Catfish questions

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

Hi, all

So, I have two questions

1: can you keep a Ripsaw Catfish (Oxydoras Niger) and the Eel Catfish (Channallabes Apis) in the same aquarium? Can they peacefully co-exist together if enough space is provided?

2: this sounds crazy, but anyone know anything about caring for the Electric Catfish(Malapterurus)? Can they be potentially life-threatening? Any care advice in general? I'm a beginner so I probably won't get one anytime soon (If I ever get one at all, that is).

 

[myrmecophile]

Electric cats are fairly easy, I got hit by the one I had and it was not horrible but not to be recommended all the same.

 

[schmiggle]

It's probably better if you don't put both hands in the tank at the same time. But I don't think they produce a powerful enough current to kill a person.

 

[Dave Jay]

It seems to me that the two could coexist, the one with the biggest mouth is the smaller of the two, but catfish have surprisingly large mouths, and anything that fits will be eaten. When the Ripsaw is over 3' long, it's gonna have a big mouth though! Catfish that size should really not be in the hobby imo, rarely will people be equipped to deal with them as adults which leads to them being released, which is not good for anyone.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

It seems to me that the two could coexist, the one with the biggest mouth is the smaller of the two, but catfish have surprisingly large mouths, and anything that fits will be eaten. When the Ripsaw is over 3' long, it's gonna have a big mouth though! Catfish that size should really not be in the hobby imo, rarely will people be equipped to deal with them as adults which leads to them being released, which is not good for anyone.

Yeah, I agree. The last thing we need is colossal catfish overrunning our lakes, that'd be terrible.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

It's probably better if you don't put both hands in the tank at the same time. But I don't think they produce a powerful enough current to kill a person.

ok that's good. I had read something about them being able to knock over a person with a single zap, is that also untrue?

 

[schmiggle]

ok that's good. I had read something about them being able to knock over a person with a single zap, is that also untrue?

No, that's probably correct, though I wonder what they meant by "single zap." Torpedo rays can seriously shock a diver, and electric catfish produce a stronger current than that. Electric eels produce a much more powerful current, but I've seen a video of one killing a 10' alligator. You can get seriously shocked from a large electric catfish.

Speaking of which, do you have space for a 3' fish? That is the maximum size in the wild.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

No, that's probably correct, though I wonder what they meant by "single zap." Torpedo rays can seriously shock a diver, and electric catfish produce a stronger current than that. Electric eels produce a much more powerful current, but I've seen a video of one killing a 10' alligator. You can get seriously shocked from a large electric catfish.

Speaking of which, do you have space for a 3' fish? That is the maximum size in the wild.

Depending on the tank size, but my room is pretty ginormous anyways. What size aquarium do you need minimum for them? 100gal? 200gal? 300gal even?

 

[The Snark]

100gal? 200gal? 300gal even?

Going by the cat farms around here, 500 gallons would make them contented. More would be better. They are poop generators to the max. One 3 foot cat could keep a football field fertilized.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

Going by the cat farms around here, 500 gallons would make them contented. More would be better. They are poop generators to the max. One 3 foot cat could keep a football field fertilized.

ahahaha, that cracked me up my friend. Poop generators indeed. Any idea what the dimensions are of a 500gal. aquarium or where I can buy one?

 

[The Snark]

Make your own? I really can't help much here. Those things are eating machines and belligerent to the max. I itch at the thought of one packing a built in stun gun.

 

[schmiggle]

ahahaha, that cracked me up my friend. Poop generators indeed. Any idea what the dimensions are of a 500gal. aquarium or where I can buy one?

67 cubic feet, so say 8.5'x4'x2'. You can't buy one--you'll need to build custom.

 

[cold blood]

Catfish that size should really not be in the hobby imo

This may be my biggest pet peeve in the fish keeping hobby...so many species that are popular are simply put, impossible for the average person to house as adults....red tailed cats (many, if not most south American cats), arawona, peacock bass, pacu...and so on....just shouldn't be in the pet trade at all. JMO anyway

 

[schmiggle]

This may be my biggest pet peeve in the fish keeping hobby...so many species that are popular are simply put, impossible for the average person to house as adults....red tailed cats (many, if not most south American cats), arawona, peacock bass, pacu...and so on....just shouldn't be in the pet trade at all. JMO anyway

I nearly agree. I think you should be allowed to own a pacu, say--they aren't endangered, and some people have the space--but they should certainly be harder to get. They should be like many rare plants--most people can't grow one, most people can't get one, and those that can grow one can usually get one, because they have enough experience and connections by the point they're growing villosa to be able to grow a beautiful specimen.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

I nearly agree. I think you should be allowed to own a pacu, say--they aren't endangered, and some people have the space--but they should certainly be harder to get. They should be like many rare plants--most people can't grow one, most people can't get one, and those that can grow one can usually get one, because they have enough experience and connections by the point they're growing villosa to be able to grow a beautiful specimen.

If ya think that's bad, wait till you hear this-I saw an auction on EBay for an Electric Eel. I mean, people can buy whatever they want but.....ELECTRIC. EEL. Those things, i'm pretty sure, can kill a young or infirm person, or at least give them quite a shock.

 

[schmiggle]

If ya think that's bad, wait till you hear this-I saw an auction on EBay for an Electric Eel. I mean, people can buy whatever they want but.....ELECTRIC. EEL. Those things, i'm pretty sure, can kill a young or infirm person, or at least give them quite a shock.

I'm confident that an electric eel can kill a healthy adult. But I wonder if you could really get one on ebay, or if that was a scam.

 

[The Snark]

I'm confident that an electric eel can kill a healthy adult.

<10 volts at .5 uA applied at the wrong moment is enough to cause a fascicular block. Electric eels typically pack ~500 volts at ~.5 mA. So reaching your hand into the tank while the other hand is touching a grounded appliance can easily transmogrify you into cnidaria.

 

[schmiggle]

<10 volts at .5 uA applied at the wrong moment is enough to cause a fascicular block. Electric eels typically pack ~500 volts at ~.5 mA. So reaching your hand into the tank while the other hand is touching a grounded appliance can easily transmogrify you into cnidaria.

How are you estimating current for an electric eel?

I suspect that any large electric fish could kill you in this case. A middle sized electric catfish produces about 350V, and a large electric ray can produce ~200V. However, in most cases they probably wouldn't, since chances are you wouldn't be grounded when interacting with them. However, any kind of oversight and you could be killed. High voltages and currents are not to be messed with.

 

[The Snark]

How are you estimating current for an electric eel?

Just using electrical basics and not knowing their test rigs, it would be calculated by simple electron displacement in a given resistance medium. I've read it was on average around a half amp at 12 inches in averaged free ion norms of fresh water. An easy way to measure would be to use an standard electrolyte solution and measure voltage at varying distances from the animal. I=V/R.

However, any kind of oversight and you could be killed.

Or other. Like the day Dr. M defibrillated his dangly bit.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

I'm confident that an electric eel can kill a healthy adult. But I wonder if you could really get one on ebay, or if that was a scam.

Yeah, it might just be a scam. I dunno, it's impossible to tell unless you actually bidded and won. Of course that'd have risks-you'd have a 50% chance of getting nothing, or you'd just get a very dangerous, very angry eel in the mail you never wanted in the first place.