Jenny Schwipps - 2010-09-05 Marvin, my 4 yr. old rtcat is my best buddy. He loves to be petted, comes to the top and blows kisses, and loves to have me feed him by hand. I am experiencing a problem though. One other time he showed this quite blue cast to the area behind the eyes and down to the midsection. He is also flared out when he breathes. I do 1/4 to 1/2 tank changes every 3 weeks, and monitor his temp. daily. He is definately under stress right now. Need help and advice. I am cleaning the tank tomorrow. He eats beef heart, and has done this since I got him as a very little baby. I don't know what I would do if I lost him. Question......as he is getting older, would his appetite change?
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jerry price - 2011-05-19 I have a question. I have a redtail catfish. If I don't feed him live food how big will he get in a 135 gallon tank.
Raymond - 2008-11-24 This might seem bad, is it ok to keep my red tailed catfish in a 55 gallon for the rest of his life??
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Stewart - 2010-12-14 Impossible, I have a 125 gallon and am already thinking of building an indoor pond for my 2 one just adopted last week RTC and 1 pleco.a 55 is like a cup of water to a redtail as they grow.Good Luck
Wei - 2011-01-17 Yes, his very short life.
Chances are, he will break your tank when he can't turn around in it or he will die of bad water quality. They are more powerful than they appear.
toby - 2008-08-07 You say "This fish gets really large, so plan on only keeping juveniles unless you have a large aquarium"... but I have to ask, what do you expect people to do with them once they're no longer juveniles/ too big for their aquariums?
Only keeping juveniles seems somewhat irresponsible and if people can't house the fish for life then they shouldn't keep them, this at least is the standard advice given by most authorities.
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Stewart - 2010-12-11 There are ways to house an adult red tail at home, an indoor pond is one.
motasm - 2010-11-04 Why man why! Casey died! Sadly looks like the filter wasn't working so that's how it happened and my mum told me she heard him that night today my dad buried him oh I loved him he was so so so so cute if someone could give me some extra info than maybe I'll be more happy thank you for looking at my comment and please please reply.
motasm - 2010-10-26 Hi I am back casey grew now his about 17cm well that's good I am about to put him in a new aquarium that's 400liters so if you want to take one of them feed them raw sheep meat and fish (not alive) so when they grow they will accept the other kinds of food and when they're juveniles (big juveniles) feed them once a day raw sheep meat and some times fish (not alive when they're still small red-tailed catfish) for more color for the tail.
FMF - 2008-12-29 I bought a 3 inch redtail catfish in march, he has grown extremely fast. We started off feeding him bloodworms, nightcrawlers, and live feeder goldfish.. He is currently in a 125 gallon tank and has officially outgrown it. The width of the tank is 19 inches and he has a tough time turning around in it. But we are fixing the problem and are currently building a indoor pond that is 6ft long, 5 feet wide and 4 feet deep. My math may be wrong but that is just under 1,000 gallons. In the pond there will also be his friends that are a Tiger Shovelnose that is 21 inches long, albino channel thats 12 inches, and the oscars that are all over 12inches... And when i fed him last night he ate a whole shad that was just under 12 inches long...
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cain - 2010-10-21 WOW! That sucker's got a mouth on him! Keep feeding him like that and he'll outgrow that pond as well! I just got my first 3-4 incher and he is such a beast!
motasm - 2010-08-30 Hi! I have one of these super cute fish and its a 10cm. I think its as long as that but it's a juvenile. I named it Casey cause it's a fresh name. I feed it raw sheep meat and I put the meat in at 1pm and at 5pm. It disapears and after it's fed you'll find a swelling at its belly. It's so cute and I love it, and it's nuctornal so is active in the evening and at night. I love it!
Liz Massey - 2009-01-12 I recently acquired a red tail catfish. I had a friend who didn't take very good care of him, so I am fostering him to a home as of the moment. He/she is already 12 in, I only have a 20 gallon tank. He/she has a great personality and would be great for a home pond or someone with a huge acquarium. FREE to a good home. contact Liz for more info 8179139307 ~Liz Massey~
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Chris - 2010-08-25 Hi Liz, I am very interested in the redtail and have more than enough space for him. Is he still available and is he in good health? You can call me @ 740-407-0939. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
jeremy calhoon - 2010-06-22 I just got a red tail it is 22 inches I am in the middle of building a 2500 gal tank so I think the red tail will be very happy any info you can send me would be great my e mail is jeremycalhoon@live.com please help me with info I just got him today.
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rob - 2010-07-21 Don't put plastic plants he will eat them don't put anything he can fit his mouth around he will eat it that includes fish if you want his tail to be red feed him frozen goldfish give him one big hiding place just one make sure the water's always clean feed him once every 2 days its a plenty big tank so no problems with that and just take good care and he should live a long time.
Kushan - 2010-05-18 I recently bought a Red Tail Catfish which is about 4.5 inches. It's tail does not have the deep red colour, so I think my one is a Female. It is now in a 4 feet tank with 3 Pacu, 2 Oscars and a Albino Giant Gourami. All of them are still young. But when I put it in to the tank it got attacked by the Pacu. But now itz ok. For the first 1.5 weeks it didn't eat anything.. But now it feeds on the meet & raw fish pieces I give! I just love this fish & I wanna have more of them. But can't afford as I don't have space to house them!
