Catfish with redtails are striking catfish from the genus phractocephalus family, known as phractocephalus hemioliopterus. It can mostly live in freshwater, streams, and rivers.
Their distinctive red fins, colossal size, and striking splashy white color on their sides made them attractive and popular in aquariums. The catfish with redtails is growing fast in the aquarium world.
They are the most popular and contentious aquarium animals. They are popularly known as “opportunist feeders” and have been around for 13.5 million years.
But then, there is more to find out;
How long do catfish with redtail live?
Based on recorded data, the catfish with redtail lives up to fifteen years in captivity. While in the wild, they live longer than this number of years.
But there are no studies that have proven their lifespan in the wild. The reason is that the wild is their comfort zone, where they eat natural food free of chemicals.
Moreover, the natural water they live in gives them a refreshing life, unlike what they get from aquariums. They are called “opportunistic feeders” because they eat when they can.
Aquarists may need to meet their needs. They also feed how they like, when required, and at their own pace. Sometimes the aquarium tank may be too stuffy for them to float the way it suits them.
It may be congested due to its size. But in the wild, they are accessible to over float. The type of food they are fed is another sensitive issue that may cause them to be short-lived.
The air they breathe in the river and the air in the tank may cause them unrest. In the wild, they use the whiskers on their heads to navigate the Amazon River’s murky depths and find food.
But in aquariums, they are restricted, which can reduce their life span. The species of fish placed with them in the same tank may be allergic to them.
They can also be found in rapids and flooded forests, but there is no such life in the aquarium tank. All these factors may annoy them and cause them to die in aquariums.
Where do catfish with redtail originally come from?
Redtail catfish originally come from South America, in the Rio Orinoco and the Amazon basins. These species of catfish can be found in a broad range of habitats, from rapids to flooded forests.
They stand still while spending most of their time on the river beds.
These habitats are very competitive and are also found in the ecosystems of Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana to Bolivia.
With over 3000 species of fish living in the Amazon waters, many are predators, such as Piranhas and Arapaima.
Each species depends on others to survive. Nonetheless, the catfish with redtail stays due to its adaptation characteristics.
How big does a catfish with redtail get?
According to a blood specimen, the catfish with redtail can grow up to 53.2 inches (134 cm) long. They can also weigh more than 4 kg. In aquariums, however, they can grow to be 3-4 feet long.
What fish can catfish with redtail live with?
Catfish with redtails can live with various fish, including umbees, pacu, stingrays, arowanas, adult plecostomus, peacock bass, and oscars.
But they must be giant fish, so the catfish with redtail will not press down with their big heads.
Other kinds of bottom dwellers that the catfish with redtails can live within the wild are guppies, corys, loaches, Danios, Gouramis, platies, swordtails, mollies, raspboras, and tetras.
In the aquarium, you must find out from research studies which fish can adapt to the same temperature as the redtail catfish.
Also, learn to separate the males and females of breeds that can reproduce on their own into a separate tank. A tank with different genders
The ones mating for reproduction may fill up the tanks with young ones, and these catfish with redtails may use the juveniles as food.
When combining some of these species with redtail catfish, remember that this catfish has a large mouth.
They use their giant mouths to eat various foods, including fish. An opportunistic feeder will feed on anything from fish and invertebrates to fallen fruits.
Consider some fish to which they may be allergic, resulting in a short lifespan.
Juveniles of catfish with redtail can live with juveniles of other freshwater fish like tiger barbs, angelfish, gouramis, and silver dollars.
But by the time the catfish with redtails grow larger than them, try and separate them. If not, the catfish with redtail will take them as food.
They will grow with them unless you bring the fish, such as larger cichlids, especially Oscars and Peacock Bass, Arowanas, and Stingrays, which they cannot eat.
How many times should you feed catfish with redtail?
Catfish with redtails should be fed once a week for the larger ones and daily for the young juveniles.
Giving too much food to catfish with redtail makes them extraordinarily large, causing obesity to most of them due to activities and restrictions.
Moreover, their digestion is slow after feeding as omnivorous animals. These are things to consider to know how you can provide them.
Is catfish with redtail aggressive?
The redtail catfish is not aggressive but rather semi-aggressive. Their approach to behavior is questionable because there is a link between how they act and how they feel.
They like living alone as bottom dwellers. Fish become hostile when there are too many of them in the tank.
During the day in the tank, this fish looks shy and uninterested. In addition to being vicious predators, they are calm and can be found at the bottom of the tank when they coexist with other fish species.
In the meantime, being present all the time is uplifting because it will make them feel at home with you.
One of the adaptations of catfish with redtails is that they are opportunistic feeders. They can eat anything available to them, whether big or small.
Any form of suffocation will affect them and make them aggressive. It will be proper to separate them from other species of fish that can make them uncomfortable.
