catfish or pleco?
- Thread starter StishFicks
- Start date
A channel cat will do fine in a 55 gal until they get to about 10"-12". They are fine around most fish as long as the other fish big enough not to fit in the channel cat's mouth. However they are shy fish who don't like light, so don't expect too much showcasing. When the channel outgrows the tank, you can release him into a pond or lake without regrets because they are native (I'm assuming you live in the USA). Plecos are the only non-natives I keep because I have yet to find an effective native algae eater.
"Go Native!" says the The Deerslayer
"Go Native!" says the The Deerslayer
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actually, in many states it is illegal to release fish that have been kept in an aquarium, even if you caught them yourself earlier. the chemicals used for pet fish specifically say 'not for use on food fish', which a channel cat could end up as if it was caught. also, if you keep any other fish with it, they bring in parasites and bacteria which do not belong in the wild. even if your domestic fish don't get sick, wild ones could be susceptible.
I can't speak for any other states, but in Texas it is illegal to release any fish into PUBLIC waters without a permit from Texas Parks & Wildlife (as it should be!). Private lakes & ponds are a different story. In the past I've always given my channel cats to an old lady I know that has a huge garden pond. I should have been more specific. Illegal release of NON-native aquarium fish is something that really gets my blood boiling!!! Regarding the chemicals, like Ii said I always gave to away to a garden pond, where I know they won't be eaten. However, I'd be more worried about the sewage and chemicals that are in most of the rivers and lakes that wild catfish live in than a little bit of aquarium dechlor. Regarding parasites and bacteria: if your tank is full of native fish, then they should have nothing but native parasites and bacteria. I've witnessed this firsthand. I had a friend who had a 75 gal with nothing but wild caught bullheads & sunfish. When he tried to add a petstore cichlid (a rescue from another friend whos 8 y/o kid thought it would be a good idea to smash the 20gal in the kitchen), the cichlid died of parasite infection in less than a week. It's as you were saying only backwards.
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