How to save a red tailed catfish

[mandimoron]

So at the pet store the other day, I noticed this cool looking catfish type dude, swimming about in an itty bitty tank. I came home, looked it up, and discovered it's a red tailed catfish. I also balked at their eventual maximum size of approximately 120 cm. O_O

Now the fish in the store is probably already about half a foot long, and he's also being housed in a tiny tank that is probably no more than five gallons. I know that I can't do any better for the fish myself, but I feel bad for him. Is there any kind of humane course of action one can take in these cases...? Is there such a thing as a catfish rescue program? I want to help the poor guy, if possible, but I don't know how. >_<

[fishypoo2]

Did you ask the store employees if they know about the fish? Just because it's in a little tank doesn't mean it needs to be 'rescued' or the people in charge are idiots... By the way, buying any fish to 'rescue' it is worse than leaving the thing in the store.

Ryan

[mandimoron]

Did you ask the store employees if they know about the fish? Just because it's in a little tank doesn't mean it needs to be 'rescued' or the people in charge are idiots...

I've been to the store several times over the past couple months, and the same fish is in the same tiny tank every time I go in. I haven't asked the employees about it, but I never said the store owners were idiots. Chances are, they're just pressed for room, and, as a somewhat less popular kind of fish, the catfish got the crappy end of the deal. It's just a bad situation for the poor guy, and I feel badly for him.


By the way, buying any fish to 'rescue' it is worse than leaving the thing in the store.

Ryan

And yeah, I know, I don't have any intentions of taking it home with me if I can't do any better for him than what he's getting in the store. I do know, however, that there are such things as rescue operations for other oft misunderstood pets like ferrets, and Great Danes, and I guess that's what I'm asking about more than anything. I wouldn't dream of buying him to keep for myself-- I know he'd be miserable.

[Mudfrog]

The LFS also has to take into consideration that the RTC will eat anything it will fit in it's mouth. Seeing how it is 6" then that would probably be 80% of the fish at your typical LFS. They are probably trying to ensure the rest of the stock does not become a tasty treat.

[MonoSebaelover]

Most times, leaving it in the store is the best bet. If the fish doesn't sell, the store won't buy another, especially if they have had this one for awhile. The problem with buying a fish to "rescue" is the lfs sees it sold, made profit, so lets buy another! So IMO, best course of action is just leave it. They really need swimming pools and if most customers can't afford that then the store won't purchase another. JMHE (I used to work/manage a lfs and this happened time in and time out, especially with saltwater fish).

[FreddytheFish]

I don't think stores should keep red-tail cats. You need a pond to house those lunkers. At a PetSmart where I live, they had one a while ago, they said it grew to 4 inches, I was new to the hobby and almost bought it!

[Emg]

yeah, I saw a little bitty redtail cat in an lfs once....beautiful little fish, only about an inch and a half long. I made a comment to one of the employees about what a gorgeous little fish that was. She looked at me with this nervous sort of look as she told me what it was and said....well, they need a pretty big tank though. Lol.....after I went home and looked it up I could understand why she looked at me the way she did.....LOL !

[UncaBret]

But, wait, don't they just grow to fit the tank?

[ddayton21]

yeah but their grown will be stunted and they will die

[Mudfrog]

Actually everything I ever read about a redtail is that their growth will not get stunted from a smaller aquarium. From what I understand they are one of the few exceptions to that rule.

[Raskolnikov]

Small aquariums do not stunt fish growth; excess metabolic wastes and overcrowding do. Both are difficult to prevent in undersized aquaria, though, and thus perpetuate the perception that it is the small tank which is directly responsible.

[ChileRelleno]

120cm max?....... Bwhahahahahahahahah!
Try six feet long and up to two hundred pounds.
best thing to do with a Red Tail cat is release into the wild...
In its natural SA habitat!

Here's a adult Red Tail cat,
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dc30b3127cce90716d6e5b4e00000016108AbMm7VmzcNK

[ddayton21]

Small aquariums do not stunt fish growth; excess metabolic wastes and overcrowding do. Both are difficult to prevent in undersized aquaria, though, and thus perpetuate the perception that it is the small tank which is directly responsible.


would this mean that, given an adequate filtration system and a small number of fish, a red tailed catfish could be kept in lets say a 30G tank? This doesn't sound right to me but thats how I perceive your post.

[ChileRelleno]

Lets take it one better DDayton21,
Lets say a 100gal tank submerged in a South American river, water flowing thru it, no tankmates and appropriate diet.

End result a stunted and deformed fish as it tries to grow to its genetically predetermined adult size within the confines of its enclosure.

[ddayton21]

my thoughts exactly chile. I wish it were true that fish grew to the size of the tank with no problems... but thats like putting an infant in a 3' x 3' cube and expecting it to live a healthy life.