"Shark Cats", what's the common stigmas with them?

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M

Manny Stiles

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 29, 2007
96
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Phoenix, AZ
Is it because they are called "sharks"? If that's all it is I won't tell my buffalo/bison story...

They are really tough to find quality info on - how big do they really get? I've heard 8" and had one that was about 7" when I got rid of it but I also heard they get up to 16"!??!?!!

I read they prefer brackish water on one site, another said they only need brackish water to breed and a third said they migrate between salt and freshwater in nature?!?!? My 90g tank is mildly brackish and mine seem healthy and lively to me. They get along with my other fish real nice, they are "shark-like" when they go into their feeding frenzies and well... I just think they're cute as hell!

Are they not common to alot of places? Do people have reasons to hate them? I never hear anyone blah-blah about them - good or bad.

I have had 5 for over a year now - The "Hanson Brothers" - and there is one that is sandy colored and bigger than the other 4 and they seem OK to me. I love that they all swim in tandem at times and split up other times. I know they communicate "electronically" or whatever and I would just love to get more quality info on them. I also get the feeling that most cat-ophiles don't give a crap about them for some reason... What am I missing here?
 
He means Arius seemani catfish. They get up to 24" in the wild, I've never seen one bigger than 12" in a tank. Once they reach 5-6" they require more brackish water. I think people have a bad opinion of them as they are commonly sold as FW "sharks" to people with small tanks who are unaware of their BW requirements.
 
Columbians aren't really sold here to often, I think there are like 3 or 4 shops in montreal that display a BW tank at all let alone carry any.

Tell you the truth I had no idea that they had a bad rep, I personally know of only a couple (friends that have them) and they are pretty cool fish. All I know with regards to their BW requirements are basically that the older they get the more marine they like to become
 
I have a picture of them in my Gallery - how do i upload those
29492
???

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/40944/cat/500/ppuser/29492
 
use the 'go advanced' tab and make sure the pic file is not a bitmap.
 
Always jpgs... Ok, I can attach the file but how do I post my already uploaded gallery pics to a post without uploading them from my 'puter?

20080106 056.jpg
 
wow, its cool looking...!!!!!
 
I think they look cool. They are sleek and mild mannered yet they are always drifting about (which is why i think they are called "shark" cats - they kinda look a little like miniature white tip sharks and they patrol like oceanic sharks do, but on the bottom, not the surface). They rarely head for cover.

It's very interesting when they swim in tandem and all turn at the same exact time like trick airplane pilots.

Are they just not popular in other places? They have them readily available around here for cheap. I've never seen any bigger than 8" and the info I've found is bland and not very informative so I'm mystified what the deal is...
 
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