They are peaceful with other large fish mates while not hungry, but they become aggressive once they seek food.
As long as they cannot eat their mate, they will relax, but most species of catfish are vicious. But the aquarium must be huge for them to live with other fish species.
Avoid putting catfish with redtail, including shrimp, prawns, and crabs. Together with these smaller creatures, they will become aggressive and swallow them.
Can two catfish with redtails live together?
No, two catfish with redtails cannot live together because they defend the area that belongs to them. Preferably, they should be housed with other species of the same size, not smaller fish.
Bichirs, large datnoids, gars, large stingrays, and iridescent sharks are all good tankmates for a catfish with a red tail.
What do redtail catfish eat in captivity?
Catfish with redtail eat crustaceans, worms, small fish, sinking pellets, crayfish, insects, frozen food, cut meats, and fruits. These are protein-rich diets that omnivorous animals love to eat.
They are recommended foods for catfish with redtail. Since they have a slow digestive system, you shouldn’t give them meat from mammals, as it could cause them to get very sick.
Even fatty foods such as chicken, pork, and beef are not suitable for them. Try to give them lean seafood.
Several aquarium reports say that these fish are dull after they eat because they take a long time to digest their food. Feed them again once they are active.
Avoid overfeeding by feeding the large ones once a week. Try to provide them with food because they eat whatever comes across them in the wild.
Meanwhile, their food is regulated according to the diet required for good nutrition and a balanced diet. It will help them live longer and be healthier.
Can you eat a catfish with redtail?
Catfish with redtail are edible fish with plenty of meat because of their big sizes. Still, people from the Amazon region avoid eating their flesh due to its dark color.
They have a high nutritional profile and are sweet and delicious. Their bones are small, with soft meat.
Additionally, they are delicate meats that most fishermen preserve for their special guests. It is because of their uniqueness and because they are very delicious.
This fish is quite lucrative because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and many homemakers love to use it to prepare different dishes.
Knowing the value of the omega 3s in catfish with redtail made them economically valuable. Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
It also slows the risk of cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. It fights depression and anxiety, improves eye health, and promotes brain health during pregnancy.
Another potential benefit of omega-3s in redtails is reducing inflammation and heart disease risk. They are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids essential to numerous body functions.
The unique functions of omega 3 in redtails are that they raise good cholesterol and lower triglycerides. Redtails will help reduce blood pressure and prevent plaque (fat deposits).
Adding them to your diet is based on the nutritional value of catfish with redtails.
They can be prepared through baking, grilling, smoking, and frying. You can cook them with different recipes, such as porridge, grilled fish pie, and sour soup, and steam them with lemon leaves.
Catfish with redtails can also be used to make fermented bamboo shoots with a strong aroma when combined with spices.
How do you tell if a catfish with redtail is male or female?
The best way to know if a catfish with redtail is male or female is through their mating and physical appearance.
Redtail male genital papillae in catfish are elongated and narrow. In contrast, the female genital papilla is circular and rounded under the abdominal area.
The male has one opening, while the female has two openings on the abdomen, one for feces and the other to carry eggs. Their sexes will become apparent as they mature.
Can catfish with redtail live in cold water?
Catfish with redtail cannot survive in cold water. They are complex and are initially found in ponds and lakes; cold water is not conducive for them.
In these natural habitats, the oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes in South America, those habitats do not get cold.
Inside waters with a low temperature below 70 °F (19 °C), the catfish with redtails will not survive to live there.
It is not really that they will die instantly, but gradually, within the shortest period, they will begin to die.
Exposure to a low temperature below 20 c will cause them to die, and they cannot lay eggs at that temperature—they need a higher temperature to hatch the eggs.
They are native to South America, and as a tropical country with higher temperatures, these creatures cannot survive otherwise.
During winter, you may need to take your catfish with redtail to another place because they will slowly die.
Their lifespan in the wild is longer than in the aquarium, which is 15 years. In the wild, they have broad habitats, ranging from rapids and flood forests to river beds.
These difficulties are encountered in aquariums during the winter season.
What is the largest catfish with redtail size ever caught in the United States?
The largest catfish with redtail ever caught in the US measured 63 inches (1.6 meters). They saw it in the Amazon River of South America.
Final thought
Catfish with redtails are loved in the aquarium world, but they are contradictory animals due to their semi-aggressive nature. The condition of the environment determines their fate.
They live with mates of the same size and are suitable with them in the same tank, but if otherwise, they will find themselves with the small fish available.
Moreover, freshwater fish barely survive in low-temperature water (cold water). The adults are fed once a week, while the juveniles eat daily due to their slow digestion.
Also, you can eat them because they have a lot of healthy nutrients and smell and taste good. Going by nutrition, they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for general health.
It takes care of the blood vessels, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, lowering the risk of heart rhythms and inflammation. They also help to change bad cholesterol into good cholesterol.