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rob - 2010-07-21 Well I'm pretty sure the tail has nothing to do with the sex and if you want its tail to be red feed it goldfish freezing the goldfish will get rid of any parasites hope this helps.
Big and beautiful, the Red-tailed Catfish is an enormous attraction!
Marvin, my 4 yr. old rtcat is my best buddy. He loves to be petted, comes to the top and blows kisses, and loves to have me feed him by hand. I am experiencing a problem though. One other time he showed this quite blue cast to the area behind the eyes and down to the midsection. He is also flared out when he breathes. I do 1/4 to 1/2 tank changes every 3 weeks, and monitor his temp. daily. He is definately under stress right now. Need help and advice. I am cleaning the tank tomorrow. He eats beef heart, and has done this since I got him as a very little baby. I don't know what I would do if I lost him. Question......as he is getting older, would his appetite change?
I have a question. I have a redtail catfish. If I don't feed him live food how big will he get in a 135 gallon tank.
This might seem bad, is it ok to keep my red tailed catfish in a 55 gallon for the rest of his life??
Impossible, I have a 125 gallon and am already thinking of building an indoor pond for my 2 one just adopted last week RTC and 1 pleco.a 55 is like a cup of water to a redtail as they grow.Good Luck
Yes, his very short life.
Chances are, he will break your tank when he can't turn around in it or he will die of bad water quality. They are more powerful than they appear.
You say "This fish gets really large, so plan on only keeping juveniles unless you have a large aquarium"... but I have to ask, what do you expect people to do with them once they're no longer juveniles/ too big for their aquariums?
Only keeping juveniles seems somewhat irresponsible and if people can't house the fish for life then they shouldn't keep them, this at least is the standard advice given by most authorities.
There are ways to house an adult red tail at home, an indoor pond is one.
Why man why! Casey died! Sadly looks like the filter wasn't working so that's how it happened and my mum told me she heard him that night today my dad buried him oh I loved him he was so so so so cute if someone could give me some extra info than maybe I'll be more happy thank you for looking at my comment and please please reply.
Hi I am back casey grew now his about 17cm well that's good I am about to put him in a new aquarium that's 400liters so if you want to take one of them feed them raw sheep meat and fish (not alive) so when they grow they will accept the other kinds of food and when they're juveniles (big juveniles) feed them once a day raw sheep meat and some times fish (not alive when they're still small red-tailed catfish) for more color for the tail.
I bought a 3 inch redtail catfish in march, he has grown extremely fast. We started off feeding him bloodworms, nightcrawlers, and live feeder goldfish.. He is currently in a 125 gallon tank and has officially outgrown it. The width of the tank is 19 inches and he has a tough time turning around in it. But we are fixing the problem and are currently building a indoor pond that is 6ft long, 5 feet wide and 4 feet deep. My math may be wrong but that is just under 1,000 gallons. In the pond there will also be his friends that are a Tiger Shovelnose that is 21 inches long, albino channel thats 12 inches, and the oscars that are all over 12inches... And when i fed him last night he ate a whole shad that was just under 12 inches long...
WOW! That sucker's got a mouth on him! Keep feeding him like that and he'll outgrow that pond as well! I just got my first 3-4 incher and he is such a beast!
Hi! I have one of these super cute fish and its a 10cm. I think its as long as that but it's a juvenile. I named it Casey cause it's a fresh name. I feed it raw sheep meat and I put the meat in at 1pm and at 5pm. It disapears and after it's fed you'll find a swelling at its belly. It's so cute and I love it, and it's nuctornal so is active in the evening and at night. I love it!
I recently acquired a red tail catfish. I had a friend who didn't take very good care of him, so I am fostering him to a home as of the moment. He/she is already 12 in, I only have a 20 gallon tank. He/she has a great personality and would be great for a home pond or someone with a huge acquarium. FREE to a good home. contact Liz for more info 8179139307
~Liz Massey~
Hi Liz, I am very interested in the redtail and have more than enough space for him. Is he still available and is he in good health? You can call me @ 740-407-0939. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
I just got a red tail it is 22 inches I am in the middle of building a 2500 gal tank so I think the red tail will be very happy any info you can send me would be great my e mail is jeremycalhoon@live.com please help me with info I just got him today.
Don't put plastic plants he will eat them don't put anything he can fit his mouth around he will eat it that includes fish if you want his tail to be red feed him frozen goldfish give him one big hiding place just one make sure the water's always clean feed him once every 2 days its a plenty big tank so no problems with that and just take good care and he should live a long time.
I recently bought a Red Tail Catfish which is about 4.5 inches. It's tail does not have the deep red colour, so I think my one is a Female. It is now in a 4 feet tank with 3 Pacu, 2 Oscars and a Albino Giant Gourami. All of them are still young. But when I put it in to the tank it got attacked by the Pacu. But now itz ok. For the first 1.5 weeks it didn't eat anything.. But now it feeds on the meet & raw fish pieces I give!
I just love this fish & I wanna have more of them. But can't afford as I don't have space to house them!
Well I'm pretty sure the tail has nothing to do with the sex and if you want its tail to be red feed it goldfish freezing the goldfish will get rid of any parasites hope this helps.