Bad Cat, my personal Journey in to RTC
- Thread starter Loco Lucas
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- rtc
Update! 7-21-2023
Had to move again... 67 miles further west. Bad Cat made the move despite his size!
His new tank is 1150 gallons total. So double the water volume.
Had to move again... 67 miles further west. Bad Cat made the move despite his size!
His new tank is 1150 gallons total. So double the water volume.
So the process of moving the large catfish took a turn for the worst. I lost one, my female.
The problem was not the move, it was what I had to do to move them.
In previous posts I described how Bad Cat decided not to eat one of his meals, a black shark... they have lived harmoniously for years together. Well, I needed to break down tanks, move them to the new location, then set everything back up again before actually moving my fish.
So... Pac-Man and Miss Pac-Man were moved into Bad Cat's tank for 2 days. I knew there was a risk of Bad Cat being territorial and attacking them. I added all the rocks and pots from the smaller 2 catfish tank into Bad Cat's in hopes this would disturb Bad Cat enough to help prevent this.
Hummmmm
Bad Cat did attack them, that is obvious. But what I did NOT expect was for the black shark to attack them too.
The problem was not the move, it was what I had to do to move them.
In previous posts I described how Bad Cat decided not to eat one of his meals, a black shark... they have lived harmoniously for years together. Well, I needed to break down tanks, move them to the new location, then set everything back up again before actually moving my fish.
So... Pac-Man and Miss Pac-Man were moved into Bad Cat's tank for 2 days. I knew there was a risk of Bad Cat being territorial and attacking them. I added all the rocks and pots from the smaller 2 catfish tank into Bad Cat's in hopes this would disturb Bad Cat enough to help prevent this.
Hummmmm
Bad Cat did attack them, that is obvious. But what I did NOT expect was for the black shark to attack them too.
The black sharks attack and kill catfish by biting their backs. If you look closely into the photo of all 3 catfish in the 100 gallon tank, you can see their backs are heavily damaged. With 2 fish attacking Miss Pac-Man, she did not survive the move. This was a real loss to me, she was full of eggs and I am certain I now only have 2 males.
The catfish had to stay in the 100 gallon tank inside my trailer for nearly 24 hours while I had issues with the larger tank. I had to drop the pump and heater along with the inline cannister filters about 36 inches to make them work. A pressure issue with the heater it turns out.
To do this I had 2 FX6 filters running on the 100 gallon tank. I transfered the other 2 FX6 filters to the new setup, along with all the wet rocks, pots, bio balls... brought both tanks to the same temp (one was falling in temp, one was rising) then transfered them over without a glitch.
The black shark was moved at the same time. He is approximately 12 to 13 inches long... I placed him into the 100 gallon filter tank above the 1000 gallon tank below.
On the second morning I woke up to that shark being in the lower tank attacking Pac-Man AGAIN!
I stripped down to my birthday suit and netted the black shark out of the tank and once again placed him back into the 100 gallon. But... the damage has been done. Not sure if Pac-Man is going to make it now...
I have used 2x the amount of Stress Coat and I have plenty of air being mixed into the tank.
We will see... as of today, both catfish have eaten and are just hanging out at the bottom of the tank as usual.
That black shark had jumped out, made a lucky shot and had landed in the lower tank. Upper tank now has extra OSB sheeting to keep that A hole in...
The catfish had to stay in the 100 gallon tank inside my trailer for nearly 24 hours while I had issues with the larger tank. I had to drop the pump and heater along with the inline cannister filters about 36 inches to make them work. A pressure issue with the heater it turns out.
To do this I had 2 FX6 filters running on the 100 gallon tank. I transfered the other 2 FX6 filters to the new setup, along with all the wet rocks, pots, bio balls... brought both tanks to the same temp (one was falling in temp, one was rising) then transfered them over without a glitch.
The black shark was moved at the same time. He is approximately 12 to 13 inches long... I placed him into the 100 gallon filter tank above the 1000 gallon tank below.
On the second morning I woke up to that shark being in the lower tank attacking Pac-Man AGAIN!
