My Megladoras uranoscopus! (irwini)

[MeglaAlex]

New guy showing off his only 2 catfish for now.... later this week I will be getting an niger catfish and then next Friday 3 hassar catfish and 3 giant brochis hognosed catfish.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome to the Planet! I am currently growing out 6 of these. They are cute but very inactive as long as there is light. Mine "cat-pile" all day in the corner, competing to be the ones on the bottom of the pile. One has to patiently wait til they get bigger and hence much more confident and a bit more active during the day.

[MeglaAlex]

Welcome to the Planet! I am currently growing out 6 of these. They are cute but very inactive as long as there is light. Mine "cat-pile" all day in the corner, competing to be the ones on the bottom of the pile. One has to patiently wait til they get bigger and hence much more confident and a bit more active during the day.

LOL! I think that's cute.... I am debating getting a 3rd irwini!

[rob rensen]

How big is you're tank ?....megaladoras needs hiding places

[MeglaAlex]

How big is you're tank ?....megaladoras needs hiding places

My tank is a 75 gallon. I will be moving them when they get bigger to a 125 gallon.
Yes, there are some caves in there for them to hide. I will be adding some driftwood once I get the other armored catfish. This week gets a niger catfish, and a striphed rapheal, next week gets 3 hassar catfish and 3 brochis m. hognosed.

[Scleropages]

By "Niger catfish", I assume you are referring to

Oxydoras niger

. This type of fish will quickly outgrow a 125gal tank. Even your

Megalodoras uranoscopus

will eventually get too big for that tank. I would highly recommend that you get a bigger tank soon or that you think about getting different fish.

[MeglaAlex]

By "Niger catfish", I assume you are referring to

Oxydoras niger

. This type of fish will quickly outgrow a 125gal tank. Even your

Megalodoras uranoscopus

will eventually get too big for that tank. I would highly recommend that you get a bigger tank soon or that you think about getting different fish.

Hi There.
Yes, the niger cat I was refering to is the oxydoras. He will just be temporary as I want to experince growing one out, and getting to see them act in an aquaria than in the wild. It will be wild from peru, and then when he hits about 12-16'' he will be going to a friend of mine's pet shops 300 and something gallons.
Megladoras can do well in the 125 for a bit, and they too will be going in the 300 once I feel they get too big.
The Hassars and Brochis I can keep for life. !

[Viktor Jarikov]

Is your LFS owner-friend's plan (or current thought) to resell them?

[MeglaAlex]

Is your LFS owner-friend's plan (or current thought) to resell them?

No he keeps them for display, tank now has only a few lima shovelnose cats and redhooks and a giant silver arowana. It's a 300 gallon.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am afraid this plan does not hold water

[MeglaAlex]

I am afraid this plan does not hold water

Why you say that for?

[Bas Pels]

Because the Oxydoras will reach a meter of length - that is more than 3 feet

As these fish have a are rather inflexible body, the tank ought to be large enough so they can at least turn around. That is, the tank from front to back needs to be 6 feet, and from left to right 12 feet

We are talking about a tank of more than 4000 liters of water, which will imply more than 1000 US gallons

[coelacanth]

We have an O. niger in 1000+ gallons (proper ones at that), I sometimes worry that it looks cramped. 300 gallons is no way big enough.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am afraid this plan does not hold water

Why you say that for?

Alex, my friend, we are just trying to help each other the best we can. I was very hesitant about my previous post because few forum things are as bad as an unwelcome and not-asked-for "helpful" information. In the end, I decided to offer a word of caution, perhaps against my better judgment. Please, feel free to disregard altogether (on my account) or use the info as you will.

[Acanthicus]

Hi,

why do you want to keep three Brochis? Those fish build up schools, same as the Hassar.
Better get six of only one species.

In my eyes both tanks shown here are not the right for Megalodoras, there arent many hiding places in either of them. If there would be some wood in it for example, the fsh would feel much safer and they would not hang out in the corner the whole day.

I made the experience, that sand is very important for fish with long whiskers, because of the bacteria which are on the bottomglass. They might get harmed their whiskers because of this.

[MeglaAlex]

Hi,

why do you want to keep three Brochis? Those fish build up schools, same as the Hassar.
Better get six of only one species.

In my eyes both tanks shown here are not the right for Megalodoras, there arent many hiding places in either of them. If there would be some wood in it for example, the fsh would feel much safer and they would not hang out in the corner the whole day.

I made the experience, that sand is very important for fish with long whiskers, because of the bacteria which are on the bottomglass. They might get harmed their whiskers because of this.

Hi There.
I will NOT only be keeping three hassar and three brochis. I will get three to start with and build up.
My tank has 4 caves, and they hide in them. I will be adding driftwood when the other cats come.
I apperciate your concern, and I understand. I am starting with 3 and then when I get paid by 2 more. So 4 or so of each is what I'm eyeing.
So my cats will be covered with hiding spots.
As for the niger, once he gets big he will be in a 300 gallon, and then if someone can prove to the owner that he has a tank above 300 gallons, he gets sold. There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

[Scleropages]

As for the niger, once he gets big he will be in a 300 gallon, and then if someone can prove to the owner that he has a tank above 300 gallons, he gets sold. There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

I'm sorry to say that this just does not seem like a responsible plan for this fish. Why not look into something that, as an adult, will be fine in your 125gal tank?

[Viktor Jarikov]

In my eyes both tanks shown here are not the right for Megalodoras, there arent many hiding places in either of them. If there would be some wood in it for example, the fsh would feel much safer and they would not hang out in the corner the whole day.

You are right, Daniel. Thanks. As you see, there isn't even an external filter on the tank. We are doing the best we can on our end at the moment.

