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Silurus Merdionalis thread

surfermike915 said:
The one thing I am trying to avoid with this cat is the stunted growth after a certain length. My idea would be sticking him in a 180 and just continually put him in larger more oversized aquariums/ponds. Does anyone have any thoughts to add? I know most fish we get aren't ever going to reach their maximum potential, but maybe I can try and break through the stunted growth aspect. Will add additional photos later!
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I don’t believe it’s stunted growth, they just don’t get that big in general. People never take “time” into account with any large growing fish species either. Max sizes are most often reached after a good 10+ yrs. Thats the quick end of it also. “Record” sizes are attainted after a good 25+yrs for most any large growing fish. You can’t rush time 🤷🏻‍♂️… No tank size will make one of these guys grow any quicker IMO…the largest one ive seen here on the forum was wild caught and imported at its mere size of 28”. Rod n reel record is only 40” for this species. With any fish species the “average” size is much smaller than the few that become record breakers. IMO anyone would be hard pressed to grow one of these guys over 30” under the best conditions possible. Thats y they cost more than the euro wels did when legal. Smaller so more people can house them respectively. I grew one out in a 230g then 650g. Its still 22-24” at 5yrs old. Honestly going to move it back down to the 230. The 650 is a waste of a tank for just him. My systems are also automated drip so hes been under pretty ideal conditions in that time, housed alone also. Despite their small sizes they are absolute terrors to any tank mates… i tried once with 20” clown knives when the cat was 14-16”, it lasted about an hr. He latched onto them mid body and proceded to swim around 😂💀… “napoleon syndrome”…
 
wednesday13 said:
I don’t believe it’s stunted growth, they just don’t get that big in general. People never take “time” into account with any large growing fish species either. Max sizes are most often reached after a good 10+ yrs. Thats the quick end of it also. “Record” sizes are attainted after a good 25+yrs for most any large growing fish. You can’t rush time 🤷🏻‍♂️… No tank size will make one of these guys grow any quicker IMO…the largest one ive seen here on the forum was wild caught and imported at its mere size of 28”. Rod n reel record is only 40” for this species. With any fish species the “average” size is much smaller than the few that become record breakers. IMO anyone would be hard pressed to grow one of these guys over 30” under the best conditions possible. Thats y they cost more than the euro wels did when legal. Smaller so more people can house them respectively. I grew one out in a 230g then 650g. Its still 22-24” at 5yrs old. Honestly going to move it back down to the 230. The 650 is a waste of a tank for just him. My systems are also automated drip so hes been under pretty ideal conditions in that time, housed alone also. Despite their small sizes they are absolute terrors to any tank mates… i tried once with 20” clown knives when the cat was 14-16”, it lasted about an hr. He latched onto them mid body and proceded to swim around 😂💀… “napoleon syndrome”…
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Yeah I feel you. I understand what ur saying. Hopefully I can grow him to at least 18” with some nice girth. Even if I could have a European Wels, I’d still choose these guys. May just be bias.😂. And I can relate. I added 2 six inch clown knives to my grow out with my ray and 2 wallago micro. and they latched on and they were almost the same size as the knives, and the knives were grasping to live. They eventually died, one 3 weeks later after and the other about a week after. Back to the thread, my Chinese wels killed the other two when they were small. I also have heard one caught not on rod n’ reel was 59” gonna double check but I’d love to have seen that monster in a tank on here. Thanks for your experience. Like I said I hope I can grow him out to a nice size.
 
surfermike915 said:
Yeah I feel you. I understand what ur saying. Hopefully I can grow him to at least 18” with some nice girth. Even if I could have a European Wels, I’d still choose these guys. May just be bias.😂. And I can relate. I added 2 six inch clown knives to my grow out with my ray and 2 wallago micro. and they latched on and they were almost the same size as the knives, and the knives were grasping to live. They eventually died, one 3 weeks later after and the other about a week after. Back to the thread, my Chinese wels killed the other two when they were small. I also have heard one caught not on rod n’ reel was 59” gonna double check but I’d love to have seen that monster in a tank on here. Thanks for your experience. Like I said I hope I can grow him out to a nice size.
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I had both euro and these guys 😈🤘… had the same problem with multiple euros together. Always ended up with one. The euros are much “nicer” with other tankmates tho. Very docile compared to these little guys despite their larger size and appetite. Im bias the other way 😂… Euro wels was the largest fish ive ever grown at 52” in 7 yrs. It was much more personable and way more of a “wet pet” than the chinese…

18”+ is very achievable for u… should b that size in around 3 yrs. Mine just put in another “spurt” at 4-5yrs. They’ll def. hit 24-28”… Not sure how much past that and how long that may take. Most people don’t hold onto anything long enough too find out.
 
wednesday13 said:
I had both euro and these guys 😈🤘… had the same problem with multiple euros together. Always ended up with one. The euros are much “nicer” with other tankmates tho. Very docile compared to these little guys despite their larger size and appetite. Im bias the other way 😂… Euro wels was the largest fish ive ever grown at 52” in 7 yrs. It was much more personable and way more of a “wet pet” than the chinese…

18”+ is very achievable for u… should b that size in around 3 yrs. Mine just put in another “spurt” at 4-5yrs. They’ll def. hit 24-28”… Not sure how much past that and how long that may take. Most people don’t hold onto anything long enough too find out.
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Hopefully I can find out haha. And man oh man I wish we could still have European wels, so so so badly. Dream fish, as is the Nile perch. Of course with my luck both have to be banned. Off topic, but I remember when I was younger, in grade school, and had yet to spend more that $75 on a monster fish, that this place near me had some in 2017 for $125 but knew I couldn’t afford nor house one at that time. If only I could’ve bought it 😂probably for the better I didn’t though.
 
Sorry for the lack of updates. Life has been getting in the way and my mojo is off balance after losing my mahseer, motoro, and aimara all to very preventable circumstances. Kinda looking to reboost my confidence but gotta take a bit off after losing fish I cared about so much. Going to focus on keeping what I have now, not really adding on to stock or anything, been a rough week and a half fish keeping wise, as well as being sick.
 
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