Lighting For Birchir And Rtc

[k17sty]

I have a Birchir and Red tailed cat (yesh i know how big etc etc) Just wondering both are kinda shy in the light so would it be advisable to get lower lights for the tanks to reduce stress or should i just grin and bear it till they get used to it? Was also thinking of having two lights one duller then changing over to the brighter one to make the increse in light more gradual?

Whats the opinions?

 

[pieman]

Them being shy can have something to do with the size of your tank, how big is it and how big are the fish?

 

[cane76]

increasing it gradually might work i would love too see some pics of your red tail they are lovely fish

 

[T1KARMANN]

you only need to worrie about lighting for the RTC as when it eats the birtch thats all that will be in the tank

just out of interest what size is the tank

 

[andywg]

Subdued light is all that is necessary for those species. It should also stop you having to watch the RTC munch the bichir.

I must admit, I too am curious of the size of your tank, and of your plans for the 1000 gallon tank you will need for the RTC.

 

[cane76]

another big fish in a small tank me thinks

 

[k17sty]

Who said anything about them being in the same tank??

Currently the birchir is around 5" and the cat is 3" if your lucky. Id be interested to see him fit the birchir in. . .

why does everyone always assume the rest and go off topic, all i asked was about lighting?

Cane - will get pics up soon, he was in with another cat at the LFS so he is a bit battered at the moment. He is starting to look less tatty now tho.

 

[andywg]

People assume they are in too small a tank because the vast majority are.

The simple fact is that most people do not have the means to house a 12 foot by 6 foot tank that the RTC needs as a bare minimum (assuming it stops growing at the 3 foot mark, though many go straight past this).

And if they were in the same tank then the bichir would soon be overtaken by the RTC. Those things have an amazing growth rate and will try and fit anything into their mouth just to see if it can.

Out of interest you have put "yesh i know how big etc etc" but what plans do you have for housing this beast once it is bigger?

 

[k17sty]

I have spoken to loads of people from scotland who have RTCs they are all under the opinion that a 12ft isnt needed. Again its a case of everyone has different opinions on whats right or wrong. I know someone who has a 2ft cat in a 5ft tank he has a landing area build in which the cat comes outon to get petted and fed. He is more like a pit bull than a fish tho. Even the one at Deep Sea World isnt kept in a 12 ft tank and he is well over the 3ft mark.

He is currently tiny at the moment and has just started eating again. We have only had him for about 2 weeks now. He was pretty bashed and stressed due to his bigger Red friend. He had lost some colour but hes looking much better now.

I guess as with anyfish im going to have to judge what happens with him as and when i get there. Im not going to keep him in a tank thats far too small or would in anyway harm his health and wellbeing. As for space . . if i needed to i have a large area with around 13 horse stables that i could build in if needs be.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

you know, one effective way to keep people from assuming that your tanks are probably too small is to say "i have a birchir in an XX gallon and a RTC in a XX (with plans for a XX). they're both kind of shy; what can i do to fix this?"

just a suggestion

 

[T1KARMANN]

well most people underestimate the growth of a RTC thats the problem if hes only 3inch now he will be 12inch + buy xmas so if you do have the space to home him properly then i would start to build it now as a tank/pond takes ages to sort out and cycle

you still havent said what size tank the RTC is kept in is their a reason for this dont be shy i could do with a lol

 

[k17sty]

There is no reason no, it just wasnt part of the subject but seeing as we have strayed he is in a 4ft tank currently.

How you can tell the growth rate of a fish is beyond me everyone is different

 

[diademhill]

There is no reason no, it just wasnt part of the subject but seeing as we have strayed he is in a 4ft tank currently.

How you can tell the growth rate of a fish is beyond me everyone is different

True - but you can work out the potential growth expectation. If these are not achieved there is something wrong with either the fish or the husbandry/housing. IME it is rarely the fish.
4 foot should be ok for this summer. How big is the next tank?

Just because a public aquarium has a RTC doesn't mean they house it appropriately. Most likely it was donated & got stuck wherever they could fit it in.

 

[CFC]

How you can tell the growth rate of a fish is beyond me everyone is different

Like virtually all the big catfish species RTC are documented to have growth rates of between 1 and 2 inches a month for the first couple of years and then growth slows down with the fish taking a few more years to reach average adult size, in this case between 3 and 4 feet long and 40-50 lbs in weight though the fish never actually stop growing and can live in excess of 20 years.
To say a 4 foot long large bodied fish which is migratory by its wild nature does not need a 12 foot tank is ridiculous, even working on the basic tank to fish size formula of 4Lx2Lx2L (four times the length of the fish long, two times the length of the fish wide and two times the length of the fish tall) you need a bare minimum of a 12x6x6 tank just for the fish to be able to swim and turn around in the tank comfortably, and thats on the provision that the fish doesnt exceed 3 feet in length. Having seen an adult RTC of over 5 feet in length continually cruising the entire area of a indoor pond of multiple thousands of gallons (visit the Aquatc Experince at Syon park to see how RTC should be kept http/www.aquatic-experience.org/about.htm ) i personally believe that no normal hobbiest has the ability to keep one of these fish as they should be.

 

[cane76]

i remember seeing some horrible pics on here of a rtc which had outgrown its tank and was bent in half unable to even move if you can honestly house this fish properly good luck to you