first time with an RTC

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well the thing is the fish is pretty beat up and i do want to raise him i always wanted a rtc and a shovel nose cat and we moving with in a month and i havent start digging the pond yet and i know i have sometime because he's still pretty small and im waiting until he gets a bit bigger before i even start digging and thank you for worry about the rtc
 
Just a heads up, I traded my 14" Asian RTC (too mean) to a guy for a 2-3" SA RTC about two weeks ago. He's already grown about an inch.

They grow very quickly, and when they get big, the cost of feeding goes up. I'm working on a pond for mine too. His quick growth in the past couple of weeks already has me scared that I might not be digging quickly enough.

I got my TSN in August at around 10" and he's already closing in on my 20" black aro. He seems fairly content in my 450g at the moment, but if my pond isn't finished by spring, I'm going to have two very unhappy fishies.

Also, don't forget about all the little expenses that go along with a pond. A heater, a pump, a liner, etc all add up in price quickly. I spent more on all the little things for my 450g tank than i spent on the tank itself.

Not trying to be rude, just trying to give you a heads up of whats required for these fish. The fish will love you more if they're treated properly.
 
some of you people take the fun out of owning fish. You people need to lighten up. Im sure he cares for this fish. He will figure it out on his own. He doesnt need you telling him to give it away.
 
rtcs are cool fish, a pond is needed so the sooner you can finish it the better...as for food, shrimp, fish fillets and whole fish (when it is bigger) are good "cheap" food...i feed my tsns this and they are doing fine...i had a rtc for a while but the tank crashed an it died...they grow real fast so be ready to upgrade as it is needed till your pond is finished...check the stickies for the dims if you haven't yet...any thread with the phrase "my new rtc" or "my first rtc" will have attacks in it just look at the past ones and you will see this...gl with the cat they are awsome fish...
 
Yeah, I wasn't trying to attack, please don't take it as that. Just wanted to point out these fish can get pricey, but they're also some of the coolest. Both my TSN and RTC, I would still consider small and they already act like my dogs when its time for their meal. If they could bark, I bet they would.
 
thanks well i already know this hobby is pretty expensive and let me ask u guy something i know how big rtc get in the wild but i want see a domestic one so show me this 2 ft in one year?
 
I really don't know how to show you that they grow that fast. However, I have some photos of mine. I have had him since September of 08. He is twenty six inches long, maybe a little more, now. What people don't realize is just how big they get -- not only in length, but also in width or girth. These are big, bulky fish. They eat a whole lot, which means that they poop a whole lot, which means that the filtration needed for any tank they're in is pretty serious -- 10x volume is usually standard.

I know you're asking for proof, and I don't have any, really, but I wouldn't lie to you. I think my RTC is wonderful, and I wish they were easier to keep, so that people could enjoy their RTCs as much as I do. Unfortunately, it's just not easy to house and feed these guys. That's not taking into account the water bills (water changes of 250 gallons or so weekly), electric bills (big pumps cost money), and all of the other necessities that come along with having a huge fish.

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your rtc looks great and well i had 1 35 gallon 4 55 gallon and 2 90 gallons and i do water change every week so it doesnt really matter to me and after seeing your now i pretty excited on raising one now
 
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