View Full Version : bullhhead cat gettin to big!
statenfish
11-09-2008, 05:41 AM
About three montha ago i found a brown bullhead cat in a locas shop crammed into a five gallon tank! He was all curled up and starving to death. I immediatly bought him for 5 dollars and set up my old 90 gallon for his new home.For the first few days he remained curled up and rarely moved. With some care and attention he is now thriving! therein lies a problem, he is now over a foot lonf and a few pounds. What should i do when he outgrows this tank. Im shopping for a 200 to house him but hell just keep growing. I thing my good deed just bit me in the a..! any suggestions would be great
cocoa_pleco
11-09-2008, 05:45 AM
hmmmmm, youve got 3 options. i dont know how big they get, but if they get 2 feet long, i would get bare minimum a tank 48x24x22. if he gets 3 feet long, i would get a tank at least 72x36x24. 4 feet, youre looking at 96x48x28
other than that, you can try to find a zoo or wildlife center with a large tank willing to take him, or put up a local ad to see if someone has a large enough tank
statenfish
11-09-2008, 05:47 AM
i have contacted the local zoo and they may come through for me. Keeping my fingers crossed
cocoa_pleco
11-09-2008, 05:49 AM
if they do that would be awesome. how bigs their tank?
Northernguy
11-09-2008, 06:18 AM
I hope the zoo takes it!:19: Great work:c3:
Fantastic idea cocoa!
dean30bb
11-09-2008, 06:21 AM
that would be good if the zoo takes him good idea :19:
Northernguy
11-09-2008, 06:42 AM
Such a cool fish and no pics!
Demjor19
11-10-2008, 01:37 PM
A Brown Bullhead will not likely exceed 12-14 inches. A 200 gallon would easily last him for life.
Poofaye C.
11-10-2008, 02:36 PM
Blackened catfish anyone?!?!?
Ok, ok, I'm sorry. So statenfish, you're from NYC? Did some research for ya.
The Brown Bullhead is a local fish to the whole state of NY. Probebly how your local shop got him. My lfs go out and catch local fish to sell all the time. You might consider releasing him, as a last resort. I would do so a search on the waters near you to find the best release for him and you're set.
Of course I too think the zoo would be super sweet, you could visit anytime you wanted. Or if you have the bread for a much larger tank, go for it!! I read 6 pounds is considered a whooper! That's not too horrible. Seems like Demjor19 has it down. My fishing experience tells me that's right at 12-14 inches. (16 inches rare) Keep us updated, good luck!!!:c10:
Demjor19
11-10-2008, 02:41 PM
Blackened catfish anyone?!?!?
Ok, ok, I'm sorry. So statenfish, you're from NYC? Did some research for ya.
The Brown Bullhead is a local fish to the whole state of NY. Probebly how your local shop got him. My lfs go out and catch local fish to sell all the time. You might consider releasing him, as a last resort. I would do so a search on the waters near you to find the best release for him and you're set.
Of course I too think the zoo would be super sweet, you could visit anytime you wanted. Or if you have the bread for a much larger tank, go for it!! I read 6 pounds is considered a whooper! That's not too horrible. Seems like Demjor19 has it down. My fishing experience tells me that's right at 12-14 inches. (16 inches rare) Keep us updated, good luck!!!:c10:
NEVER release a captive fish into public waterways...not only is it ethically wrong it is illegal in most if not all states. Even though it is a native fish it could have picked up non-native pathogens, diseases, and/or parasites from being kept with other non-native species. Introducing them to the wild could be detrimental! I don't mean to sound like I'm jumping on you, but it is very important that aquarium fish do NOT get released into public water ways....native or not!
Poofaye C.
11-10-2008, 04:07 PM
Ethically wrong???
Please, I'd like to learn more about why you feel it would be ethically wrong. Ok, I'll admit I wasn't thinking all the way when it comes to non-native diseases, parasites, etc. Something to which it may have picked up at the store. If they had this poor fish all cramped up loosing his will to live for the mighty dollar, then no telling what other unsafe/unsanatary methods they were using at that location.
Releasing of local/native fish is practiced all over for repopulation and better breeding, to ensure the well being of these guys. It's illegal to introduce NON-NATIVE species, or so I thought. The release of a local/native species might just be ignorant for the reason you mentioned. Hey, it's not like I woud ever release a Red Tail CAT into your Ohio river!!.....lol!!!
All in all, your advise on any kind of release is well heard by my ears.
cocoa_pleco
11-10-2008, 05:35 PM
correct, once a fish has entered your aquarium, you should not release it.
angelcakes
11-10-2008, 05:36 PM
correct, once a fish has entered your aquarium, you should not release it.
agreed.........
X3
I would try to contact your local aquarium. If not i would get a 150+. Please do NOT release him. It is ethically wrong. You are thinking of hatcherys right?(poofaye) They take big steps to make sure they do NOT add something to the water that is non-native. It is ILLEGAL to release a fish into a lake river etc after it has been into a aquarium. Thats the law.
Demjor19
11-10-2008, 08:43 PM
X3
I would try to contact your local aquarium. If not i would get a 150+. Please do NOT release him. It is ethically wrong. You are thinking of hatcherys right?(poofaye) They take big steps to make sure they do NOT add something to the water that is non-native. It is ILLEGAL to release a fish into a lake river etc after it has been into a aquarium. Thats the law.
That's exactly correct! Plus these fish are never kept with other non-native species. They are raised from eggs in a controlled environment and tested before they are even released into waterways. You can not compare releasing an aquarium fish to stocking from a hatchery. They are totally different.
Poofaye C.
11-11-2008, 03:10 AM
Whoa, I don't think you guys understand where I'm coming from. I'm totally not trying to compare the responsibilities that hatcheries possess vs. irresponsibly releasing a store bought fish. Not at all!!
Paying close attention to my post at 10:07 am, I basically stated without saying it, that I was ignorant on the subject. I did not know about picking up diseases, parasites, etc. or did I know whether it was all legal or not.
The statement that has me slightly erked is, "ethically wrong". Something is not ethically wrong if the person is ignorant towards it. Ethics/morals come into play when someone knows better and stupidly does it anyway. For example, if I (poofaye) had put a fish in my local lake before all of these posts, I would be wrong for doing so. Now, after all of these posts and how I take quite seriously the people at the AC, if I were to put a fish in the lake now, I would not only be wrong but I would be ethically wrong. This is why I wanted your opinion on why you thought it was ethically wrong.
Sorry for the confusion, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, or take away the reason for this tread to begin with. Sorry for hogging up this thread.
No problem! :) I thought you meant that you thought it was not wrong to put a fish into a lake after it has been into a aquarium :) I can see your point though, about not knowing, but i think people should do there research befofe doing something like that. I took a class at the local college for fun about stuff like this :) (hatchery)
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