Red-tailed catfish fractocephalus keeping in an aquarium, photo-video review

The red-tailed catfish (lat. Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) is named after the owl's bright orange caudal fin. A beautiful, but very large and predatory catfish. To maintain it, you need a very spacious aquarium, from 300 liters, and up to 2 tons for adults. Moreover, it grows very quickly and soon it will need a much larger aquarium. Catfish are not very active during the day; they need shelter where they will spend part of the day. Predator. Whatever he can swallow will be eaten, and maybe he can eat a lot.

Keeping in an aquarium

Red-tailed catfish are not picky. Any soil at the bottom is suitable: sand, gravel or small stones. You need to be careful with stones, fractocephalus can swallow them, and the uneven surface of the stone will damage the internal organs of the fish. Also needed for content:

An aquarium of at least 350 liters (as the aquarium grows, the aquarium must be increased).
Moderate lighting, catfish do not like light.
The water temperature should be from 21 to 26 degrees.
pH 5.5−7.2
Water hardness is 3−13 degrees.
Weak current.
High quality water filter.
Shelter.
Change the water daily or at least several times a week.

Fractocephalus red-tailed is very voracious; small fish cannot be kept in the same aquarium with it. Adult catfish are inactive and nocturnal; during the day they can lie motionless for several hours. During daylight hours, it hides in a shelter or buries itself in the ground. The decorations in the aquarium must be large, otherwise a predator will mistake them for food and swallow them.

Cichlids make great neighbors

The red-tailed aquarium catfish is peaceful, rarely shows aggression and easily gets along with fish of the same size. An aquarium for two fish should be at least twice as large. Suitable neighbors:

other types of catfish;
large cichlids.

Keeping several large fish at home is almost impossible. Most often, large predators can be found together in aquariums. It is better to keep one Fractocephalus in an aquarium at home. Two red-tails may not share territory in an aquarium and may injure each other.

Character and behavior

Red-tailed catfish are quite specific aquarium inhabitants with unusual habits:

They are nocturnal, and prefer to spend daylight hours buried in the ground or hiding in a shelter.
The character, despite the terrifying appearance, is quite calm and peaceful. Fish can be aggressive if someone decides to encroach on their territory. In this regard, it is not recommended to keep several adult individuals in one aquarium.
They recognize the owner. When it appears near the aquarium, they will swim up to the glass, begging for food. They can take food directly from your hands.
They make sounds similar to roars. A similar phenomenon occurs due to the expulsion of a mixture of air and water through closed gills.

Keeping in an aquarium

Soil - any
Lighting - moderate
Water temperature from 20 to 26 C
pH 5.5-7.2
Hardness 3-13 degrees
Current - moderate

The fish stays in the bottom layer; when it gets older, it can lie motionless for hours.

To put it bluntly, conditions can be spartan for redtail catfish. Moderate light, some driftwood and large stones serving as shelter.

But make sure that all this is well secured and will not move; catfish can knock over even heavy objects.

The soil can be anything, but they can swallow gravel and damage their delicate gills. Sand is a good choice, but don't expect to find it in the form you want, it will be constantly dug up.

The best choice is a layer of small, smooth stones. Or you can abandon the soil, which will make maintaining the aquarium much easier.

A strong external filter is a must, redtail catfish produce a lot of waste. It is better to keep all possible devices outside the aquarium; catfish easily destroy thermometers, sprayers, etc.

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Yellow catfish is an Amazonian catfish. Catching this fish is an extremely dangerous matter, since we are talking about a fight with an angry fifty-kilogram torpedo, consisting of steel muscles and sharp teeth. We offer our readers a stunning report from the British men's magazine Maxim correspondent Ian Belcher from the scene of the event.

HUNTERS WITHOUT FINGERS

- How many fingers do you have on your hands? Kate Lane asks, throwing an empty beer can onto the log cabin floor.

Ricky and Randy are also waiting for my answer with sarcastic smiles. Gerald and Indian Sherra. “Yeah, like ten...” I look around, noticing the presence of two carbines, a pump-action shotgun and several large knives stuck into the table. - Fine. - says Kate. “You'll come with us in the morning, boy, and if you're lucky, you'll keep most of them.”

The whole company laughs, and I notice something. what I didn’t have time to look at in the evening, when they dropped me in a jeep here, to one of the wild tributaries of the Amazon: Keith is missing a finger on each hand, Ricky is missing two fingers on his left hand, and Gerald, a gloomy 25-year-old bruiser, is missing right hand - prosthetic in a yellow glove.

A very unpleasant chill penetrates my collar. Lord, I’m not going to get into the water with these desperate poachers! I want to observe from the outside the hunt for the Amazonian catfish, which reaches two meters in length and weighs up to 100 kilograms, aggressive and unbridled, like a bull terrier in a pack of stray dogs.

THE YELLOW-SKINED BIGGER

The Amazonian catfish is not at all similar to its European counterpart. This is a ferocious and powerful fighter. In its huge mouth there are more than fifty long sharp teeth, with which it tears apart any prey in seconds. If you take him on a hook and engage in single combat with him in his native element, you will more than need luck!

