Ompok Siluroides

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

Just got two at 2.5 inches on Tuesday and they're an awesome fish. I have a quick question about the one he's always a darker color then the other and hides at the top of the tank behind my heater. The other slightly larger is usually on the bottom a lighter color and usually swims around a lot. Normally when I wake up the darker one is a light color and will swim around until he gets up to his spot. Now is he just sleeping during the day or is something wrong he seems fine but just is darker?

[Silurus]

It seems to me that one (light color) is establishing dominance over the the other (dark color). You might want to provide more hiding spaces, or if possible, move them to a larger tank.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Silurus is most likely right, as usual , although mine 3 (only 2 are surviving) had never fought in their 125 gal the first year with me. The two survivors have been living it out in a 1500 gal outside pond - I only see their backs sometimes at night coming by with a flashlight. If you don't see any fighting or obvious fighting consequences, they should be fine.

Glad to see you made it here from MFK. It's different here, I guess, one way of putting it "It is an earnest and very mature, relatively speaking, forum". You'll like it. Welcome, Fatboy8!

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

Yeah they are only in a little 20 for the time being I'm waiting for them to get a tad bit bigger before I put them in my 55 which will be upgraded to a 100+ soon. Viktor I appreciate you showing me the site I figured id join since I love catfish. I will tell you this though I'll have an actual wels one day my friend. Hopefully next summer I'll be able to catch some when I go to Europe for a month.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Right... I've been waiting for that day too... for the last 40 years I am though getting a bit closer to being able to house a sub-adult/small adult of about 5'. They grow slowly which is both good (when you can't house an adult right away) and bad (when one lacks patience or their determination and excitement fizzles during a long wait).

Good luck in Europe. If you will, you can research how to bring some fish (wels) home - what's legal and what paperwork's needed and other logistics to make sure the fish survives.

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

I'll be living in my house in Ireland but I am planning on going to Germany for 5 days or so and I will hopefully be catching a few. In between looking around and being tourist I'm planning on going to hatcheries and fish stores to see if I cannot get something figured out to do business with them when I am ready. I know how big they grow in the wild but do you think theres a chance in captivity they may not grow to the 7ft monsters that they can? Also I agree with the growing slow part everyday when I check on my ompoks I just want them to strecth an inch infront of my eyes my patience with fish growth is always at a minimum.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

FB: In between looking around and being tourist I'm planning on going to hatcheries and fish stores to see if I cannot get something figured out to do business with them when I am ready.
VJ: do you plan to go into a fish trade business or you mean to buy from them just for your hobby needs?

FB: I know how big they grow in the wild but do you think theres a chance in captivity they may not grow to the 7ft monsters that they can?
VJ: I haven't a clue about the captivity. Besides, the idea of captivity for this kind of animal may vary... from a 10,000 gal pond to, perhaps, 10,000,000 gal pond. What I do know is that yes, 13'-15' champions are known but extremely rare and a vast majority of adults in the wild do not exceed 10'. So, I am planning for a 10'-er.

FB: Also I agree with the growing slow part everyday when I check on my ompoks I just want them to strecth an inch infront of my eyes my patience with fish growth is always at a minimum.
VJ: haha! As I said, my ompoks grew from 5" TL to the max size of about under a foot TL in a couple of years. But in my prior post, I was talking about the wels. A 2 year old wels would probably be only ~1.0'-1.5' TL.

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

For now I am planing on buying for my hobby needs. When I finish up college with my business degree I'd like to get into the fish trade business. Thats what I had figured with the growth. It sounds like if you give them the space thats what they will grow to. Now whenever I get my Wels I'll be trying so hard to get it to that 1ft mark then after that'll I wont be as impatient with it haha.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Lots of luck in your planned endeavors!

Now whenever I get my Wels I'll be trying so hard to get it to that 1ft mark then after that'll I wont be as impatient with it haha.

The personal history of any human being and the entire history of all the humankind demonstrates beyond any shadow of a doubt that no matter what earthly thing is given to a man, it's never enough. So, one'd be wise to start training in patience, moderation, and abstention as soon as they realize that they are a "bottomless pit". But, somehow, I am sure you know all of that and more...

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

Its the weridest thing Im a big carp fishermen so I can cast my bait out let it sit for like 6 hours and wont ever feel the need to reel it in or cast it again. I have so much patience with everything else but fish growing. The most ironic thing is I had two choices with the ompoks either 2.5" and 5" and for some reason I always go smaller. I think its because I enjoy growing them myself. I did the same thing back when I had yellow perch they were the same size but I wanted them to 6" real quickly. So in a sense its my own fault but who cares

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

I hear you, bro. We are on the same page and I am in a way alike.

...when I check on my ompoks I just want them to stretch an inch in front of my eyes my patience with fish growth is always at a minimum.

I think its because I enjoy growing them myself.

You appear to be caught between a rock and a hard place. But then, who isn't?

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

Bought around 40 little rosy minnows for my bass tank (only paid for 10 the person gave me extra) and I decided to keep the leftovers in the 20 with my cats. Checked on them to see if maybe the larger of the two got one yet or if the fish looked sick. Sure enough just came up an the smaller of the two looks like its about to explode. Wish I could of watched it but oh well. I couldn't be happier its a step in the right direction.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Nice. Yep, as I mentioned mine strongly favor live to any other foods. If guppies are available in my pond, they will ignore any and all dead foods... even if there aren't enough guppies and they could eat much more.

[fatboy8, posts: 12]

By chance you wouldn't happen to know their growth rate would you? Mine seem to be approaching the 3-3.5" mark after almost 2 weeks. So I'm assumin its a quick one. Yet again I've been feeding them at least once a day and as of the last week they'll eat as many minnows as they can fit a day.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

If you speak of an expected or objective growth rate, that I don't know. All I can tell you is that mine went from ~5" to ~10" SL in 2 years but this subjective growth rate is dependent on many variables among which the feeding rate and the diet play the biggest roles.

Sounds like you are getting an excellent growth. That's always a great sign the fish are doing fine.