Catfish Bonanza

necrocanis

Catfish God
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2005
6,639
493
146
42
montana
Pictures say a thousand words, but as a quick update the big boy is healthy as ever and is eating tons, and growing tons. The rtc is growing out of control and eating way more than the big boy ever thought about eating. Found out today that my jurense only has one eye, but that doesn't stop him from finding his food, and he's now around the 10" mark. I have two imperial sharks, and two irridescent sharks growing like weeds. I have two SA bumblebee catfish that have grown from 1.5" to 3" in just 3 months. My smallest lima has grown from 1.5" to 5". He was free so it's all good. My neighbor has a rtc which might go into my tank if we can't get his tank built quick enough, but I want him to keep it for life. The jau is crazy huge at 12" now, and the Fila is 10" also. My MRTC and Smallest tsn were both moved to my pond. My only concern is they will not eat because of the huge rtc eating everything. Lumpy has been outgrown by bumpy, and Dumpy now lives with them and the rtc. So it's lumpy, bumpy, and dumpy all living together now.

Now for the dilema. I need to get the rtc out of the tank with all the mid sized cats. He has way outgrown them even though I got him way after them. He is approaching 25" if not already there, and is thick as all get out. He ate a half of a bag of shrimp and everyone else got the other half last night. I fear for my tsns while I am at work. My problem is the only other tank he can go in is the one with the bigboy. Looks as if the big boy couldn't eat him because his width, but I'm affraid he'll kill him like he did the planiceps. Here's what I am going to try, and let me know what you think. I remove the big boy to a small tub for 2 days, the mean while I put the rtc into the pond and let him establish a territory. Once the rtc is comfortable reintroduce the bigboy, and see what happens. My thing here is to stress the bigboy so that he doesn't want to kill the rtc at first sight, second thought is to rearrange his tank while he's gone so that he doesn't have a territory at first. Hopefully this will work, and it's my only option at this point as the wife has delayed my big tank building.

Enjoy the pics

IMG_5400.JPG

IMG_5408.JPG

IMG_5416.JPG

IMG_5429.JPG

IMG_5431.JPG

IMG_5433.JPG

IMG_5437.JPG

IMG_5440.JPG

IMG_5442.JPG

IMG_5444.JPG

IMG_5447.JPG

IMG_5448.JPG

IMG_5450.JPG

IMG_5462.JPG

IMG_5465.JPG

IMG_5472.JPG

IMG_5476.JPG
 

ZOO YORK 207

Polypterus
MFK Member
May 14, 2006
5,182
14
92
32
Frederick, MD
WOOOOOOOOOOOW Cliff, amazing collection you got there! You need some Paroon Sharks now :). That Jau is looking sweet, how big is he? You're the only crazy catfish freak on MFK.. :uhoh: haha. Someone is selling a 26" Leucistic TSN. Only a low low price of $900. My Paroon might be shipped to you man, he's about 11" right now. I am trying to keep him on the small side :). I am in awe over you're RTC x TSN I remember that thing was 26" when I joined. Amazing man, you never cease to amaze me Cliff, you catfish freak. :D
 

fishlover88

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 14, 2006
1,234
2
36
Aurora, CO
necro- i like your plan. Works for cichlids and other territorial fish. I have done it in a couple of my tanks with territorial cats before. So i think that it will work. I only hope you dont stress out the big boy too much.
 

necrocanis

Catfish God
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2005
6,639
493
146
42
montana
ZOO YORK 207;1920364; said:
WOOOOOOOOOOOW Cliff, amazing collection you got there! You need some Paroon Sharks now :). That Jau is looking sweet, how big is he? You're the only crazy catfish freak on MFK.. :uhoh: haha. Someone is selling a 26" Leucistic TSN. Only a low low price of $900. My Paroon might be shipped to you man, he's about 11" right now. I am trying to keep him on the small side :). I am in awe over you're RTC x TSN I remember that thing was 26" when I joined. Amazing man, you never cease to amaze me Cliff, you catfish freak. :D
Jau is 12", I can only imagine if I still had the other one how big it would be.
It's crazy how big the big boy is. That TSN has been for sale for over two years now if it's the one I think it is. They listed it first when it was 10" at $1500. I'd gladely take the paroon for you. I want one, but it's hella hard to get one unless it's shipped in. I got the imperials, and ID sharks cause they are common and they accidentally got the imperials.

fishlover88;1920375; said:
necro- i like your plan. Works for cichlids and other territorial fish. I have done it in a couple of my tanks with territorial cats before. So i think that it will work. I only hope you dont stress out the big boy too much.

I'm going to try it no matter what, just if he is aggressive I will move the rtc back to his tank, and go to plan "B". Plan "B" is to buy a 900 gal cattle trough. I don't like that plan because I will have to use the rest of the garage for building the big tank, and space will be very limited.
 

TLkmDN

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jul 11, 2007
3,070
163
96
35
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia/Perth, Australia
OMG ure RTC IS HUGGEEE NOW!!! almost didnt recognise...i think he/she shud be fine with big boy. RTCs r pretty hardy and can push back!
 

necrocanis

Catfish God
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2005
6,639
493
146
42
montana
ZOO YORK 207;1920525; said:
No man, Robkob has one for sale in the MFK buy and sell. I will probably ship you the paroon when he gets too big :).
I'll have to check it out. I try to stay away from there when I don't have any extra cash lol. Sounds great with the paroon.

TLkmDN;1920555; said:
OMG ure RTC IS HUGGEEE NOW!!! almost didnt recognise...i think he/she shud be fine with big boy. RTCs r pretty hardy and can push back!
I think so too, just don't want a repeat of what happened last year with my planiceps the big boy was 32" and the planiceps was 26". He ripped it's tail off and it died. The planiceps was a very agressive fish, but was no match for the big boy. I'll take pics and keep you guys updated. This should go down today and tomorrow.
 

necrocanis

Catfish God
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2005
6,639
493
146
42
montana
So an update on the rtc situation. My rtc is a little battered after being put into the pond with the bigboy. I removed the big boy, and weighed him. He weighed in at 38 lbs. I put him in a 50 gal rubbermaid feed tub for 8 hours to stress him. I then moved the rtc to his pond. After the rtc was settled in I moved everything around in the pond, and after the 8 hours I put the big boy back in. They were fine for the first day and I thought maybe they liked each other, but yesterday in the afternoon I brought the rtc out in the open for inspection and his fins are all tore up, but on the plus side it seems he won the battle of wits for the hiding place rights, and now has an established territory in the tank. Also seems that the rtc is not as stressed as the bigboy. Bigboy wouldn't eat anything, and the rtc ate a few shrimp last night so I am optimistic about the situation. Not like it would hurt the bigboy to go without eating for a while anyway. RTC might get a chance to catch up a little.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store