And the locals catch this monster like this: they tie a very strong rope as thick as a little finger to a tree on the shore. Either a bird or a fish, or, best of all, a lump of entrails from a small animal is skewered on a palm-sized hook. Then the rope with bait is thrown to where. According to observations, this yellow-skinned robber is found.

You don’t have to doze for a long time - usually the predator attacks the bait within 5-10 minutes. The water swells and boils, splashes fly to the very sky, the poor tree shakes to the roots, absorbing the furious jerks and blows. Do not try to drag the catfish to the shore at these moments! Feeling opposition, he will immediately go into stones or snags, and then even a horse will not pull him out.

There is only one way out: as soon as the tree begins to tremble from the furious jerks of the river owner, you need to, holding the cable with your hands, climb into the water directly to the catfish, try to lift it to the seething surface of the water and. having entered into combat with a living torpedo, stab him with a long, sharp knife. At the same time, you need to manage to stay on your feet, prevent the catfish from attacking you and make sure that your finger or hand does not fall into its mouth. Otherwise, it's a lost cause! A large catfish bites off a man's hand as quickly and easily as sharks or a circular saw do.

Sensing weakness, the fish can grab a piece of meat from the leg, grab onto the side, entangle it in the cable and drag the unlucky hunter to the bottom, where he himself will become prey. That is why the “yellow devil” is usually caught by two or three people, wearing strong canvas overalls, high rubber boots and rawhide gloves. However, this attire does not always save...

The catfish is thrashing so wildly on the rope that you can’t shoot at it, otherwise you might hit your partner. And no one will buy a catfish head stuffed with shot - it is from this that the famous cahier soup is made in expensive Brazilian restaurants. which is served only to regular customers and for substantial money.

DEVIL HUNT

Will dissipate. Having rinsed my face from a canister of water, I listen to the hunters’ instructions: the catfish devours any creature that is not capable of devouring itself; He often fights with large water constrictors and usually wins, then he has enough food for several days. Large wild ducks are swallowed whole. If a catfish has chosen a hunting spot near an Indian village, then all the men go to war with it - the fish lie in wait for children bathing and women rinsing clothes.

Kate says that together with Sherra, they once dealt with a 70-kilogram aggressor, who cut off a finger on his left hand. Now he hunts with gloves made of small steel rings, but he still fears for his hands and fingers. A small catfish, weighing 40 kilograms, caught the other day, turned the blade of an aluminum oar, thrust into its mouth, into a washcloth in ten seconds. These conversations do not add courage in any way.

We are in place. Ricky, who's half my size and can't swim, prepares the gear while Kate and brave Amazon Sherra don their "damn leather" overalls and armpit-length boots. On the river, ten meters from us, characteristic splashes are heard - a catfish is hunting for small fish. “It’s not big,” Kate nods in his direction, putting on swimming goggles, “about 30-35 kilograms.”

A hook with bait - a duck singed on a fire - flies into the water on a ten-meter cable. I don’t have time to approach the edge of the shore when the huge bush to which the cable is tied begins to tremble in a frantic dance. - I took it! - Ricky exclaims. - May the will of the Lord be done! - mutters the big Kate, rushing into the muddy water and fiddling with the cable with her mittened hands. Sherra follows behind him, armed with a long cleaver. She looks like a pirate and fearless. - Go ahead, writer! - Ricky encourages me, and I, not having time to grab the shaking cable, plop into the water on my ass. - Get up quickly, otherwise the catfish will bite your head off! - Ricky cackles, throwing a cigarette butt at me.

ALL FINGERS ARE INTACT!

Kate is already shoulder-deep in water. With one hand he barely holds the cable, throwing it over his shoulder, and with the other he tries to feel the gaping mouth of the catfish in the seething water and grab the hook (now it’s clear how these daredevils lose their fingers and hands). This is the only way to bring the yellow devil to the surface and tickle his belly with a machete. Sherra, wet to the top, squeezes the cleaver in her right hand, and with her left she helps Keith absorb the frantic jerks of the cable.

Suddenly, Kate falls into the water, knocked down by her tail, and disappears head first. Sherra holds the rope with all her might, I jump to my feet and fall flat again - I stumbled on a slippery stone. I don’t see anything, I don’t hear anything, my mouth, nose and ears are full of water, the cable is lost, my back hurts, I spit, curse and grab the cable, damn it!

At least 20 seconds passed, and then Keith's bald head emerged from the water. He brings the head of a catfish with an agape mouth the size of a home safe to the surface and, sliding the soles of his boots over the pebbles, jerks the monster a quarter out of the water. - Sherra. Let's! - he yells, his voice breaking from terrible tension. Without hesitation, the girl, squeezing the blade with both hands, deftly thrusts it somewhere below the gaping mouth of the catfish and falls off her feet. knocked down by a powerful blow from her tail.

Kate towers over the battlefield like Hercules. With a roar, he drags the flailing yellow carcass through the bloody water, Sherra helps him, shaking a cleaver tied to her hand and shouting something excitedly. I move in reverse, picking up the slack cable. And already on land I fall for the third time. The fighters drag the still desperately kicking catfish with its torn belly to the shore. But as soon as he finds himself on the sand, he immediately wilts, like a car inner tube from which the air has been let out.

