Pangasius sanitwongsei - Size/Time

AndrewJR · Post by **AndrewJR** » 10 Nov 2005, 20:19

Hi,

New, so im guessing first post will be in the wrong place, sorry if it is - and i did a search.

Just wondering how long it will take for my pangasius sanitwongsei to grow, it is in a 4ft - 130l tank at the minute and is just under 2inches long, none of the pictures on the site really match, but its a deep purple/silver striped colour.

Just wondering growth to time ratio, i.e. how long will it take to get to 6, 8, 12inches.. (i know they can get to feet)

But my local fish store are specilists and have already imformed me they will take it when it gets to big (they have large Plecos algae eaters etc... 2 - 4 ft etc..)

Any help?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 10 Nov 2005, 20:32

So, you're saying your shop has a heated pond capable of keeping a fish that grows to 2.5 meter (8 foot)? Wow - Fantastic...

Or are they just saying that they'll take it off you, not actually care for it, when it's outgrown whatever tank you've got?

I'm just curious what the shop will do to it?

I mean, it is just a question of time until it outgrows whatever glass-cage we could ever find for it, right? Anything that grows much more than a foot is a bit difficult to deal with in tanks...

This post probably belongs in the "Asian catfish" forum, but I can't move it...

--
Mats

AndrewJR · Post by **AndrewJR** » 10 Nov 2005, 20:46

Hi, sorry for wrong forum!

Err, nice reply!

Well, yes my local stockiests do have that.. they house sting rays, plecos which are approx between two and four foot.. they expertise in marine, tropical as well as pond. And the guys they were telling myself that they supply to speclists, why would they bother lying to me, they didnt sell it to me.

We bought it from a small local pet shop, not knowing much about it. Since found out it's gonna get huge, so we are know trying to educate ourselves in how big its going to get, how long its going to take.

The stockists is a 'Maidenhead Aquatics' - i have two close to me

I do agree with you though, that anything over a foot doesnt belong in a tank, when we bought we werent aware that it was going to get that big, so rather then taking it back, we have found it a better future..

Going to tell the local petshop that they get freaking huge, so they hopefully stop supplying them!

Anyway, straying away from the 'my stockists bigger then yours debate..'

Anyone help me!!

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Nov 2005, 21:20

A study has shown that fry grew from 1 cm to about 2.5 cm in 18 days. They probably do not sustain this rate throughout life, but hopefully it gives you an idea of the kind of growth rate it is capable of achieving.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 10 Nov 2005, 21:21

Ok, so I'm probably get into trouble for being negative, anti-big-catfish, etc, etc. And I don't mean this as an attack on you as a person, you've done nothing wrong (other than suffer from ignorance, which we all do sometimes).

But keeping stingrays, LARGE pleco's, etc, is much easier than keeping a large Pangasius, for two reasons:
1. No pleco grows larger than 3 feet, and I don't think freshwater stingrays are growing much larger than about 3 feet either [although I'm not SURE about that one].

2. Both plecos and rays are definitely "low swimming activity", which means that, if desperate, it's possible to get away with a smaller tank than for active swimmers.

A fish that can grow to 2.5m, and is a more active swimmer, will need something a lot bigger than what you need for large rays or plecos.

I somehow doubt a Maidenhead Aquatics branch has the facilities to care for it. I know for sure that some of the local branches around where I live don't. They have some big tanks/ponds, but nowhere near the 8 x 4 x 4 meter that you would want for a fish that grows to 2m +.

I know you're not at fault here, you just bought a cute little fish, but it should be made illegal to import fish that grow this big...

--
Mats

AndrewJR · Post by **AndrewJR** » 10 Nov 2005, 22:11

I agree that it should be banned to buy fish that grow to such a large length, the store said they sell them on to speclists, people who can cope with these size of fish.

Like i said earlier, i will be informing the small pet shop that it can get that big, as they had little knowledge on the fish, hopefully they will stop supplying them.

I'm just gonna do my best for the little fella, until the time comes when hes a big fella..

Cyan · Post by **Cyan** » 08 Jul 2006, 21:17

I currently have two P. sanitwongsei got them at about 2" in lenght not really knowing about them much myself either. I currenly have them in a 120 gallon 5' long and they have reached about 20-24" in one year. Just as a word of caution once the get to about the 12-15" mark they WILL start to eat ANY FISH that will fit in there mouth if it is a slow swimmer, even if the fish is longer then them. I am currently looking into a custom tank for the two to live in, I figure i bought them without knowing and thats my prob so i have to take the responsibillity to take care of em

Angelface23 · Post by **Angelface23** » 08 Jul 2006, 23:31

I really wish petstores would not sell fish that get that large. We have a lot of Pangasisus Sutchi (they go under other names as well) and so many people want them because they are tiny and cute...someone bought 5...and they are now all 24" long and it only took 2 years. I have a 4000 gallon pond...if only I lived in better climates they could live in that ;)

The Stig · Post by **The Stig** » 10 Jul 2006, 21:30

Maidenhead are a very well established company which would'nt lie about having the right accomodation for the fish. They might have big stores but they are excellent and are as good as any local shop.

Carl