleco's are safe with them comes down to their armored body, which, for the same reason makes them immune to electro-fishing.

 

[cl0wn knife]

i had 1 it grew to 2 and a half foot long one of the most boring fish ive ever kept. idk why i kept it all that time they eat anything small enougth. bully other stuff very messy r a pain 2 clean out and you will need a very big tank 4 it eventually, to live in harmony with other fish.
better?

 

[Mystus Redtail]

i had 1 got 2 2n a half ft long one of the most boring fish ive ever had idk why i kept it all that time the eata nything mall enought bully other stuff very messy r a pain 2 clean out and you will need a very big tank 4 it eventually to live in harmony with other fish

Wow, punctuation please... what you typed is much more messy than these catfish...

 

[Red Devil]

i have one who is about 8 inches.. i like him alot.. they do grow slow so you would have plenty of time before you needed a big tank if the ones in LFS are babies.. mine is comfortable in a 45gal .. he is the only fish in there.. he loves to lay around in his house...but absolutely adorable how he knows when i enter the room and he stands straight up like begging waiting for his pellets.. just a couple of pellets a day is good... they can easily over eat which would cause their death, last one i had i learned.. so yes they end up like a fat sausage but they grow on the slow side... and of course eventually need a bigger tank...

 

[Tom500]

Id buy one!

 

[ronin_man]

Wow, punctuation please... what you typed is much more messy than these catfish...

lol !

 

[black_sun]

Thanks everyone!