Shovelnose cat

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alex.walkerrrrr

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
88
My shovelnose catfish got startled and flipped out and started dashing everywhere in the tank and did this to himself, what should I doIMG_1733.jpgIMG_1734.jpg
 
First hopefully he in a 180 or up. If you know what he damaged it on....remove it. Second the most important thing is going to be pristine wq. Imo id do daily changes. Cats are tough but that is fairly nasty cut and will be prone to infection. The possible infection would be worse than the cut.


@coralbandit
 
First hopefully he in a 180 or up. If you know what he damaged it on....remove it. Second the most important thing is going to be pristine wq. Imo id do daily changes. Cats are tough but that is fairly nasty cut and will be prone to infection. The possible infection would be worse than the cut.


@coralbandit



Right now he's in a 125 but because they can get up to 8 feet in the wild I'm going to move him into a 2000 gl holding tank I think
 
Good plan. I dont do meds. Coralbandit pretty hip on that. PM him but I still think excellent parameters will be best. Wc promote healing.
 
This could be one of the few times a 'FIX' could be used IMO...
I am not sure which one as I don't have them but basically they are antiseptic like bactene and will help to keep the cut clean.
Big yes on massive waterchanges and maybe even light feeding to help with it all till healing looks good.
You could swab the injury with H202 but odds are you will get 'poked' by the cats spikes...
2000 gallon tank huh? Why even have him in the 125 then? Sounds like you know you have pushed the limit...
 
This could be one of the few times a 'FIX' could be used IMO...
I am not sure which one as I don't have them but basically they are antiseptic like bactene and will help to keep the cut clean.
Big yes on massive waterchanges and maybe even light feeding to help with it all till healing looks good.
You could swab the injury with H202 but odds are you will get 'poked' by the cats spikes...
2000 gallon tank huh? Why even have him in the 125 then? Sounds like you know you have pushed the limit...



I didn't get the holding tank yet but yeah I didn't know the catfish was going to get that big so fast, any other suggestions on what I could do with him when he gets too big? Cause I don't k ow how I'm gonna filter 2000 gallons
 
I didn't get the holding tank yet but yeah I didn't know the catfish was going to get that big so fast, any other suggestions on what I could do with him when he gets too big? Cause I don't k ow how I'm gonna filter 2000 gallons



Take him back to the mother land and set him free! Or fish fry? Possibly a zoo or science center nearby with a large freshwater exhibit, bass pro shops. Just spitballing...
 
Take him back to the mother land and set him free! Or fish fry? Possibly a zoo or science center nearby with a large freshwater exhibit, bass pro shops. Just spitballing...



Yeah I was thinking bass pro shops too
 
Most zoos won't take animals from private owners due to the risk of diseases. Not sure about Bass Pro or Cabelas, but I've only seen native fish in their exhibits. Do you know which species of shovel nose cat it is? Some only get to 3-4' long. Still way too big for a home aquarium, but it gives you more options if you choose to keep it. You could get an 8' round poly, or aluminum stock tank at most farm stores that will hold around 700g. Depending upon your location and climate, you could keep it inside or outside. Or, outside in warmer months, in the basement in colder months.
Homemade filter. Here is how: Get a 1/3 hp sump pump from a hardware, farm, or DIY store. Find a cheap clothes basket. Line the clothes basket with window screening. Fill 1/3 full with lava rock, 1/3 full with fiber filter material, and top off with another 1" layer of lava rock. Set the sump securely on the top lava rock layer, make sure at least a few inches of the pump is submerged in the water. run the output hose around the inside of the tank, and viola! Instant, and cheap, tank filter. Or, you could spend a bit more in a garden store and get a small pond pump.
 
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Most zoos won't take animals from private owners due to the risk of diseases. Not sure about Bass Pro or Cabelas, but I've only seen native fish in their exhibits. Do you know which species of shovel nose cat it is? Some only get to 3-4' long. Still way too big for a home aquarium, but it gives you more options if you choose to keep it. You could get an 8' round poly, or aluminum stock tank at most farm stores that will hold around 700g. Depending upon your location and climate, you could keep it inside or outside. Or, outside in warmer months, in the basement in colder months.
Homemade filter. Here is how: Get a 1/3 hp sump pump from a hardware, farm, or DIY store. Find a cheap clothes basket. Line the clothes basket with window screening. Fill 1/3 full with lava rock, 1/3 full with fiber filter material, and top off with another 1" layer of lava rock. Set the sump securely on the top lava rock layer, make sure at least a few inches of the pump is submerged in the water. run the output hose around the inside of the tank, and viola! Instant, and cheap, tank filter. Or, you could spend a bit more in a garden store and get a small pond pump.



Ok thank you very much
 
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