Volume for a catfish

[redwulftech]

Hello, I'm kind of a newb so I apologize for improper terminology.

My neighbor and family friend is moving and offered me her " normal 200 gallon tank with a cabinet under it for filtration and stuff" so I assume 96″ x 24″ x 20″.
I've always found bioelectrogenesis interesting, so I'm really considering an "electric catfish". I've had a bumblebee catfish before in my 35 gallon tank, but obviously there's a huge difference.
My main question is the volume, I know this tank is large enough for awhile as the fish grows but I've seen several places siting the fish as growing up to a meter long and just as many saying about a foot.
The electric catfish has 19 species ranging from 4 foot max size to 6 inches...so obviously I can try to get a smaller species but the Malapterurus electricus seems to be the common one and I'm assuming regardless of what the store claims that's what I'll be getting and I don't want to stunt its growth(I'll find it a new home if it does get too large). I will try for a shirensis or occidentalis (smaller cousin) but just in case would 200 gallon be acceptable if the fish does get to 2+ feet? any other advice is appreciated.

 

[Delapool]

Hi, welcome to the forum

I hope this reaches you as would be really interested in how this turns out. Length sounds fine imo, but the width sound short if you are looking at a 2 ft long fish. However in reading on these it sounded like the smaller ones were more ideal to learn on as the shock isn't as intense (down in the inches scale). I don't know of anyone locally that has kept these, I don't even know if we can get them.