# tank sharing redtail catfish vs oscar ?



## Dazt8 (Apr 10, 2009)

hi new to this site.anyway i have 2x 120 gallon tanks.1st tank has 3 inch redtail catfish .2nd tank 3 oscar two 5inch albino and 1 4 inch red oscar.can i put the oscars in same tank as catfish at this size r will they kill him can wait for catfish to get bigger just not sure if any body can help lets know thank you Daz. :fish:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Hi Daz. Welcome to the C-F!

With proper growth your RTC should be eating the oscars in about 18 months.

But at 3" he will be a target.

At 6" he will be looking at the oscars as food. RTC's have been known to eat fish their own size.

Here's picture of one of mine after eating a 13" oscar.


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## Dazt8 (Apr 10, 2009)

i think best keep apart so....... thanks for reply and nice catfish in pic


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

Wow!


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## Cook.MN (Mar 11, 2008)

Holy ****!


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## b show (Apr 7, 2009)

Nice cats. I alway wanted one but never had a tank big enough. Never new they,d eat a 13" oscar. Did you watch him eat it or was it just gone?


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## BlackShark11k (Feb 16, 2007)

Beware, that RTC will be bigger than you in a few years...


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

At five foot they can eat a small child. They grow too large for any home aquaria... Unless you live in Canada and have a 52,000 gallon aquarium. He's the only person I know who can keep RTC's.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

What about that gent in florida with the 15000 gallon?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Don't know him. But I know a few with ponds in FLa that have big cats....


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Has a 30'x10'x6.5' inside the house ... figured twice the width equation I use would work. :lol:


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## Dazt8 (Apr 10, 2009)

i am going to start building a 3650 liter pond in my shed out my back garden as i am in ireland we do get cold winters the question i have is is there a heater to heat this pond r do i use 3r4 tank heaters as i have 4 300 watt heaters i know the rtc will out grow this pound but i think i will get a few years with him. with a bit of luck.the pond will be 8.5 ft long 4ft wde and 4 ft deep.if any body can help me with info to do this the best way possible pease let me know.when i bought this fish i knew they grew big but i did not relize how fast the do it. i got this fish at 1 inch 4 months ago and already he is 4 to 5 inchs long.i wound like to keep him for as long as possibe.i have read alot about this fish and i think it is a crime that pet stores can sell them.but now i have him i want to try and keep him 4 as long as possible. so if u can help me do what is best 4 this rtc do let me know.as i plan to start the pond soon ...i have talked to my local pet store about this but they seem not to care just try and sell me over priced pond filters.but they have offered to take him back for free. no store credit r anything.so i will not deal with them again.so thank u for reading this any help r ideas let me know.thanks


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You can post in the DIY section  They will be glad to help over there... If you'd like for me to do it for you I could move this post over there and start a new thread for you


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## Dazt8 (Apr 10, 2009)

i have put it in tank set up i will now try move it to diy thanks what do u think fishguy on what i can do to hold on to this fish for as long as i can


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## sawboy (Sep 18, 2006)

RTC's have two kinds of tankmates. The ones they "Can't" eat yet, and the ones they "Haven't" eaten yet. I have also had one, and at 12", I watched him eat my 7" red devil. I was amazed and mad all at the same time. Like fishguy said, they will outgrow everything except a massive pond. Mine wound up in an indoor pond in a very affluent Chciago suburb. Last I heard (about 7 years ago) he was about 37" long and a solid 15" across the head. He was living the dream...........


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Big cats need big space, super clean water and an owner willing to give it to them. my suggestion is a 2000 gallon round stock tank. Build the filtration so it forms a circular current. They will be happier than pigs in poo


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## Dazt8 (Apr 10, 2009)

cool fishguy will let u know how i get on and when pond done i will post a few pictures


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