Brachyplatystoma tigrinum

[rickylbc]

I was just wondering, how many can you put in a 120 gallon tank? Can you put more than 1 in a tank? Or would they kill each other?

[Silurus]

I was just wondering, how many can you put in a 120 gallon tank?

None. A tank that size is too small for one (unless you are prepared to rehome it as it grows).

[rickylbc]

Yes, I'm planning to put them in a bigger tank in the future. I have a chance to pick up some 2-3 inchers for a real good price, just wanted to know if I can have more than 1, thinking of getting 4. Also, what's the right temp and how many times do you feed it a week? I heard people saying 3 times a week and some say every 2 days.

[Chrysichthys]

It would have to be a really big tank; I doubt that it is practical at all. But for what it's worth they most likely would get along with each other all right.

[Richard B]

I think that if you had a number of them growing up together from a small size, they'd probably be fine.

The problem with these is that they approach 3 feet in length & have a rapid turn of speed which needs space to accomodate - adults need a footprint of (ideally) something like 12x6 feet to cater for their swimming & make them feel secure & not "caged-in". Brachyplatystoma are less aggressive to each other than a lot of other SA giant pims IME.

[arapaimag]

They do like a lot of swimming space and I concur with those who said it needs a large tank, but does anyone here think they actually get 3 feet long? Both this site, Ronaldo Barthem & Michael Goulding give a maximum size of 50cm (under 20"). I've kept them for 18 years and that is also my fishes max.

[MatsP]

In the Cat-eLog, B. tigrinum is also listed as 500mm (50cm, a shade under 20"). That's standard length, so not counting the actual tail-fin.

It is still a fish that require quite a large tank - if we go by the "minimum" requirement of 4L x 2L x 2L, we'd be looking at a 2m x 1m x 1m tank - that's 2000 liter, and in in US measures it would be 6'6" x 3'3" x 3'3" and a bit more than 500 us gal. You can probably get away with something a bit shallower, say 0.75m / 30" tall - but they are ambush predators, so they come rushing out of a hiding space when they detect a pray, so a larger swimming area would be better. And I doubt you can put a 2400kg/5500lbs [I'm guessing the tank and stand will be about 400KG/just under 1000lbs] of tank and water on a regular living room floor without worry.

--
Mats

[arapaimag]

People keeping large catfish seldom keep them in living rooms unless the fish are juveniles. Most people keep their large tanks (myself) or indoor ponds in their basements or lacking basements in fish rooms (Like Tom Herman African rift lake cichlids did) or fish houses (Rusty Wessel ). Others in suitable climates utilize outside ponds (lucky xxxxx).


To keep large tanks 250 gallons or more in a living room would likely require structural support of the floor below the fish tank.

[MatsP]

To keep large tanks 250 gallons or more in a living room would likely require structural support of the floor below the fish tank.

Indeed, exactly my point. These type of fish grow far larger than your average "living room" tank can cope with, and because of that, we need special built areas for the tanks.

--
Mats

[Kenneth Wong]

I don't think the Cat-eLog size is very accurate. I know the one I kept in the mid 90's shown here http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/im ... ge_id=2739 measured 28 inches TL when I got it. I also grew one out from 6inches to 24inches in about 5 years. They definitely need a large tank over 250 gallons.

[arapaimag]

Hi Kenneth,

Your fish get bigger than everyone else because you :

1. Live in Texas
2. You measure in American inches
3. You feed them zebra plecos

I checked your catfish log and there you have only kept the fish for 2 years. LOL
Sorry American years.

Great to know you are well and moving soon to Canada so you can keep breeding Zebra plecos before they take over all the waterways in the USA. You know how invasive they are.


check out
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientis...s_in_peril.php

[Kenneth Wong]

Hi Mike,

No, that information is based on when I added it to the " "My Cats" Registered Keepers" section. That feature was only added to Planetcatfish around that time. Prior to that it was not available. If you look at the oldest of my entries it was around that time. That fish in the picture I kept in the mid 90's. I only had it for about a year. When purchased it was at that size, I measured it when it was in the bag. It died when I went on vacation and the pH crashed. The other one I had that grew from 6inches to 24 inches is a different fish and I don't have a picture of it on PC. That fish along with the notatus died 3 years ago when the power went out for 2 days. Hope that explains the inconsistency. I currently still have one that is around 18 inches.

yeah zebras are still doing good.

[taksan]

Biggest "grown out" Tig I've ever seen was mine ...its 24"

I like 8' x 3' x 2.5" 's for adult tigs

And they do kill each other ....

[apistomaster]

I have seen them in videos being caught and it looked to me like many of them were a good 36 American inches TL.