Qs on keeping 12"+ Cats

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toehead11183

toehead11183

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2006
3,538
21
68
Memphis, tn
-I recently got a 12 albino channel cat and a 12" pleco. Before now, most of my aquarium fish have been 6-7" max excluding the Electric eel. I've always kept my bigger fish outside. Well now that i have these two inside, and expecting two more 12" channel cats, i'm adjusting to a whole new fishkeeping experience. I've always tried to make my setups as natural as possible and give everyone a hiding place but i'ts nearly impossible with 4 12" cats in a 150.
-I'm juggling the idea of decorated tank, or bare tank.
Pros & cons: If i leave the tank bare, i can see my fish at all times and dont have to worry about the rinning into things or pushing rocks against the glass BUT they will nervous and my tank will look empty. If i add large rocks and driftwood (as it is now) they will hide all the time and bang into things.
my questions:
-What should i use as decor/hiding places and still be able to see my fish.
-Should i worry about the cats busting through the tank? (150g long) (the first night i spooked the channel cat and he hit the side pretty hard. I check to make sure he didnt break his face)
-If i do end up with the other two Channel cats, will they fight over tank space? (They came out of a bare 55g and two have visible bite marks)
-What is a clean healthy diet for these guys and how often should they be fed? (i have nightcrawlers, redworms, hikari sinking carnivore pellets, freeze dry krill, tubiflex cubes, brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms and frozen krill and i have been feeding them every 2-3 days.)

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hmmm a couple foot long channels would be cramped in the 150. But how long are you planning on keeping them in their? As for decor, you can stick with the ones you have as you don't want too much stuff in their to cramp the tank even more. They may have a few conflicts with eachother for space but nothing to lethal. As for food, all those you are feeding are already heathy foods. But you may want to try raw market shrimp, most catfishes love them...so try those out aswell
 
I wont keep them in there long. I will keep them until i find people who either have beigger tanks or ponds. Not too many people have large tank in this area so i may have them for a while. I will probablly keep one for my pond. I have a customer who bought these from me about 2 years ago while working at another pet store and they have out grown his 55g so my tank is alot better than his 55g.
I have worked at 2 different pet shops and kept fish for more than 12 years. I have kept most everything interesting that you can buy in this area so right now im just keeping whatever comes my way.
Plus catfish are the best fish in the world!
 
toehead11183;1997010; said:
I wont keep them in there long. I will keep them until i find people who either have beigger tanks or ponds. Not too many people have large tank in this area so i may have them for a while. I will probablly keep one for my pond. I have a customer who bought these from me about 2 years ago while working at another pet store and they have out grown his 55g so my tank is alot better than his 55g.
I have worked at 2 different pet shops and kept fish for more than 12 years. I have kept most everything interesting that you can buy in this area so right now im just keeping whatever comes my way.
Plus catfish are the best fish in the world!
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i see well if its not for too long i don't see why not...:) i hope you find them a big home :D good luck
 
my pond is only a 300g preform. I cant put more than maybe one out there. I have 2 small koi and some 4" bullheads. I probablly could keep all three out there with the 2 koi bc a few months back I had rescued some pond fish from a vacant house and got stuck with 11 10"+ comets and a 13" koi alond with the 5 smaller koi i already had. i kept them for about a month before finding someone to take them. My amm and nit shot up for 2-3 days then everything went back to normal. I guess the bazillion pond plant i keep in there helped.
 
Personally, i don't like buying ANY cats that are 6"+. I liek raising em for myself.
 
Dovii dude;2772700; said:
Yeah try to get them eating raw shrimp,it is geat for coloring,my bigger cats also love raw Scallops.
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I think that now that its more than 6 months later, there isnt really advice to give. Just question why this thread was brought back up.
 
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