I lie flat on the shore and am very surprised that this time I came out of yet another scrape alive and unharmed. - Boy, you bring good luck! - rude Kate pats me on the shoulder. “That’s enough for today, girls.” As a reward, you can take a photo with the catfish. You can tell your drooling editors that you caught it yourself!.. By the way, I can recommend you to my friends. The guys catch anacondas for all sorts of nurseries and zoos. With your luck, perhaps you will remain in this world. So how? Deal?! - Why... You can. Fingers - here they are! - and I smile happily.

Alexander EVTEEV

Mysteries of the 20th Century No. 20 (May 2012)

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Red-tailed catfish: keeping in captivity

Since the fish is a very voracious predator, it cannot be placed in the same aquarium with smaller neighbors, because it will simply eat them. However, it is also not recommended to keep her alone.

Large cichlids, other species of catfish and any fish that will not fit into its mouth will be excellent neighbors for the red-tailed catfish. Moreover, the possibility of eating your neighbor's fractocephalus should in no case be underestimated.

Catfish are predominantly nocturnal, so the aquarium must have shelters for daytime activities. Lighting must be diffused; catfish do not like bright light.

Coarse gravel and sand are suitable as soil. It is noteworthy that catfish like to burrow into shallow soil.

There should be no small unstable objects in the aquarium: a fish can use them to break or split its home by wagging its tail unsuccessfully.

The water temperature should always be kept within 22-28°C, moderate current, hardness 3-13 degrees, pH 5.5-7.2.

In an aquarium where the red-tailed catfish lives, aeration, daily water changes (due to the abundance of waste) and good water filtration are necessary.

If we talk about the character of Fractocephalus, it is quite slow and leads a predominantly bottom life. The older the individual, the less mobile it becomes.

Features of filling the aquarium

The soil is of great importance. In principle, it can be anything, but either sand or smooth medium-sized stones are preferable. Small pebbles can be swallowed by fish.

Some experts practice aquariums for fractocephalus without soil. This makes the container easier to care for.

Like all catfish, the flathead leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle and digs like a bulldozer. For this reason, all decorative items - stones, driftwood, sculptures - must be securely fastened . Otherwise, they will be overturned, even if they are quite heavy.

It is better to select sandy soil or large pebbles with smooth edges for red-tailed catfish. You should not place stones with sharp edges in the aquarium, which could injure the fish.

Habitat

They originate in Southeast Asia. In the descriptions, the type of terrain is indicated as “Cambodia”, however, this species is widespread in the Mekong and Chao Phraya (Maenam Chao Phraya) river basins and, accordingly, is found in southern China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Inhabits main river channels, including regions with rapid currents. During the wet season, it swims to flooded coastal areas of tropical forests.

Brief information:

Aquarium volume - from 1000 liters.
Temperature - 19–29°C
pH value – 6.0–8.0
Water hardness - 1–21 dGH
Substrate type - any
Lighting - dim
Brackish water - no
Water movement – little or no movement
The size of the fish is up to 100 cm.
Food: live fish and crustaceans
Temperament - aggressive
Single content

Compatibility

At first glance, it seems that the phlegmatic catfish, constantly lying at the bottom, is not capable of offending anyone, but this impression is false. At any moment a sharp throw can be made and the unlucky fish will end up in the huge mouth of a predator. Therefore, keeping red-tailed catfish together with any species smaller in size is doomed to failure. Moreover, even large fish are not immune to being eaten by Orinoca catfish. Sometimes they grab prey that is only a third smaller than them.

Hence the conclusion: the ideal option for keeping red-tailed catfish would be a large aquarium with a single inhabitant.

Red-tailed catfish in a community aquarium

If the desire to keep catfish with other fish does not give you peace, then you should pay attention to the large aquarium inhabitants - arowana, astronotus, black pacu, pterygoplicht, pangasius. However, do not forget that each new large-sized resident will require a proportional increase in the volume of the aquarium

In spacious containers it is possible to keep several individuals of red-tailed catfish, but we must not forget about their pronounced territoriality, which often leads to bloody skirmishes.

Volume of water for change

An important aspect of care is the systematic renewal of water. It needs to be done weekly. To do this, it is necessary to defend a third of the volume of the aquarium. For example, if the minimum size of the aquarium is 200 liters, then for replacement you need 60-70 liters (or 6-7 ten-liter buckets). And, if the volume of the container for red-tailed catfish is 2000 liters, the amount of water increases accordingly by 10 times. To imagine this volume, you can take a medium-sized bathtub as a starting point.

The bathtub holds 150-180 liters. Thus, it turns out that for a one-time replacement of a two-hundred-liter aquarium with settled water, you will need 4-5 filled baths to the top.

Content Features

Raising redtail catfish in an aquarium is no easy task. Only experienced aquarists can cope with it, since for fractocephalus it will be necessary to create specific conditions:

The volume of the artificial reservoir is at least 7500 liters.
Parameters: temperature – from +21°С to +26°С, acidity – from 5.5 to 7.2, hardness – from 3 to 13.
The current is weak.
Filtration and aeration. Installation of a powerful filter and aerator is required, since catfish do not tolerate pollution.
Water changes are daily. But subject to careful hygiene, it is allowed to replace it 2 times during the week.
Decoration requires the presence of a large number of shelters: grottoes and snags, boulders.
Lighting is moderate. Catfish do not tolerate excessively bright and intense lighting.
The soil is sandy, fish love to bury themselves in the sand. It is not recommended to fill the bottom with gravel, as catfish can swallow small stones, which will damage their gills.
Plants - with a powerful root system and hard leaves.

