- Dec 2, 2018
- 1,274
- 832
- 125
So you want to keep a RTC (Red Tailed Catfish)?
- Thread starter haywood
- Start date
The title is "RTC my personal journey in keeping a red tailed catfish"
Or something very close to that. An update was done last night so it should be easy to find. I am fairly certain that it is under the category with all the catfish.
The South American Bumblebee Jelly catfish, or the normal SA bumblebee catfish? I have the normal ones, which are cheap, easy to take care of, and stay a little under 3 inches. However, they are insanely reclusive.
Wait, the South American Bumblebee Catfish is in the same family as the RTC. What if we made a Redtail Bumblebee Catfish Hybrid and went from there to get the colors all well? That's how we'll have a dwarf RTC.
Why are there so many post with people who have a long list of tankmates that were eaten by their RTC or ones who have lost just one and they seem surprised by this? If it ate one you didn’t think maybe just maybe you should start relocating the others before the same happened to them? People buy these fish having no clue what they’re doing with them and it seems that some just want to find someone who will tell them their tank is large enough so they can feel better about themselves. I know a guy with a 750 gallon tank and that isn’t large enough to house a RTC long term, probably 2 years max. Then, these same people give this long list of other potential monsters they have in the tank. You’re doing a diservice to your animals. I bought a 1200 gallon pond for my RTC and a few albino pacus.
I think it is because they look lost in big tanks. So.... add in some tank mates.
Every tank mate I have in with a RTC is food... what shocked me at first was the fact that the little fish... like my cat could eat 10 in one gulp go unnoticed... while the biggest tank mate gets swallowed.
So it is a learning experience. My RTC is happy in his 300 gallon tank. By next winter he should be moved to his new home and be living in an 800 gallon tank. Yep, I have plans for even a bigger tank... but baby steps for now. Hahhahaa
IMHO there more than enough animal suffering as it is, why add to it?
While I agree with the said, no problem, but I thought I'd also mention that last I checked people are free to live their own lives and make their own mistakes and are free to learn or not learn from them. Knowledge shoved down someone's throat against their will will only be regurgitated in the face of the shover leaving both unhappy and angry. We can only help them learn and raise awareness, if and only if they are asking us for help or for our opinions and this better be done in a constructive and friendly way with respect and consideration for people's freedom and personal space in the first place and then with the compassion to the animals we keep in the second. People who confuse this order of priorities do far more harm than good overall. My $0.02.
