I have been trying so hard to resist buying a RTC...well my lFS has yet another one in, and I finally asked him to hold him for me until friday. Still not 100% sure I'm going to get it, but I certainly am 3000% sure I want one, so here's my question...he's TINY, like 2" if that right now, I know these things grow at unbelievable rates, but the tank he kinda needs to be in is 8x3x2, will I get 2-3 years out of that? And since he is so little, and my other cats are all around 1 foot, will he catch up pretty quick so I can put him in with my other monsters? I had wanted to get a few more paroon sharks to go in that tank, but as suggested by MFK, I won't be doing that now, so I'm guessing this is the next best thing. I'm either going to be building another ply tank down the road (8x4x3) or a massively huge pond (which I would prefer over the extra ply tank), it just depends on if we've found a spot to settle down and buy a house by then or not...and one more question, ATM I don't have an open tank to grow him out, but I think the best bet would be in the 55, will he be okay to grow out with my 2 jd's? I have a male, 5", and a female, 4", there are also 2 3" oscars in there, but it's the jd's I worry about picking on anything new I put in the tank. That would be temporary, just until he grew to about 6" and wasn't small enough to be a feeder for the paroons and channels....just wanted someone else's opinion...
probably dumb questions, but I'll ask anyway...
- Thread starter laura65536
- Start date
Needless to say everything in that 55 could potentially become food in a very short period of time. Growth spurts up to 5" in the first month are not unheard of, but are rare. 3" is very common in the first couple of months. If you do the math, and know well the dimensions of your 55 you will be able to tell how long you will have. I give it
3-5 months max in a 55 gal. The 8x3x2 will definitely be ok for a few years. Probably
3-4 if you are lucky.
3-5 months max in a 55 gal. The 8x3x2 will definitely be ok for a few years. Probably
3-4 if you are lucky.
awesome, that is exactly what I was hoping, that he'd grow up fast enough to get out of the 55 really quick, but then he'd still last a few years in the ply tank. Thanks a bunch, I just didn't want him in with the jd's for too long, they'll have him pretty beat up I'm afraid, they are a mean pair....
They will only beat him up long enough for him to get to a size that they will fit in his mouth .. then there is no problem with them beating on him LOL or anyone else for that matter 
I just went through this exercise last week when I bought mine... Expect that it will be 18-24 inchs in the first year... then their growth rate slows down but it is still quick compared to most cats. So you should be good for a couple years for sure... maybe 3... if you got the runt then you might even get away with 4 MAX!!! It will definetly be uncomfortable after that.
I just went through this exercise last week when I bought mine... Expect that it will be 18-24 inchs in the first year... then their growth rate slows down but it is still quick compared to most cats. So you should be good for a couple years for sure... maybe 3... if you got the runt then you might even get away with 4 MAX!!! It will definetly be uncomfortable after that.
RTC's have very long memorys....fish that pick on them are usually targeted for future digestive confinement... An 8x3x2 foot tank while not ideal is certianly larger than most RTC's ever expierance. Yes that will do for a long time (3-4 years) if not for life. Figure 18" for the first year another 10 to 12 in the secound year and then a VERY dramatic drop off after that. This IS of course average...some grow faster and others slower.
Avoid overfeeding the little guy and give him/her plenty of hiding places until they hit the 12" mark. Don't push yourself at them but offer food from your fingers. Eventually you'll have no more doubts about keeping a big cat....
Avoid overfeeding the little guy and give him/her plenty of hiding places until they hit the 12" mark. Don't push yourself at them but offer food from your fingers. Eventually you'll have no more doubts about keeping a big cat....
I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with hand feeding, I was trying to get my channels to do it until I read the post where someone got pulled into the pond by their RTC (at least I think it was a RTC) and now, maybe it'd be better if they just found their own food...when I get him should I make the special trip to petco for the sinking carnivore stuff, or will massivore work if I break it up? I have tons of other stuff to feed him that my other cats eat, but I'd rather not do feeders, this will be the most expensive fish I own (all my other cool fish I got were mislabeled as something cheap, but I've never seen a RTC mislabeled 
) and I don't want it to get a disease right off the bat. Also, I know for my bigger cats they are better if I only feed them once every other day, should I feed this guy once a day or 2-3 times a day or what? I don't want to overfeed, but I don't want him to be hungry either cause I know I want him to grow fast...
) and I don't want it to get a disease right off the bat. Also, I know for my bigger cats they are better if I only feed them once every other day, should I feed this guy once a day or 2-3 times a day or what? I don't want to overfeed, but I don't want him to be hungry either cause I know I want him to grow fast...and I don't want him to eat my jd's...he'll be removed before that is an option, but I'm just afraid to put a barely 2" $50 fish in with a 15" paroon shark (among others)...
RTC My new guy was eating fish 2/3's his size and grew from 3 to 5" in a month. He's by himself now. I said it before and I'll say it again, by the time I finish buying one tank I have to buy another, who's eating who, who's fight who, who's bullying who, BUT I would get rid of one little healthy happy brat if you paid me.