Editorial: Tetraodon leopardis

Features of feeding

The red-tailed catfish is an absolute predator, and this is what should be taken into account when choosing a diet. Feeding rules:

Fish are prone to obesity. Feeding is carried out once a day for growing catfish. An adult can be fed only once a week.
Favorite food is insects. Catfish will happily feast on fruits that have been pre-cut into small pieces.
The diet should include live food. The ideal option would be: earthworms, mussels and shrimp, frogs, white fish (fillets).
It is also recommended to give industrial feed, which contains vitamins and minerals.
It is strictly forbidden to feed catfish with liver and fresh meat. These products will cause disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system, even death.

Compatibility

Although the redtail catfish will hesitate to swallow any small fish, it is quite peaceful and can be kept with fish of equal size. True, this requires an aquarium, which you can hardly keep at home.

Most often it is kept with large cichlids, or with other catfish, such as tiger pseudoplatistoma.

Please note that the capabilities of Fractocephalus are often underestimated, and they eat fish that they seem unable to swallow.

They guard the territory and can be aggressive towards relatives or catfish of other species, so it is not worth (and hardly possible) keeping several adult individuals.

Feeding Fractocephalus

As mentioned above, fish have a very good appetite. In fact, she eats everything that fits into her huge mouth: invertebrates, shrimp, mussels, insects, pieces of fruit. It is preferable to feed older individuals with white fish fillets. Catfish can be given beef liver and poultry, but this is still not recommended. Due to the unnatural nature of such a diet, these products cannot be properly absorbed, which, in turn, can lead to illness.

Young fish need to be fed once a day. More adults much less often, up to 1 time per week

A common problem for red-tailed catfish is overfeeding and obesity, so it is important to try not to overfeed the fish.

It should be noted that breeding such fish within an aquarium, although possible, is extremely problematic. Due to its enormous size, the aquarium must be truly gigantic. Abroad, Fractocephalus is usually kept in zoos and aquariums. In our latitudes, they can sell you red-tailed catfish under the guise of an ornamental one.

As a rule, fractocephalus is bred not for beauty, but for meat. These farms are mainly located in Colombia and Brazil. But there are exotic lovers who place such animals in their homes. If you still decide to get a red-tailed catfish, then be sure to comply with all of the above conditions for keeping it. I wish you success and good luck!

Content complexity

Although the description is intended to give you an idea of the contents, we strongly advise against keeping this fish unless you can afford a phenomenal sized aquarium.

The requirements for the aquarium described above are underestimated, and 2,000 liters is a more or less real figure. Abroad, catfish are kept in zoos...

Unfortunately, recently the red-tailed catfish has become more accessible and is often sold to unknowing people as a completely common species.

It quickly grows to gigantic sizes and aquarists do not know what to do with it. A common solution is natural bodies of water, and if it does not survive in our latitudes, it can become a problem for the United States.

Feeding

The redtail catfish is an omnivore. Moreover, he is phenomenally gluttonous. He will happily eat whatever is given to him in any quantity. To avoid obesity and related diseases, it is necessary to strictly follow the feeding schedule and not overfeed the catfish. You can feed it anything, fish love and willingly eat all types of live, dry or frozen food, but fresh meat is an especially healthy and favorite option. Young fish can be fed with shrimp, bloodworms, squid, and finely chopped white fish fillets. It is recommended to feed adult individuals with raw capelin (it can be cut into pieces directly with the bones), small live fish, chicken heart or liver (not often, as an exception or treat).

Try to diversify your fish's diet; they tend to get used to one type of food and subsequently refuse others. Fracocetals quickly remember feeding times and always swim up to the glass in anticipation of food. These catfish are easily tamed and with very little effort you can easily train your aquarium pet not to be afraid of hands.

Red-tailed catfish or fractocephalus (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) - review

Hello everyone! Today my review will be dedicated to our once aquarium resident, namely the Red-tailed Catfish...

We had an average aquarium of 200 liters. And once again, having decided to replenish its population with larger and more interesting fish, we went to the well-known Kondratievsky market. Our attention was attracted by a fish with a cute red tail, a white belly and kind eyes. We bought this catfish and three more tailed and good-natured ones (chain mail and two red ones). a bream barb sticking out of its mouth

a bream barb sticking out of its mouth

We brought these miracles home and put them in the aquarium. We looked at them for a week and were happy

Our catfish did not seem very active; it dug a hole in the ground and lay there. But then one evening... Having turned off all the lights in the room, only the TV was left as lighting.

