I’m looking for advice on putting a rtc and shovelnose in with my other fish. I was planning on ordering them all together but I’m not positive because of the growth rates of the catfish. So my 4200 gallon aquarium with host a few red belly Pacu, 1-2 arowana(unsure as some say they have success with multiple), clown knife, a few pinima peacock bass. All of these are approx 3-5” as of right now. The dilemma I’m having is both of the catfish grow at a faster rate then the other fish and I don’t want to have them eaten or at least try to prevent it the best I can. So I’m looking for when people think the best time to add the catfish(they will both be 3-5” when purchased), or if I should just get them all at the same time. Any advice helps.
Introducing RTC and shovelnose question?
- Thread starter SageTheKeeper
- Start date
IMO you will need to get the TSN at the same time as the other fish and the red tail 1 year later than the others. Grow them on to a decent size not edible and then add them.
What is you plan? To house them for 5-10 or more years together? It could be balanced for a while but in any case this would be a risky game and you'd be well advised to be prepared to take some fish out of the tank at any moment. For instance, we had to separate our adult silver arowana from the adult RTCs after about 3 years together in a 4500 gal.
What Dave means above also is that the RTC should be of larger, inedible size when introduced 1 year later, otherwise others will eat a baby RTC, e.g., the TSN should be around 1.5ft after 1 year, so a 3" RTC is a snack size, even 6" might be in danger. 1ft pbass will eat 3" RTC too.
What Dave means above also is that the RTC should be of larger, inedible size when introduced 1 year later, otherwise others will eat a baby RTC, e.g., the TSN should be around 1.5ft after 1 year, so a 3" RTC is a snack size, even 6" might be in danger. 1ft pbass will eat 3" RTC too.
The plan was to house them all together for their lives. I do have extra room for another predator tank so if need be I’ll put another in if anything were to start happening like what you were speaking of. The wife won’t be too happy but it is what it is lol. I appreciate the advice on this!
I am dubious about about any "for life" plans when we are speaking about fish that should live a few decades. Usually people's lives change significantly over such long times, some for better, some for worse.
Anyhow, depending on your RTC genetics, care, gender, diet, etc. your silver arowana, knifefish, and pbass, and even TSN, if TSN (and you do mean tiger SN, not just SN, because just SN would be eaten first very soon) turns out a slow and small growing one (some fail to reach 2ft) would be in danger of being on the RTC's menu.
IME chances are you won't have time to set up a new tank, should something happen. You need to have one or more tanks ready and running to take in fish at any moment.
Anyhow, depending on your RTC genetics, care, gender, diet, etc. your silver arowana, knifefish, and pbass, and even TSN, if TSN (and you do mean tiger SN, not just SN, because just SN would be eaten first very soon) turns out a slow and small growing one (some fail to reach 2ft) would be in danger of being on the RTC's menu.
IME chances are you won't have time to set up a new tank, should something happen. You need to have one or more tanks ready and running to take in fish at any moment.