Need to be told no

moe214

Goliath Tigerfish
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Oct 13, 2014
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So as I've stated in some threads here, hemibagrus wyckii is my favorite catfish, Aquascape has one, and I have the ability to order it, it's been sitting there and every time I go on their website I see it and it makes me look into them again and I get the urge to get it again. Now I feel like it'll get to big for my tank which is a 120 but then I think about how people who have kept them say they'd be fine in a 120. But I don't feel like it would be happy, so that's a reason why I don't get it, but then I contradict that with the possibility of me getting a larger tank and it having a fairly slow growth. So then I think to myself, well I have fish in the tank already, I would be willing to part with everyone except my wolffish. Wolves are my favorite group of fish. I want a gold but I'm not able to get one yet due to waiting for Wes but he didn't post it on his update stock list. My wolf is 1' and girthy, fairly territorial to certain fish, if they attack him and pose a threat he builds a dislike for them and handles it from there, this is how I lose some fish. The wyckii would be 7" I'd be able to give it a place to hide. But I don't want it to grow and kill my wolf. I also think I'm bored with most of my stock. The bichirs aren't growing as expected, and aren't very active as expected. The odoe is fine. My wolf is my favorite of course. I want some more fish though. Only fish you ever really see is the odoe. The wolf blends in to the untrained eye but I see him all the time so he's fine, and he comes out and swims around. I know it's not a good idea, but as much as I tell myself that, it's not working, I'm just looking for some more no's I guess lol.
 

Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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So as I've stated in some threads here, hemibagrus wyckii is my favorite catfish, Aquascape has one, and I have the ability to order it, it's been sitting there and every time I go on their website I see it and it makes me look into them again and I get the urge to get it again. Now I feel like it'll get to big for my tank which is a 120 but then I think about how people who have kept them say they'd be fine in a 120.


I also think I'm bored with most of my stock.
Since you asked, 28" fish don't belong in a tank that is 24" wide, regardless of how bored a person gets.
 

justarn

Arapaima
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May 24, 2011
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They rarely get over 2ft in home aquarium from what I've read but I know when I kept mine in the 4ft 100g it wasn't a nice sight, he was about 17-18 inch at that time...
Remember if you get a nasty one it will be bye bye Wolf in no time, add to that you will hardly ever see it move with the lights on. I loved mine don't get me wrong but it's a fish for a second large tank Imo, to be kept out in the open with a large open pot or something to keep it more active, I spent so much time creating one accessible cave in a position were I could see him.
Mine grew pretty fast, 12 inch to 19-22 inch in 2yrs.
Will be a good grow out but be prepared for carnage, the Wolf might even have his whiskers off...
Get a nemurus, they max out at 12 inch and are just an albino Wyckii looks wise.
 
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moe214

Goliath Tigerfish
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Oct 13, 2014
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Since you asked, 28" fish don't belong in a tank that is 24" wide, regardless of how bored a person gets.
Yea as justarns said they rarely get to their wild max reported size. I don't think I ever read of one getting above 2' in home aquaria. Even arapaimag who had 3, one in a 180, one in his 15k gallon set up and one in the bigger set up, said none got over 2'.
Justarn, thanks for that response, I figured a fish it's size wouldn't be happy in a tank of this size, and that's what I'd like, for it to be happy.
 

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
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Dec 31, 2009
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28" SL = ~32"+ TL

It may be argued that the reason we don't know of giants is precisely because they are kept in too small tanks and are not kept long enough. Does anybody have a 20-year old wyckii? 10-year-old?

BTW, are you able to dig up the relevant Arapaimag's post(s) you are citing?

This is all on paper, of course.

IDK your personal situation or life's plan, Moe. If you have a good job and your own place and are settled, or will have in very near future, it argues that you may be able to provide for your wyckii as you are experienced.
 
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moe214

Goliath Tigerfish
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Oct 13, 2014
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http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25355
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32376
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25327
Correction, he had 4, my mistake. I'm going off of my memory. You make a valid point of the SL to TL. And I think only arapaimag kept them for lifetimes, he's definitely the only report of such that I can recall. His oldest was 17 years old I believe. That he last reported that I can find. And they weren't kept in small tanks, with the exception of his 180. The second link he states ages and sizes of 3. But thanks guys, I just needed someone else to tell me no, I'm turning 17 next Sunday so I'm still young, I try to be responsible but still have self control problems sometimes I guess lol
 

gorak

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 9, 2013
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As an irresponsible adult(when it comes to self-control against buying fish) I just did what the title said...ha-ha... I actually would buy it and figure out the rest later.
 

moe214

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Oct 13, 2014
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I don't like putting fishes lives at high risk, though everything is a risk at the end of the day.
 

gorak

Fire Eel
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Dec 9, 2013
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You gotta risk it to get the biscuit
 
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