And as soon as the light was turned on, the catfish, closing its mouth, swam behind a bush and lay down there quietly. After that, terrible and funny things began to happen in our aquarium))…

sturgeon sticking out of mouth)

A week later, one of the two gouramis (mustachioed ones) left. Once we bought small shrimp at the same market for testing, they left in one evening))

Somushka)

Taking into account the fact that we fed him often, he nevertheless outlined his feeding schedule to us completely differently. Every two days he ate one large fish and two small fish.

sturgeon

We didn’t even count the small fish anymore))

This story has a sad ending... while finishing the last barb, the catfish pierced its stomach with a spike located on its upper fin... and two days later the husband reported that the catfish had died... At that time, its length was 30 cm, width 10 cm.

In general, the fish is very interesting and beautiful. It is easy to care for, but the aquarium must be large. It is not picky about food, as it turned out.)) It grows quickly. We read that it can be tamed.

The price was 1,500 rubles.

Here is a review of the red-tailed catfish.

“Think for yourself, decide for yourself...to have or not to have.”)

Thank you

Conditions of detention

Naturally, such a large fish requires a colossal aquarium volume to maintain, from 800 liters for young animals, and about 6 tons for adults. You should not get this catfish if it is not possible to provide it with an impressive living space, otherwise the pet will suffer and will not live long.

Otherwise, the red-tailed catfish is not very demanding on living conditions.

See redtail catfish with other fish.

The soil can be anything (except for gravel - it can damage the catfish’s gills), but keep in mind that fracocetals are big fans of digging up soil for food or even for unclear purposes. You can completely abandon the soil, this will simplify the care and maintenance of cleanliness in the aquarium. Recommended water temperature is from 20 to 26 C. Lighting and current are moderate. You need to place several driftwood or large stones in the aquarium; they will serve as shelter. But it is necessary to carefully secure the shelters, because catfish can knock over even large objects.

Editorial: Erythrozonus

A prerequisite is a high-quality and powerful external filter that can cope with the large amount of organic waste that these catfish produce.

Feeding

Look at catfish feeding.

Sharing with other species

Due to its gluttony, the red-tailed catfish is categorically incompatible with fish that are inferior in size to it. They will be eaten sooner or later. But despite this fact, fracocetals are a fairly peaceful fish and can be freely kept with other non-aggressive fish of equal size. They get along well with large cichlids, astronotuses, and arowanas. But, based on the volume of the aquarium required for such large individuals, it is even difficult to imagine how it is possible to keep such fish together in an apartment. Therefore, for apartments and private houses, it is still advised to keep Fracocetal alone, or not to have it at all, if there is no possibility or scope for a large aquarium.

Redtail catfish are an ideal option for large public aquariums, or for true aquarium professionals, since maintaining and maintaining such a large aquarium is not an easy task. We remind you that the required minimum volume of an aquarium for a young specimen is 800 liters. Unfortunately, now the red-tailed catfish has become easily available for purchase at a regular pet store, and before purchasing you need to very carefully study all the nuances of keeping this large fish and have sufficient experience in aquarium keeping.

But if you still decide to buy this impressive beast, you will never regret your decision. This large, beautiful fish will happily greet you, swimming up to the front wall of the aquarium, over time you can even stroke it, and from greedily absorbing food you can create a whole spectacular show for household members and guests.

Is it worth keeping

Of course, the Redtail Catfish is a beautiful fish. But you should remember that it grows very quickly and needs space, and this is not so easy to do in a regular aquarium. Usually grown in aquariums, zoos and special reservoirs. It is permissible to relocate the Flathead to a pond or artificial reservoir, provided that all of the above points are strictly observed.

Abroad, Fractocephalus is bred on special farms and raised for meat. It is considered a delicacy.

This fish is often sold as an ornamental fish. But an ignorant person will soon be surprised at the rate of growth of the pet, and it will not be possible to provide suitable conditions. In Russian conditions, Pirarara will not survive in the wild.

Despite all the nuances of the content, Orinoco catfish are very popular among lovers of aquarium animals.

Feeding

Fractocephalus is a predatory catfish that prefers live food: fish, shellfish, insects. It is believed that it is extremely unpretentious to food. Having a large mouth, he can eat almost anything he can swallow.

With regular feeding, he will not constantly hunt his neighbors, but will be content only with the food given to him.

Red-tailed catfish are known to even eat mice and happily eat fillets of red and white fish. Despite its omnivorous nature, it is not recommended to feed it beef or chicken. The specificity of meat can cause rapid weight gain, obesity and problems with internal organs.

Small individuals should be fed once a day. It is advisable to provide food in the late evening, as the fish prefers a nocturnal lifestyle. Grown-up catfish can be fed less frequently: 2-3 times a week. And large individuals are fed no more than once a week.

Possible diseases

Red-tailed catfish are characterized by excellent, good health. The only thing he can get sick with is obesity, which develops as a result of poor nutrition and frequent feeding. This is a real problem for catfish, often leading to their death.

Due to poor nutrition, especially if the diet includes fresh meat or offal, dangerous digestive problems can occur. If the disease is not recognized in a timely manner, it will lead to dysfunction of all internal organs, and it will not be possible to save the catfish.

Is it worth getting a red-tailed catfish?

It is extremely rare to find this fish in home aquariums, since fractocephalus reaches enormous sizes and needs a reservoir of at least 7.5 tons of water, which is almost impossible to organize at home. Despite the fact that catfish will feel comfortable with neighbors of the same size, it is not possible to find similar fish, much less keep them.

