Looking for an interesting catfish.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
B

billbobthegreat

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 20, 2008
367
0
0
Eastbourne uk
I am setting up an 8x4 tank for my CA Cichlids including Midas, Texas, Dempsey, Jaguar, Festae and two Oscars.
I was wondering what is a cool catfish for this setup?
I already own a Clarius although hes only small at around 4".
I have always wanted to own a Red Tail Catfish, how long would it take one to outgrow this tank/eat the other inhabitents, they are all around 5-7" i would be willing to put the fish in a pond when its very large but would like to see whilst its small. (below 3 foot)

So would you advise getting an RTC or is there another cool Catfish i could add?
 
I never pass up a chance to promote my favorite catfish so here it is. Four Line Pimodella (pimelodus blochii) These guys get substantial in size at about a foot long but not huge. They are active, especially at feeding, and will eat anything. They also have beautiful white whiskers as long as their bodies. Maybe a bit common for some people but my experience with these is all positive.
 
four lines are cool, the best scavengers ever! But, the rtc is my favorite fish. I keep two 7" oscars with a 22" rtc and they get along. That is not to say that the rtc has never eaten an oscar, or a terror, or dempsey, or a devil, or a geophagus. In fact he has eatne them all as he was growing up. If you got a small 3" rtc he will grow quickly leaving your fish alone. I have found that the width of his head has been about the size of fish he has eaten. He has eaten a beautiful 5" albino tiger oscar when he was at about 16 or 17 inches. the rtc has always eaten a fish when we wasn't feed. If he is hungry he will eat. I was feeding mine 2x day for the first 3 months cut it back to 1x a day for the next three and now he eats every two days. There are times that he lets me know that he is hungry on his off feeding days. Thats when, if there were a fish available he'd eat it. rtc get very active when hungry and mine pokes his head out of the surface of the water when asking for a treat. it used to scare me to death. my arowana still scares my to death when he pops up. A rare treat for him is a large goldfish about 4 inches in length. he is mostly feed tilapia, shrimp, and squid
 
oh yeah he would eat your other catfish and plecos. so make sure they big as well!!!

The tank size is more than adequate for a rtc, he will be able to make turns easily, I am getting a 10' x 4' tank to hold a few large cats
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys. Would a Red Tail be ok with the Pim?
I dont really want the hassle of finding a pond for the RTC that ate all my cichlids when it gets bigger. I have witnessed there amazing growing power!
Would it work long term, i mean when the Catfish is larger i imagine he will eat my Cichlids due to lack of space, an 8x4 isnt very large an area for a 3 foot active catfish.
Does anybody know how long it would take a RTC to reach the 3 foot mark, with 50 percent water changes weekly and feeding daily?
Maybe i could keep one till it reaches 2 foot then get a pond?
 
Very true but will it?
I have seen/heard and witnessed many accounts of captive RTC with tankmates that could easily be swallowed, most fish can be swallowed by one of these swimming garages.
I understand with these fish its very much luck of the draw, but i also understand that it will eventually happen.
Does anyone have any experience with Oxydoras or Giraffe Cats?
They both look very cool.

And i am definately getting some Pims im thinking of getting 4,
is there any compatibilty issues with this species?
 
How about a lima shovlenose???
 
jprp;3856630; said:
an 18 in rtc can easily swallow 10-12in prey.
Click to expand...


It can if not well fed. I've grown RTC's all my life and alot of ppl mistaken them as the worse tankmate that eats anything. No lie has my RTC eatened other fish and of coz they have but I think it all really depends how it's been raised. I've had 22" RTC's that won't even touch a 14" ID. I even have my current 14" RTC with 5" GT's, 7" ID's and he won't even attempt to try to eat any of them. My RTC does eat large sized feeders like pigs but he's quite a gentle soul. IMO it's all by luck but once the RTC reaches 3' plus with a mouth diameter size of a 12" pizza then I wouldn't attempt putting anything with it that's alot smaller then him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom