RTC Diet, good idea or bad?

[Zfishies]

Hey guys, so when i get my RTC this is what i plan on feeding him. please tell me if this is good or bad idea. thanks!!!

When i get him he'll be around 4inches. Diet: Live Brine Shrimp & Flakes. Days: Everyday
Untill: 6inches

6icnhes diet: Medium Goldfish feeders about 2(i will freez them before i feed them to my RTC so all parasites are killed. <--- good idea or bad?) , Live Brine Shrimp, & flakes.
Days: Everyday but Wedsday
Untill: 10inches

10inch diet: same as 6inch but Large Goldfish bout 3 or 4 (same way prossesed) Live Brine Shrimp, flakes(less flakes)
Days: Everyday but Wedsday
Untill: 15inches

idk after that?? what do you guys feed your monster RTC's? i was thinking get him off Flakes, and Live Brine Shrimp, start him on, Market Shrimp, chopped salmon or crawfish or rockfish (found at ralphs). suggestions?

 

[polish]

Forget flakes, haha...

It's an RTC. Just feed it Hikari Carnivore Pellets until it's Large enough to take Massivore.

You can substitute for NLS large pellets too..

Supplement with Market Shrimp, Cut up Fish, and so on...

 

[Zfishies]

will he come up to eat them? he is in a 500 gallon pond...ill also put in some Brine Shrimp(live) and its ok to do that with the goldfish right?

 

[coyotethug]

I agree, wasting your time and money on flakes and brine. Pellets and chunks of aquatic animal flesh is best. My friend has a rtc that is 2 years old, about 18 inches and nice proportions. Not overfed and really healthy. He feeds cut fish, tilapia, catfish, frozen shiners, silver sides, etc. and market shrimp. The market shrimp provide caratenoids that really bring out the red fins.

Biggest thing is not to overfeed. Easy to do, but they get fat, lazy, and unhealthy. Not to mention not nearly as stunning. Fat fish are like fat chicks, they look good only if you don't have a healthy one to compare it to.

 

[KAWAMIKIE]

I have a 20 " RTC. I got it when it was 12" and it grew 8" in about 3 months.
In that time it has consumed:
2 lbs of large shrimp
1/2 Lb of beef liver
1 Lb of silver sides
1/2 Lb of sea scallops
1/4 Lb of flounder strips
1 6" red pacu not meant for food
1 heater suction cup (regurgitated 3 days later)
It will not touch pellets or krill, floating or sinking.
If you are getting yours small and get it on pellets stay with it it will be fine. My LFS owner has one (28" in a 700 gal tank) and he has fed it a variety of pellets since it was small, never had a feeder fish, market shrimp or any of the other crap I'm feeding mine.
I'm on day 2 of trying to convert to pellets and krill, it just picks them up and spits them out.

 

[catfish dan]

When mine was young it was feed on bloodworm cubes then on to lance fish this was up to about 6" with the odd pice of fish now and again she now has a whole trout once a week and the odd beef heart and dates as they need roughtage (spelling) to help with there digestion. But as said above do not over feed it is very tempting to give him some food every time it comes up to you but if you do this it will be a very fat and unhealthy fish when they are young every other day will be fine and as they grow increace the ammount it has but cut the days down as i said i only feed once a week to my 3 foot monster and always monitor the water after they have feed as they are prone to reguergitating there food and filling the home with stomach acid and ammonia also as they get bigger so dose there poo so larger filtration is required to cope.

 

[bubbles21476]

IF you start with pellets(sinking carnivore), stick with pellets (massivore) as stated. I feed mine tilapia, shrimp, feeders and massivore pellets. There are other cats in the tank that eat the same things, just as often they are about 12" (RTC, TSN, 2xRTC/TSN). I throw feeders in for the gar and aro and frequently the cats go after them. Oddly, the big guy only eats at night, and the rest eat when ever I show up! Flakes are a waste of time. SUPER filtration is a must! pellets cost ALOT. King Charles could eat a whole bag by himself if I put that much in!

 

[bubbles21476]

BTW... what size tank do you have, and what size tank do you plan on getting?

 

[Zfishies]

Its a 500 gallon pond heated to 75F, but i dont want him to be eating pellets all the time so ill do, feed him everyother day (only when 4inch untill he gets to 6inch ill feed him everyother 2days?) frozen bloodworms,(he will come up to eat them??) when is he big enough to eat Salmon, Market Shrimp and all that good stuff?? (and i might hav him and in a aligator gar in the pond with him no one else)

 

[catfish dan]

Its a 500 gallon pond heated to 75F,

when is he big enough to eat Salmon, Market Shrimp and all that good stuff?? )

500 gallons will only last for so long i hope you have plans for bigger soon ie 1000-2000 gallons

As for eating salmon and shrimp he will be able to eat at any size as long as it is small enougth to fit in his mouth one of mine was eating salmon at 2" and he grow 12" in the first 4 mounths