I stripped down to my birthday suit and netted the black shark out of the tank and once again placed him back into the 100 gallon. But... the damage has been done. Not sure if Pac-Man is going to make it now...
I have used 2x the amount of Stress Coat and I have plenty of air being mixed into the tank.
We will see... as of today, both catfish have eaten and are just hanging out at the bottom of the tank as usual.
That black shark had jumped out, made a lucky shot and had landed in the lower tank. Upper tank now has extra OSB sheeting to keep that A hole in...
Unfortunately from experience your Black Shark will only get worse. If he has ideas on who he does or does not like at just 12” and can do this damage, then try to imagine him chasing tank mates round at 26” - it’s not fun! But I do still love em. Good looking setup and great write up.
That Black shark was supposed to be a meal to Bad Cat... that was years ago.
I am not a fan of black sharks anyway so he is trapped in that 100 gallon filter tank for now. Bad Cat has a history of killing and eating his tank mates... thus the name of course. LOL
Why he never ate that black shark I do not know...
Bad Cat is now 9 years old... and I have a problem. He stopped eating 2 months ago after barfing up a small meal. I missed him regurgitating, it was in there for 2 days. My bad...
But I cleaned the tank, did a 50% water change. He perked back up but I usually wait a few days before feeding him again after such an occurrence.
He didn't want it...
Ok, so a week later, 20% water change. Remember, this is hundreds of gallons.
Well, he did eat part of a hard boiled egg about 2 weeks ago. Spit back up a lot. He is loosing weight too.
Water is at 79° F as usual and there has been no spikes in the parameters that I can detect.
Yesterday I did a 80% water change.
He is lethargic, swims around very slowly and refuses to eat even shrimp. Filters are all clean, aeration of the water is normal.
But he is loosing weight...
This has me VERY concerned because I expected another 10 plus years out of my buddy!
Oh! I did forget to mention... about 3 months ago, Bad Cat did finally kill and eat the black shark. It was around 18 inches long. He digested about half before regurgitating that.
Photos from yesterday's water change. I have always been able to "pet" him and feed him by hand, but being a Catfish, he is not like a koi who will roll in my hands. I could nearly pick him up yesterday.
Photos are not loading, must be my connection. Something to add. His color is excellent. Fins, whiskers... all look great. Zero signs physically of distress or issues besides for being lethargic and loosing weight.
But I cleaned the tank, did a 50% water change. He perked back up but I usually wait a few days before feeding him again after such an occurrence.
He didn't want it...
Ok, so a week later, 20% water change. Remember, this is hundreds of gallons.
Well, he did eat part of a hard boiled egg about 2 weeks ago. Spit back up a lot. He is loosing weight too.
Water is at 79° F as usual and there has been no spikes in the parameters that I can detect.
Yesterday I did a 80% water change.
He is lethargic, swims around very slowly and refuses to eat even shrimp. Filters are all clean, aeration of the water is normal.
But he is loosing weight...
This has me VERY concerned because I expected another 10 plus years out of my buddy!
Oh! I did forget to mention... about 3 months ago, Bad Cat did finally kill and eat the black shark. It was around 18 inches long. He digested about half before regurgitating that.
Photos from yesterday's water change. I have always been able to "pet" him and feed him by hand, but being a Catfish, he is not like a koi who will roll in my hands. I could nearly pick him up yesterday.
Photos are not loading, must be my connection. Something to add. His color is excellent. Fins, whiskers... all look great. Zero signs physically of distress or issues besides for being lethargic and loosing weight.
Amazing thread, can't figure how I have never found it before. I hope that this blip in your RTC's appetite passes without incident. I always get nervous when regurgitation becomes a pattern like that. Blockage of some sort?
Awesome read i really like Bad Cat. But i only have 1 question how did you get a Asian Aro in MT
Long story.... the short of it is, I knew a guy... used to be able to get all kinds of "unusual " stuff... then people started getting in trouble and I have since cut all ties. I kinda wished I picked up a sting ray while I could have....