[MeglaAlex]

As for the niger, once he gets big he will be in a 300 gallon, and then if someone can prove to the owner that he has a tank above 300 gallons, he gets sold. There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

I'm sorry to say that this just does not seem like a responsible plan for this fish. Why not look into something that, as an adult, will be fine in your 125gal tank?

Ok. What-ever that's your o2.
The hassars and brochis cats and megs and rapheal are fine in the 125.

[MeglaAlex]

In my eyes both tanks shown here are not the right for Megalodoras, there arent many hiding places in either of them. If there would be some wood in it for example, the fsh would feel much safer and they would not hang out in the corner the whole day.

You are right, Daniel. Thanks. As you see, there isn't even an external filter on the tank. We are doing the best we can on our end at the moment.

Excuse me, I hope you aren't talking about me. Because I have 4 hob filters on my tank.

[coelacanth]

As for the niger, once he gets big he will be in a 300 gallon, and then if someone can prove to the owner that he has a tank above 300 gallons, he gets sold. There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

You'd be better off making sure that there is a definite demand for this fish once part-grown, from someone with a suitably-sized aquarium or tropical pond.

[rob rensen]

[Viktor Jarikov]

Excuse me, I hope you aren't talking about me. Because I have 4 hob filters on my tank.

Your hope is correct. Daniel spoke of both of our tanks. I am merely replying about mine.

[rob rensen]

To my opinion is buying young fish and knowing you can't keep them as an adult a wrong way of keeping fish. Thinking that someone else wants to buy/or have a grown niger is a strange way to legalise the buying of such big fish for yourself.

[Scleropages]

There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

Something else struck me as illogical about this statement. You live in Massachusetts, yes? Looking at the Cat-eLog,

Oxydoras niger

requires a temperature range of 21.0-24.0°C or 69.8-75.2°F. I am assuming that most of the people in your state who have 1000 gallon ponds have outdoor ponds. How many of those outdoor ponds are maintained in that temperature range year round?

I agree with Rob--you are trying to rationalize buying a living thing that you are not equipped to deal with. If you follow through, you will be committing animal abuse as defined by Massachusetts state law.

http://www.mspca.org/programs/cruelty-p ... -laws.html

[MeglaAlex]

To my opinion is buying young fish and knowing you can't keep them as an adult a wrong way of keeping fish. Thinking that someone else wants to buy/or have a grown niger is a strange way to legalise the buying of such big fish for yourself.

Well thats your o2. I have mine and I like to experince fish growing.
I can understand people not agreeing with that, but this thread is about Megladoras irwini. Let's not contiune about the niger till I get him, if I do.

[MeglaAlex]

There are a quite a few people in my state that have 1,000 gallon ponds so who knows.

Something else struck me as illogical about this statement. You live in Massachusetts, yes? Looking at the Cat-eLog,

Oxydoras niger

requires a temperature range of 21.0-24.0°C or 69.8-75.2°F. I am assuming that most of the people in your state who have 1000 gallon ponds have outdoor ponds. How many of those outdoor ponds are maintained in that temperature range year round?

I agree with Rob--you are trying to rationalize buying a living thing that you are not equipped to deal with. If you follow through, you will be committing animal abuse as defined by Massachusetts state law.

http://www.mspca.org/programs/cruelty-p ... -laws.html

You are wrong on certain levels bud!
First of all, the MSPCA has nothing to do with fish. It's dogs and cats and mammals. How would I know that? Dude I live here, and my cousin is a worker there. It's a sad truth, that they don't even bother fish.
I said a few people have ponds... now how does that infer outdoor? I know 2-3 people that have indoor ponds. And catfish can usually adjust to different temps.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am sad that I started it. On the up side, I'm thrilled we are having a relatively civilized, friendly discussion.

This is not completely off topic, as it pertains to care of large doradiids, but I think our (invasive) point has been made and Alex's too and it's time to let him exercise his freedom. Albeit I strongly agree with the warnings, it is not the end of the world when someone does not have a fully thought-through, solid plan.

It may not be a good practice, true, but it is even worse, far worse to cross that line where one starts trying to force some one else to do what they think is right, or even starts barking at somebody else and ordering them (not that the latter two have been happening here but it most usually escalates to that). That's perverting the very basis of our relationship wherein we are all independent fish-keeping hobbyists, equals in the sense of our freedoms.

I have killed most of the fish I ever owned by accidents, so who am I to speak anyway.

That's my two cent worth.

[Scleropages]

...the MSPCA has nothing to do with fish. It's dogs and cats and mammals... ...And catfish can usually adjust to different temps.

The link I provided indicated the MSPCA provides and enforces services for ANIMALS. You can check any biology text to see what is included under the heading: ANIMALS.

Catfish, like all fish, thrive in specific water parameters, one of which is a range of temperatures. Go outside that range, and you are not providing a healthy environment for the fish. This can be interpretted as abuse, hence why some of us are raising our concerns of you trying to keep the fish listed in the OP of this thread.

[MeglaAlex]

...the MSPCA has nothing to do with fish. It's dogs and cats and mammals... ...And catfish can usually adjust to different temps.

The link I provided indicated the MSPCA provides and enforces services for ANIMALS. You can check any biology text to see what is included under the heading: ANIMALS.

Catfish, like all fish, thrive in specific water parameters, one of which is a range of temperatures. Go outside that range, and you are not providing a healthy environment for the fish. This can be interpretted as abuse, hence why some of us are raising our concerns of you trying to keep the fish listed in the OP of this thread.

Ok. Whatever, like I wouldn't know what my MSPCA is and does considering I live in MA.
Yes, I know the catfish have certain temps, I wouldn't send a cat outside.