Keeping Juruense catfish

[WOLF2013]

Seriously thinking about getting, keeping, and raising a juruense catfish. I have never kept one before. I had ordered one online before but he arrived dying on Arrival. He was small like 1 and a half inches. I know now I will need to get a good sized one (3-5'') and it looks like aquascape has some. Although sometimes their sizes aren't always accurate.
I have never had a brachyplatystoma species before. My dream cats to own are the juruense, tigirinus, and dorado. But each will get their own thread.
I understand that the juruense catfish can reach about 2'. Would 1 be happy in a 180 gallon for life?
How hardy are juruense catfish compared to other S. American catfish like vultures, rtc, tsn, lima, etc? Anything I need to know about them?
Tankmates.... it's tankmates will be a small shoal of redhook silver dollars (6), 2 bala sharks, a red spot severum, a vulture catfish, a lima shovelnose catfish, 3 ornate pictus, some Hassar cats, four lined pictus, giraffee cat, oxydoras niger, and megladoras irwini. Not all these will be permanant tankmates as I will be setting up another big tank in the future.
I'm really wanting one but am real intimidated in keeping one. I don't want it to die.
If you can post pics of your juruense catfish that would be great too!
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Fishman Dave]

In my view, a 180 is minimum and probably still too small especially with your list, but obviously half your list would not live in a 180 for life. They like plenty of flow but also quiet areas to rest, especially on flat rocks or bare areas. Would say less hardy than most on your list and less boistrous. Would not keep one with a vulture and think in that size tank you may even have issues with three ornate pim, four lined Pim and a juerense.
Bala shark in a 180 will also be hugely skittish and could freak out the rest, but sounds like you may already have them so will know.
That will be one he'll of a big tank in the future for a giraffe and oxydoras niger. Real eclectic mix with 5" hassars and 3 ft giraffes.
I have mine growing on in a bare 3ft tank with 6 off 2" koi as clean up crew with plenty of air bubbles as they like high oxygen content. Got him at 2" and maybe now 4" but taken maybe 3 month on bloodworm, mussel and sprat.

 

[WOLF2013]

I am thinking about getting one tomorrow. Anyone have any pics of theirs?

 

[plecoking2010]

 

[moe214]

I would advise getting the bigger tank before you take on another fish that will grow to big for the 180. I wouldn’t put a 2’ fish in a 2’ wide tank. I’d say you arm east want 30” width for it. It’s why I’ve not tried apurensis or a second wyckii.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

All my juruense stories and photos are in this thread: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/getting-my-jurs-off-live-guppies.514580/

Juruense for life in a 180 gal won't be good but I am sure you will have opportunities to upgrade (or rehome) in its lifetime, which should be at least around 20 years... which is a very long time...

IME juruense is highly predatory, anything that it will find fits in its mouth will be eaten.

Given proper care it should reach 1' in a year and 2' in a few years.

 

[Dovii kid]

I purchased my little guy from aquascape in January. I got mine around 3”. These guys are know to be difficult to get off live. Mine was no different, mine accepted cut tilapia within two weeks. He was very difficult to get off cut tilapia but I have finally broke him. He now smashes sinking cichlid gold pellets. I think what helped, surprisingly enough was he came down with ich. The only thing I could really do was increase the tank temp, as I didn’t want to add salt. I feel the increased temperature spiked his metabolism and caused him to eat more. After a few weeks of rolling the pellets over a tilapia fillet he eventually began eating those. This week he just now started taking them without rolling them on tilapia fillet. He is now in a larger grow out tank with a few rainbow cichlids and a wc Oscar. He is quite aggressive though, always chasing and biting the cichlids. Ifeel the fish needs more than a 180. My plan is at least an 8x 4’.

I highly recommend you grab one. One of my favorites no doubt!