All about the red tailed catfish

[doubledragon]

i know if they eat too much, they'll turn out their stomach and puke up EVERYTHING!!!!! a water quality nightmare

Yup!!!!

 

[Superlaz]

RTC probably have the fastest growth rate of the cats in home acquaria not counting hybrids. For the most part they dont get as big as they shold and usually max out around 2-3 ft...simply because most people dont keep them that long...a 3-4' would not only need the space and dedication, but the time to attain such a size. They are very personable and can be trained to eat from your hand. Krill, shrimp, and foods high in beta-carotene will bring out the red in the tail. White fish...like perch filets, and farm raised catfish filets are a cheap and healthy food source. I like to mix these with shrimp, and occasionally insert massivore pellets, and/or carrots (little pieces) or micro crab pellets in the filets to bring out the red. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth. Not a question of "if" but "when"...if you keep them well fed, they will kinda hold off, after a certain point anything is fair game. Large tankmates are best suggested.....TSN, Pacu, Cichla, Arowana (full grown), etc. are best tankmates....

 

[doubledragon]

RTC probably have the fastest growth rate of the cats in home acquaria not counting hybrids. For the most part they dont get as big as they shold and usually max out around 2-3 ft...simply because most people dont keep them that long...a 3-4' would not only need the space and dedication, but the time to attain such a size. They are very personable and can be trained to eat from your hand. Krill, shrimp, and foods high in beta-carotene will bring out the red in the tail. White fish...like perch filets, and farm raised catfish filets are a cheap and healthy food source. I like to mix these with shrimp, and occasionally insert massivore pellets, and/or carrots (little pieces) or micro crab pellets in the filets to bring out the red. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth. Not a question of "if" but "when"...if you keep them well fed, they will kinda hold off, after a certain point anything is fair game. Large tankmates are best suggested.....TSN, Pacu, Cichla, Arowana (full grown), etc. are best tankmates....

Agreed, I espescially like how you said arowana(full grown). Aro's and clown knives and other similar body shaped species, can be folded up like a taco if a rtc is really hungry, even if you think no way. They say otherwise!

 

[parker21104]

not just size being the only problem along with a healthy appetite. If you keep it long enough and does hit the 3' mark and you have it in an acrylic tank and by chance you spook him he will easily crack your acrylic or bust your tank. Hence the nickname tank buster. tank mates for a redtail have to be large and thick like pacus and any other fish that have a thick body. stay away from long slender bodied fish. I dont remember who it was but someone in this forum had a 12" rtc eat his 15" aro. If you want to see huge rtc's captive anythingfish.com ted who owns the 8000 gallon tank has multiple rtc's one is in the 50" range if you dont believe that get on that website and see if he will email you a picture.