Please tell why NOT

[2songbirds]

I need help being talked out of buying a small 3-4inch rtcXtsn....gorgeous specimen....I've been eyeballing up this type of fish for a long time. The tank my LFS has him in is with irridiscent sharks, black sharks, etc all of which we have now. I noticed the red finned sharks in there were picking on him, and I felt bad.

I *know* he'll grow up, and most likely be a monster...but I don't do feeders. Had to do so in the past with a shovelnose, and was such a pain

Anyone feeding theirs fish food, shrimp, meaty dead foods?

 

[ProblEmZ]

Got room for final size? They maybe a hybrid but both species get very large.

 

[2songbirds]

I know they do best in over a 1,000 g tanks/ponds. Right now we just have a 265g, until we move and are able to build a pond....but who knows when that will be.

Will he most likely then be the only fish left in the tank after year at the rate they grow...and eat?

 

[haynchinook334]

Agreed. If you can house it.....buy it. As for feeding, i have fed mine shrimp, mussels, clams, squids, apple slices, oranges, dog food (once), etc.

EDIT: look to 24'' in the first year.

 

[duke33]

Yep! I would think about it. I was given a TSN as a gift. I have a hell of a time keeping him fed. Plus he will need more room. Then what to do? I would'nt get one if I were you. My 2cents.

 

[[enjoyable_attempt]]

Heres one reason. My TSNxRTC grew out of my 265 gallon tank in under a year. I do not, and will not put feeders in any of my tanks. He ate Market shrimp, tilapia fillets, bluegill flillets, sinking carnivore pellets, clown loaches :[, and the occasional crawdad. I had to then move him to a 700 gallon pond because he exceeded 20 inches.
Heres two pictures of him, This container was 30 inches long I believe.

 

[2songbirds]

My main reason for thinking he'd be ok cohabitating in the 265g for awhile is because I have a marbled pim in there who when I last tried to measure what about 16 inches or so, and he's supposed to be a predator, altho is handfed, and tolerates everyone in the tank. My 2 pictus catfish who are only about 3-4 inches "adopted" the marble pim as their mom....it's *really* cute.

I was thinking that if I don't ever introduce feeders to the rtcXtsn, I might be able to get away with him not bothering anyone.

As for him growing out of the 265g in a year....well, then that would be a problem. I thought I'd have more time than that as we won't be moving for 1-2 years

man, we really want one too. Maybe I'm just better off going to the zoo and visiting their aquarium

 

[dragonfish]

I have one in the pond that is currently about 18 inches. Has never been fed live and prefers to market shrimp above all else, especially if hand fed. Lives with small oscars(4-6 inches) and a lyonsi that would easily fit in his mouth. When they run into his whiskers he just swims away. So far.

 

[2songbirds]

Ahh, I just saw that you dragonfish have a 600g....for a minute there, I had hope....

But, he was just a cute lil' bugger, not bothering anyone in the lfs tank, like I said before, they were picking on him....I observed for a lil' over half hour

 

[perfect_prefect]

they do fine not eating feeders and one day they will be hungry and eat a catfish almost equal to there own size. they dont eat other fish because they were fed feeders, they eat fish because they are hungry. it would outgrow your tank in a matter of months.