Growth Rate

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Diskboy12

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 9, 2007
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NY, USA
What is the growth rate of ID sharks and channel cats. I am interested in getting some, but I need to know if I have enough time to get my bigger tank set-up, until I get my pond designed and set in motion.




Kevin
 
Well what is your time frame for getting the pond in motion? What size tank are they going into right now? I have an ID and have had him for a little over a year and he is in my 150. I got him when he was about 2 inches and he is now about 5. Keep in mind tho, mine gets tons of excersise :) I keep a pump in there and create a jet stream for him. He will spend hours and hours swimming "upstream". I don't have any channels, so hopefully we get more knowledge spread upon us:woot:
 
I am getting my 125 by atleast December if not sooner, since I need an upgrade for my monsters I have now, then I have a big tub pond that is about 400 gal, all I need to do is wire a filtration system and airation system to it and it will be ready, I don't plan to have it running till next spring though. Will a 125 hold him til next spring?
 
My biggest monster is 6" and it's a bluegill, not to much of a threat as I have 3x 3" Yellow labs and a 4" Flowerhorn with him and he doesn't bother any of them....I'm more worried about the flowerhorn being a flowerhorn, but he doesn't seem to attack anyone in the tank so I think it would be ok.
 
I want to get more info on both species before I jump the gun and end up out of my league for care. What is the max size for both species, what should they be fed, acceptable temps, ect.?


Kevin
 
trevinoboy;3336964; said:
ID sharks triple in size in half a year, but channal catfish double in size i half a year
Click to expand...

This has been my experience with ID's. Mine is growing like a weed. (I don't have a channal cat though.) At first the ID wasn't growing super fast, but sorta grows in spurts, and is currently going through a bit one right now. I was just looking at him tonight and realizing how much bigger he is. He was probably 7-8" when I got him in March, and 5 months later he's about 14+" and almost growing on a daily basis. He's fed the variety that I throw in my tank: massivore, sinking cichild gold pellets, algae waffers, steamed tilapia and shrimp, and krill. He seems to be developing nicely on this mix, and has been extremely healthy.

They are very much a schooling fish. I feel bad that he doesn't have a couple others to hang out with, but he was rescued from a 40 gallon tank. Eventually, he'll get some friends, but till then he has adopted the tin foils as buddies (although I'm not sure the tin foils are all that thrilled about him). I'm sure if he had a conspecific in with him, he'd be thrilled.

They can get up to 52", but its not just the size that makes them a challenge to keep. From what I've been told, these guys remain active swimmers through out their lives. So, figure that if you do it right, you'll have a group of very large fish who some say have a tendency to spook. Mine is fairly relaxed but he does flinch if something knocks against the tank. I guess a 52" fish 'flinching' in a tank would not be such a good thing. :WHOA: I saw that you are working on a pond, so that's good. If the pond is completed by the spring, he'll probably be just fine in the 150, but its gonna start to get tight in there. Mine is starting to look big in my 180.

GL. Updates please. :)
 
Well, now knowing that they get to 52" I am not so sure I can house one comfortably. The pond I have is a cattle trough and measures 93" long x 36" wide x 21" high (I'm not sure how many gallons that holds, but I'm sure not enough). It looks to me like an ID shark is will get to big for even the pond I am making. Maybe I should look into channel cats then...:[
 
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