Don’t be fooled by the “modest” size of young individuals. Fractocephalus grows very quickly. In just a few months they will grow to incredible sizes. Most often, red-tailed catfish are bred as a food product. Their meat is considered an exquisite delicacy.

The life cycle of catfish is about 20 years. If you still want to have such an unusual pet in an aquarium, you need to be prepared for great difficulties. A cramped aquarium and poor quality food are death for red-tailed catfish.

Breeding

No successful cases of breeding in aquariums have been described.

Catfish are interesting, beautiful and useful inhabitants of the home aquarium. Callichthid species establish their own order: they dig the ground, move buildings, helping the owner create a unique design. Chainmail - remove young growth of algae from the walls of the aquarium, plants, snags and buildings. The variety of colors and dissimilarity from other inhabitants have made them favorites of aquarists.

Breeding Redtail Catfish

It is almost impossible to breed a predator in captivity. At the moment there is no information on differences in sexual characteristics, and the breeding aquarium must be huge.

Redtail catfish are bred in captivity for their meat. There are no farms in Russia for breeding such fish. They are mainly located in Brazil.

Keeping any fish and animals at home requires certain knowledge and financial costs. You cannot be irresponsible about the aquarium and the living conditions of the fish. It is necessary to buy such a predator after studying the conditions of its keeping. If you follow all the recommendations, the catfish will live for many years. A cramped aquarium and poor nutrition are deadly.

Mr. Tail recommends: the difference between Pterygoplichts and Ancistrus and Plecostomus

Often, inexperienced aquarists, when purchasing brocade catfish for their aquarium, confuse them with very similar species: small Ancistrus and larger plecostomus. Indeed, the young of these species have many common features. First of all, they all belong to armored (chainmail) catfish, have a suction cup-shaped mouthparts, and lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. They have a similar shade of color, all their bodies are covered with spots. The general structure of these fish, which are similar in lifestyle, is actually similar.

Plecostomus is a more common genus of fish bred in aquariums. Often an aquarium with these wonderful catfish in their own way is passed off as a pond with birds, and this is not surprising.

The fish is widespread in the Amazon basin, which is where pterygoplichts live. The highest ecological flexibility has caused the emergence of a huge variety of subspecies of these catfish. They live in mountain streams high above sea level in the Andes, and in tropical swamps with stagnant water in the Amazon and Orinoco lowlands. At the same time, they are characterized by high numbers and fertility everywhere.

The size of fish in natural reservoirs is very impressive - up to 50 cm, which is close to the size of pteryk. In an aquarium they can grow up to 35 cm. The color of the fish is highly variable. Dark spots on a lighter background predominate.

Well, now about the main differences.

Fish, even very young ones, can be distinguished by the color of the sucker when they are on the glass. Plecostomus has pale thin antennae and gill covers that are faintly colored on the abdominal side. The bird, on the contrary, is equipped with thick colored antennae and spotted gill covers.
The leathery fold on the nostrils of Pterygoplichthus is noticeably more developed than that of Plecostomus, and rises above eye level. In the second catfish, the fold of the nostrils is always below the eye line.
Rows of spines on the sides of the body. Pterygoplicht has two of them, one goes along the side from eye level, the second starts from the pectoral fin. The spines are quite noticeable even in young fish due to their lighter color. Plecostomus has only one row of such outgrowths, running in a curved line from the pectoral fin.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with an ultrasound of a cat in Mitino, Yurlovo: abdominal cavity, during pregnancy, ultrasound of the uterus, ultrasound of the heart. Beginning aquarists often confuse the bird with another popular inhabitant of an artificial reservoir - the ancistrus catfish. The juveniles of these catfish are very similar

First of all, you should pay attention to the pattern of spots - the tail of the ancistrus seems to be separated from the body by a light stripe. And, of course, the head - in Ancistrus it is covered with growths of various shapes - “horns”, which never happens with pterygoplichts

Adult catfish cannot be confused, if only because of the differences in size: Ancistrus rarely grows more than 15 cm.

Sign	Ancistrus	Pterygoplichthus
Body	Flattened.	Triangular.
Mouth	Has horns.	Ends with a mustache.
Size(cm)	15.	50.
Fins	Soft, round.	Big, tough.
Color	Light peas on a dark background.	Densely spaced dark spots on a light background.
Spawning	Up to 6 times a year.	Not possible in an aquarium.
Life expectancy (years)	7-8.	10-15.

Feeding

Omnivorous by nature, it eats fish, invertebrates and fruits that have fallen into the water. In the aquarium it eats shrimp, mussels, earthworms and even mice.

What to feed is not a problem, the problem is to feed. Large catfish can be fed with fish fillets and white species.

Editorial: Shrimp crystal

Try to feed a variety of foods; catfish get used to one food and may refuse another. Aquarium fish are prone to overeating and obesity, especially on a protein-rich diet.

Juvenile red-tailed catfish need to be fed daily, but adults need to be fed less often; you can feed them even once a week.

Do not feed mammalian meat such as beef heart or chicken. Some substances included in meat are not absorbed by catfish and lead to obesity or disruption of internal organs.

Similarly, it is not profitable to feed live fish, livebearers or goldfish, for example. The risk of infecting the fish is not comparable to the benefit.

