Pond catfish wanted

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 03 Jun 2004, 23:30

Hello im in the process of constructing a 2,000 gallon + pond and i need a good large growing catfish. The tanks mates will be an arowana, 6 pacu, 3 oscars, lima shovelnose, 3 plecos, possibly a ghost knife, and 2 iridescent sharks. If you can see i am interested in a south american catfish. I was told that an rtc would eat many of my other tank mates. please help

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 04 Jun 2004, 03:39

any ideas people?

fishman33437 · Post by **fishman33437** » 04 Jun 2004, 03:54

Id go with the following: Learius spp. Callophysus macropterus or Pinirampus pirinampu.

RTC, TSN, Paulicea, planiceps will get too big. Juruense, tigrinus may have trouble getting food if you feed during the day. The big bagrids (wyckii, wyckoides) will kill stuff. You could also go with the non predatory big cats: M. irwini, Pterodoras granulosus, Auchenoglanis occidentalis, Pseudodoras niger?

Your lima and ghost knife (not a clown knife, right) will probably be the first to go if you did get an RTC, etc.

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 04 Jun 2004, 19:28

Well actually there has been a change of plans in stocking. Its going to have 3 oscars, lima shovelnose, 3 plecos, arowana, 3-5 peacock bass. What about a channel catfish?

fishman33437 · Post by **fishman33437** » 05 Jun 2004, 02:10

Channels would be fine. My father in Washington has them in a 10,000 pond with koi and they do well. Watch the Peacock bass and the oscars. When the bass want to breed they will hammer everything. (They are everywhere in S. FL. ...I live here....and they are breeding right now...all other fish run for cover when a cloud of peacocks are around the parents)

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 05 Jun 2004, 04:40

oh well if they lay eggs, i was thinking about just diving in and taking them out and putting them in a breeding tank.

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 07 Jun 2004, 04:49

why? is it okay to mix peacock bass with other fish?

Felix · Post by **Felix** » 27 Jun 2004, 03:53

Why not think about something native to Arizona?

brianfl · Post by **brianfl** » 28 Jun 2004, 02:49

Are you going to be able to keep the water warm enough in AZ in the winter for the tropicals? Or was this an indoor pond?

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 04 Jul 2004, 18:12

its outdoors. I have no troubles with heating during most of the year because its always hot here. But i have to figure something out for the winter and the early mornings.

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 04 Jul 2004, 18:14

Actually im thinking of just keeping the oscars and lima in the 120 gallon for life because i dont want to risk them and I have had them for a long time.

fishman33437 · Post by **fishman33437** » 06 Jul 2004, 02:47

Peacock bass are fine with other fish they cant eat. When they spawn, they get rather nasty. With their size, they take up a lot of territory when breeding.

velocity · Post by **velocity** » 06 Jul 2004, 04:52

will they kill pacu or larger catfish if they spawned?