channels age.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 16 Sep 2003, 17:50

How long do channel catfish live for? I have had mine for 17 years and he/she has had numerious amounts of tanks since then. I ask not because i want to get rid of it as i have been quite attached since day one but because this type of information is hard to come by. I estimate about 30- 40 years.

Post by **Silurus** » 16 Sep 2003, 18:08

The maximum age recorded for channel catfish is 40 years.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 16 Sep 2003, 18:26

Thanks for confirming that silurus i'll start looking for a bigger tank now then.

Post by **Silurus** » 16 Sep 2003, 18:30

...or a pond. These things can get really big.

RogerMcAllen · Post by **RogerMcAllen** » 17 Sep 2003, 05:16

How big is yours after 17 years? Can you give an approx breakdown over time? Mine seemed to go from 4" to 6" in the few months I have had them.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 17 Sep 2003, 20:00

my channel now 17 years of age is still growing its now a little under 24" in length but the majority of growth was done in the first 5 or 6 years however i was feeding a lot more then and that probably had more to do with growth in my situation as the water quality has always been very good.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 17 Sep 2003, 20:41

Interesting point silurus about the pond i am at the moment trying to find a design that i like. The problem i have is that i live in the uk therefore i decided the pond will have to be heated in the winter months at least, so it would be best if it was in a greenhouse with the heating bills an all. however i do not like just looking down on my catfish and like the views glass tanks offer, so i have been trying to think of a way to create big glass windows (not the small ones often put in koi ponds life would be too easy just to put them in) i mean a brick built 12 by 12 by 4 with 2feet brick rendered and 2 feet box frame inlayed with glass however i have not yet got enough bottle to go ahead with this. anyone in the glass trade know what thickness i will need, how do you get a strong enough seal between the steel box frame and rendered concreate to support 1500gallons of water all above ground even though the pressure is only 2feet deep.

ps all af this would not just be for a channel cat, the list includes sailfin pim, graffe cat(ugly) and a african lung fish (v.ugly). however these fish are not the reason i want a tropical pond. unfortunitly in the uk we have an amazing amout of stubborn (idiotic) people that when you tell them thet cute little red tail they seen in the book quoting 24" won't be a cute little red tail for long they come out with the same old excuse "they only grow too the size of the tank", bollocks as i well know, but they go out find some shop who don't care what they sell and next year, the local zoo has a new pet. plus loads of other varietys of catfish that i dam well know are doomed soon as some one tells me what they own. dont get me wrong i'm not gonna be able to save many however once i have all the big cats i will invite the would-be owners round and chuck them in!

however if anyone has seen a similar idea done i would really like to know the details. i'm alrite on the pond side and filtration as i used to fit them.

channels age.

channels age.

growth of channel cats