General information

The red-tailed catfish, or fractocephalus (lat. Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) is a large predatory fish that lives in the hot climate of South America and in the Amazon River Valley. In natural conditions it reaches truly enormous sizes, up to 1.8 meters. The weight of an adult reaches 80 kg.

There are cases when adult catfish dragged small mammals and birds that came to drink from the shore. There are also legends among local residents that such a monster, if desired, can drag away a child.

But let's not delve into folklore. In the modern world, despite its size, Fractocephalus is popular among aquarists. Of course, more often it is bought for buildings like aquariums, but not always.

It should be noted that in the confined space of an aquarium, the catfish grows to a smaller size than in its natural environment. But despite this, he still needs a very large container with a volume of 300 liters to 6 tons so that he can move freely.

Unfortunately, many sellers are not aware of the size of adult fish, and a catfish that has rapidly outgrown its home can cause a lot of problems for its unwarned owners. It becomes very difficult to place such an animal anywhere, and some owners have no choice but to release the fish into a nearby body of water, where the tropical inhabitant quickly dies from the cold. In warm climates, catfish can survive and become an invasive species. Similar cases have occurred in some southern states of America thanks to irresponsible aquarists.

Habitat in nature

The red-tailed catfish lives in South America. It is also known under the names: and also: Orinoco catfish, flathead, fractocephalus. The red-tailed catfish lives in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo river basins of South America, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Peru, Suriname, Bolivia and Brazil. It is found only in fresh water and inhabits larger rivers, streams and lakes. In local dialects it is called pirarara and cajaro.

It lives in South America in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo. Residents of Peru call the red-tailed catfish - pirarara. In nature it reaches 80 kg and a body length of up to 1.8 meters, but nevertheless it is a very popular aquarium fish. The red-tailed catfish grows very large even in small aquariums.

Due to its enormous size, this catfish is a coveted trophy for many professional fishermen. The current IGFA world record belongs to the Brazilian Gilberto Fernandez, who caught a catfish weighing 56 kg. Although it is claimed that locals do not eat it because of the black color of the meat.

Appearance

The red-tailed catfish has an elongated, powerful body. The head is large, flattened with a wide mouth and large eyes. The mouth opening is bordered by three pairs of long whiskers - one on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw.

All fins are well developed. The tail is single, there is a well-defined adipose fin.

Redtail catfish. Appearance

The coloring of the Orinoco catfish is quite attractive. The upper part of the body is dark, the lower part is white. Numerous black spots are scattered on the head. The caudal fin, colored bright orange or red, contrasts sharply with the body. The tip of the dorsal fin has the same color.

The maximum recorded body size is 135 cm. In small aquariums, the fish rarely grows more than 60 cm.

Description

Fractocephalus is dark gray above with scattered black spots. A huge mouth, the same width as the body, the lower part of it is white. There is a pair of mustaches on the upper lip, and two pairs on the lower lip.

A white stripe runs from the mouth along the body to the tail and on the side it is gray-white. The caudal fin and the tip of the dorsal fin are bright orange.

The eyes are located high on the head, which is typical for a predator.

Phractocephalus hemioliopterus can reach about 1.8 m in length and weigh about 80 kg. However, this happens extremely rarely, and most of them reach an average of 3.5–1.1–1.4 m in length. Naturally, in an aquarium the catfish is even smaller and its size greatly depends on the size of the aquarium.

The lifespan of the red-tailed catfish is up to 20 years.

Appearance, living conditions and care

The Orinoco catfish has a bright coloration: a contrast of black and white combined with shades of red in the fin part of the tail. As a rule, white is the abdominal part, and dark is the upper part. Moreover, the “color palette” of the catfish changes as it grows, becoming more saturated and bright. This makes it attractive to aquarists and, in natural habitats, to larger fish. It is most active at night, which is how its predatory nature manifests itself. As a rule, catfish lead a sedentary lifestyle. In open water, catfish feel most comfortable in deep places.

Those who still want to keep such a fish in their aquarium should take into account a number of nuances:

Breeding catfish in captivity requires large containers. Moreover, the Orinoco catfish grows quite quickly. The volume of the aquarium, suitable for a young individual, is completely unacceptable for an adult. The lighting should be dim. In terms of using design elements in the aquarium, it is not recommended to use small objects, and secure everything else well

You can try using plants for the above purposes, but also with caution. They should be protected from possible digging.

It is better to give preference to large-sized types. Such restrictions are related to the size of the catfish and its capabilities. The redtail has the power to move with such force that it can cause destruction. There are known cases of aquarium glass breaking, as well as catfish swallowing foreign objects. For soil, you can use large gravel. As for the temperature, it varies between 20 °C – 26 °C. Also, one of the living conditions for red-tailed catfish in captivity is clean water. For this purpose, water must be constantly filtered or replaced at least partially.

