anyone ever kept north american blue catfish?

wayneminot · Post by **wayneminot** » 19 Feb 2003, 23:50

I just caught one this morning while fishing and I just realized how pretty they are. Only problem is they get so stinkin big. Anyone ever kept them?

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 20 Feb 2003, 00:04

They really get way too big to be considered for the home aquarium, although a very few did appear in the UK before shipments from the US became heavily regulated.

BIGblue · Post by **BIGblue** » 20 Feb 2003, 00:10

As juveniles they are very nice fish. As they mature they start to get darker and a lot more vicious. You will need a huge tank to keep these guys happy (couple hundred gallons).
They are sold in the US in almost every single LFS. This worries me because I know most people don't have big enough tanks, and they also don't know what they are buying.

wayneminot · Post by **wayneminot** » 20 Feb 2003, 00:18

I've never seen one in a lfs. What I have seen tons of in lfs's is the channel cats.

BIGblue · Post by **BIGblue** » 20 Feb 2003, 00:50

oops. I thought he was talking about channel cats. Sorry, I miss read.

Post by **Silurus** » 20 Feb 2003, 01:25

Only problem is they get so stinkin big

Yeah, especially when you consider that they grow to larger sizes than channel cats.
A pity, really. Was it large enough for the grill?

wayneminot · Post by **wayneminot** » 20 Feb 2003, 03:22

hehe yeah it was about 18" and weighed in around 3lbs it was a fat one.

STINGRAY · Post by **STINGRAY** » 20 Feb 2003, 19:17

While on holiday in Menphis, some of the restraunts had catfish on the menu, would this be the same cat?

Post by **Silurus** » 20 Feb 2003, 19:21

More likely to be channel cats. They are farm-raised after all.