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Red Tail Catfish


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DD

I have only ever seen Red Tail Catfish for sale once before. That was about 6 months ago. The ones i saw were only small, say 10cm, and they were about $1,200 each. I think that you will have a hard time trying to find one that is 30-40cm for sale, but you never know.

Expect to pay big $$$ and make sure that you have a MASSIVE tank. (8x3x3 minumim).

Thanks

Arrafanatic

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Hi,

I have been offered RTC a couple times this year-think they are out of season now. They can be picked up off private dealers such as sooty occasionally -they are of course always very small. No problems to grow them to your desired size. You can definately get the for around $800 for one-sometimes less. Not from shops

James

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Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I found 2 about 30-45cm. $1000 ea. Problem is I don't know this person and he's in another state.

This way always runs a risk of run away seller. How well will RTC of that size ship?

Does the price cheaper when they're bigger or the opposite?

James, when u say very small, how small?

Thanks,

DD

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Hey DD

I would guess that the larger the fish gets, say anything bigger than say 18inches, the price will slowly go down. Because Red tails can reach 1m in captivity easily, the chances of someone being able to house a 1m fish in captivity is very small, so if potential sellers did want to offload the fish, then they would have to at a significantly lower price as to when they bought it... that is my guess anyways.

$1,000 is a fair price if the fish are that big. Transporting a fish of that size might be hard, but the good thing is that they are very hardy at this size.

You are right when you say that you are running a risk if you intend to buy something that you haven't seen first hand, let alone from someone that you don't even know. $1,000 isn't pocket change.

I would guess that very small means anything from 5-10cm. that's how big i have seen them for.

Anyways hope this helps, and if you do buy them, that you have a huge tank, or pond, cause if i was buying a fish like that, i would really like to keep them right through adulthood.

Hope this helps mate

Regards

Arrafanatic

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Arrafantic - Can you please explain to me how a fish that can easily reach 3' in length can be kept in a 8x3? seems a bit cruel to me. Maybe a larger tank should to advised to people considering keeping these fish? dntknw.gif

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dntknw.gif Out of season???

Geez, I just saw about 8 of these little 10cm fellas!! HERE in SYDNEY. woot.gif

There's even one little fella on offer on the QLD forum.

They're powerful fish... I'd be wary about shipping a 30-40cm RTC interstate. Bag multiple layers and pump full of O2.

Good luck with your monster fish. Hope u have a big spa you can relocate him into soon.

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Alex,

I would be glad to explain.

I stated that a tank of at least an 8x3x3 would be an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. At no stage did i say that it would be sufficient in being able to house a 3' fish comfortably. DD stated that he was asking about a fish that was approx 30-40cm long.. If he said 'i was wondering how much a 2ft fish would go for" then i would have said an 8x3x3 was too small....Also i thought about the size of the fish that DD said he could be acquiring. I think an 8x3x3 would be fine to house a fish that is 30-40cm long. Obviously, a larger tank/indoor pond would be needed to house this fish comfortably when it gets bigger, and for a fish to double in size, especially large carnivores that should endure periods of fasting, will take a a significant amount of time. By that stage, DD might have a larger tank/pond to move the fish into, or even have decided that this fish is best left to the public displays around the world in aquariums,but it seemed to me that if he even buys the fish, at 30-40cm, an 8x3x3 tank would house the fish comfortably.

You said that "maybe a larger tank should be advised to people considering keeping these fish"

What is larger? What conditions do you think are appropriate for keeping this fish?

Regards

Arrafanatic

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I was only stirring mate, no need to get too defensive.

I have kept RTC many times. I grew them all out in my 8x3. THis tank was noweher near large enough to keep them in for any extended period of time. All mine hit 3' within 2years, and were moved to a 8x6 fiberglass pond.

NOt the heigh that they need. A floor plan of atleast 8x5 is needed IMO/IME.

I'm actually on the hunt for some youngens again. hug.gif

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Hey guys,

Thanks for all info, esp. Arrafanatic.

I wasn't going to get any knowing it's max size.

My largest tank atm is 8x30x30 full of frontosas. I don't think I'm able to house RTC to it's adulthood. I read an article in Jan/Feb issue of TFH magazine about RTC. I think it mentioned minimum tank size somewhere 10x4x4.

Until I build a pond in a back yard I can forget about getting one.

Thanks again,

DD

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They arnt that rare IMO... They are in Queensland... Seen one of them in the fleash my whole life and im a Tank buster fan. you Sydney ppl get all the luck. What about Green Arowana are they very rare there??

Tim.

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where abouts in sydney {what shop}did you guys see the 10cm rtc`s.im not after one but i would love to see a small one ive only ever seen monsters.if you dont want ot post it here could you please pm me the details.

thanks jason

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well marine life aquariums at punchbowl are advertising a whole lot of exotics at the moment. in the trading post they declared they had pike cichlids, red tail cats, tsn's, datnoids and the like. kinda crazy to me to advertise you have that stuff as the only way they can get it is through illegal means. still each to their own I guess.

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where abouts in sydney {what shop}did you guys see the 10cm rtc`s.im not after one but i would love to see a small one ive only ever seen monsters.if you dont want ot post it here could you please pm me the details.

thanks jason

Bass hill aquarium have a 30cm size one

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  • 1 month later...

Hey guys, do u know what the minimum temperature the RTC will survive in?

has anyone try to heat their outdoor pond to keep it at a temperature high enough for tropical?

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  • 2 weeks later...

i just saw my first real RTC at canley vale today

trans aquarium it was abt 20 or so cms

so if u want to see check it out

atm they hav a aligator gar as well for 650

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very good price, compared to another aquarium down the road wanted $1200 for an rtc the same size. I dont think its an alligator gar that trans have there, probablly florida or spotted. Good size too. Keep an eye out for some rtgs too and other oddballs.

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no bichirs, lots of pink tailed Chalceus, one 20cm gar, and the RTC, ideal up the road has bichirs, and atlantis has silver arrowanas for $490. I guess you have to keep looking everyweek, these fish come and go very quickly.

nick!

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