Catla catla in 4500 gal, ~1', has anyone kept them?

[thebiggerthebetter]

November 2015 I saw Raymond Chan's stock and price list and was blown away. Among other interesting never-before-seen fish, I saw Catla catla for the first time ever, so I got one at 7"-8" at $90 (along with two Catlacarpio siamensis, same size and price).

If anyone kept / keeps them or got them from Ray like I did, pretty please, share your experience and visuals.

So it's been with me for 13 months. Grew slowly, my eyeball estimate today is 1', which makes for ~4"-5" in roughly a year. It appears to have a strong preference for being a filter feeder. Takes only pellets and any particulate matter in the water column. It has a huge mouth for a fish its size, twice bigger than the usual mouthiest predators, which again is typical for filter feeders having to channel a lot of water in their mouth.

Quirky fish, stands its own far better than say Catlacarpio against fin nippers and other opportunists and a better swimmer with a slimmer more hydrodynamic profile than the Catlacarpio. Catlacarpio are probably as laid back and timid as barbs go, not so with this guy - I've never seen it bother any fish but it is most usually intact.

Here is a video of the fish, who has been residing in 4500 gal from the start:

 

[headbanger_jib]

Catla catla, in my experience, need constant feeding to grow fast, they do much better in greenwater setups.

 

[kendragon]

Are these cold water fish?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

No. Literature says subtropical, 18-28 degrees Celsius. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar. 34 degrees North to 19 degrees South latitude.

180 cm = 6' max length, 35-110 kg.

 

[fugupuff]

wow, so cool seeing some of my old fishin there. I will have to come visit one day! They all look so happy. As for the catla catla, they commericially breed them for food. for a while, I even had some that had mirror scales like a koi., they're super neat. problem is they're very territorial, constantly fighting. I guess in a huge tank they're better. Good job raising them.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

wow, so cool seeing some of my old fishin there. I will have to come visit one day! They all look so happy. As for the catla catla, they commericially breed them for food. for a while, I even had some that had mirror scales like a koi., they're super neat. problem is they're very territorial, constantly fighting. I guess in a huge tank they're better. Good job raising them.

Thanks, Wes! Yes, the fish I got from you in Aug 2015 have been doing well. You can see the videos all in one place in the second link in my signature or on our YouTube channel, plus I will try to post more and regularly every couple of days from now on, time permitting. Of all desirable visitors, you are the most welcome to come for a visit, needless to say.

I appreciate the info on the Catla. Really, mirror-scale catla? Wow. Did you have these in your personal collection or for sale?

When you speak of the territorial fighting - is it between themselves or against other tank mates? And if other tank mates, is it any specific family, genus, or dwelling place in water column, or pretty indiscriminate?

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Feed multiple times daily for proper care

 

[headbanger_jib]

Yes they are commercially grown.
These fish are grown in green water mud ponds, but I have seen massive specimens that are fished out from rivers.

They are really really strong fish and reach sizes of 80-100 pounds, and are for expert anglers only.

They do well in tropical climates as well

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thanks for the info, bro. Have you caught them? If so, got any visuals?

Feed multiple times daily for proper care

I try to. They get anywhere from 3 to 10 feedings a day. The amount is the same, just divided up in corresponding portions. I think I do overfeed a bit though, as far as the whole tank goes.

 

[fugupuff]

I think mine were just kept in too small of a tank, they would relentlessly chase each other around, until they can't catch their breath and some would die from it. I eventually gave them all away