Aquarium fish. Description of aquarium fish species

Algaecides

Medications

Water preparation

Preparations for starting a biofilter

Water treatment systems and accessories for them

Tests

Plant care

Electronic systems for monitoring water parameters

Freshwater shellfish

Freshwater arthropods

Long-stemmed aquarium plants

Bush aquarium plants

Other aquarium plants

Atherinaeformes, splashers, argusaceae

Barbs, zebrafish, labeo

Goldfish, carps, loaches

Carp-toothed, viviparous

Labyrinths, snakeheads, proboscis snouts

Stingrays, lungfishes, armored

Catfish

Characins, piranhas, wedge-bellied

Cichlids of America, Asia and African rivers

Cichlids of lakes Malawi and Tanganyika

Anubias Aquariums

Aquariums

Aquatlantis aquariums

Ferplast aquariums

Juwel Aquariums

Red Sea Aquariums

Aquariums are different

Juwel Aquarium Sale

Cabinets

Compressors

Equipment for CO2

Ozonizers

Oxidizers

Accessories and spare parts

Soils and stones

Aquarium decorations

Artificial corals and stones

Natural corals and shells

Natural driftwood

Plastic plants

Relief backgrounds

Aquarium background

Silk plants

Otsadniki

Other tools and accessories

Nets

Siphons

Scrapers

Hoses and tubes

Vitamins

Frozen food

Dry and special food

Feeders

Animal Book Atlases

Atlases Mergus

Aqualog atlases and posters

Literature in Russian

Literature on terrarium

Periodicals

Denitrifiers and fillers

Calcium reactors and fillers

Food for marine fish and invertebrates

Medicines for marine fish

Literature on marine aquarium keeping

Marine chemistry

Sea stones

Foam separators

Pumps and devices for various purposes

Sea salt

Marine filters

Sea anemones (Actiniaria)

Gastropods (Gastropoda)

Hydroid polyps (Hydroidea)

Cephalopods (Cephalopoda)

Holothurians (Holothuroidea)

Bivalves (Bivalvia)

Discoactinia (Corallimorpharia)

Stony corals, madrepore corals (Scleractinia)

Zoanthus (Zoanthiniaria)

Jellyfish (Scyphozoa)

Horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura)

Sea urchins (Echinoidea)

Starfish (Asteroidea)

Sea lilies (Crinoidea)

Sea worms (Polychaeta)

Soft corals (Alcyonacea)

Brittle stars (Ophiuroidea)

Crustaceans (Crustacea)

Ceriantharia

Curlyfins, stickfins, wrasse, parrotfish

Falsechromis, grams, plesiops, apogons, horse mackerel, red mullet, platax

Pomacanthaceae (Angelfish)

Pomacentrics, amphiprionics

Scorpionfishes, flounderfishes, rockfishes, anglerfishes

blenny, tangerines, gobies

Catfishes, Berixiformes, Sticklebacks, Groupers, Anthias

Surgical

Cartilaginous, eel-like, euryhaline

Bristletoothed (Butterfly fish)

Lighting accessories

Fluorescent lamps T5 (diameter 16 mm)

Fluorescent lamps T8 (diameter 26 mm)

Metal halide lamps

Lamps are different

Starters

Lamps

Metal halide lamps

LED lamps

Timers

Accessories and spare parts

Pond aeration

Pond fish food

Pond heaters

Pond film

Fish and plants for the pond

Pond lights

Pond tests

UV sterilizers for ponds

Pond filters and pumps

Pond chemistry

Spare parts and accessories for thermoregulation

Heaters

Aquarium thermometers

Refrigerators

Accessories for terrariums

Feed and vitamins

Lighting and heating

Preparations for reptiles

Terrariums

Amphibians

Terrestrial invertebrates

Live food for terrarium animals

Snakes

Turtles (Testudines)

Aquatic turtles (Emydidae)

Lizards (Sauria)

Lizards are different

Lizards. Agamidae family

Lizards. Iguana family (Iguanidae)

Aquarium UV sterilizers

External filters EHEIM

Internal filters and pumps

Filtration parts and accessories

Filter fillers

Other external filters

Red-tailed catfish is one of the names of the fish of the Pimelodidae family, whose main habitat is the river expanses of South America. The article will talk specifically about this fish, which gets along well in large aquariums. You can also hear the following names for this fish:

Fractocephalus.
Orinoco catfish.
Pirarara.

The size of an adult individual exceeds the meter mark . Such specimens are especially common in natural conditions. Its appearance is quite common for representatives of this family: the elongated body is crowned with a flat head. Therefore, it is sometimes called flathead. Nature has awarded the red-tailed catfish with three pairs of whiskers. Two of which are located on the lower jaw area and the third on the upper. The mustache is usually of impressive length. And the lower pairs are slightly longer.

Life and reproduction in captivity

swims up to the call and lets you pet him

But breeding of red-tailed catfish in captivity is a very rare occurrence. Typically, representatives of this family are imported from Asian countries, which are their natural habitat.

The red-tailed fish will decorate any public aquarium, the so-called aquarium. This fish gives visitors the opportunity to admire its appearance and habits. They are calm about photography, but cannot stand bright light. Therefore, using a flash is not advisable. The catfish may get scared and freeze in one position. It may be that the quality of the pictures will not be very good, but with a large number of angles for shooting. But we should not forget that its breeding is a complex, problematic and very labor-intensive process.

The red-tailed catfish also has valuable meat, the very unusual taste of which will delight lovers of exotic dishes. In its native places it is even specially bred for direct consumption. Special farms do this.