Red tailed catfish and common Pleco

[Canary bird]

Hi , just a quick question..

I'm re homing my huge common sailfin Pleco, will he be ok with a red tailed catfish and a pacu ?
Or should he go in the pond with another Pleco and koi ?

Thanks guys

[bettaowner]

How big will the tank be?

[Canary bird]

I'm guessing 180g (approx 700 litres) ..

[Luananeko]

I'm assuming those are juvenile fish he'd be going with? Red Tailed Catfish get MASSIVE (like 5 FEET long massive). Pacu get 2-3 feet long as well and are schoolers. 180g is too small for either of them long term. Catfish may eat the pleco once it gets full grown too. The 180 is fine for the pleco otherwise. I'd move the pacu and catfish to a larger tank or pond.

[Canary bird]

As far as I know the catfish is smaller than my Pleco (at the moment) and he does plan on building another pond to house the catfish when he gets too big ....

[Luananeko]

Originally Posted by Canary bird

As far as I know the catfish is smaller than my Pleco (at the moment) and he does plan on building another pond to house the catfish when he gets too big ....

As long as it's a temporary housing situation with juvies they should be fine together then. He'll need to keep an eye on the parameters and growth rates so he can swap things up once the catfish and pacu get too big though.

[Canary bird]

Just checked it's a 800 litre rank so approx 211 g ..

[Canary bird]

Tank ...
I'm thinking now I might ask him to put him in the pond :/ he's a big softie and can't think of something hurting him

[Luananeko]

Originally Posted by Canary bird

Tank ...
I'm thinking now I might ask him to put him in the pond :/ he's a big softie and can't think of something hurting him

The pond is a better option (as long as it's the pond that the catfish won't be moved to later ), yes. The koi and other pleco shouldn't bother him.

[Canary bird]

Well just to let you know he went into the pond today, seems very happy , we took his cave so he knows he has somewhere safe to go.. I'm glad he didn't go in with the catfish after seeing the size of him.... HUGE is an understatement! I think he would easily of eaten my boy.... So very happy knowing he's got loads more room...

[T1KARMANN]

I don't know why people buy red tail cats unless they already have the right size tank to house them

They grow so fast it's a waste of time and money buying one to grow out in even a 300 gal

I would say 8 out of big massive tank /pond builds never happen

Can you show some pictures of this red tail in the pond now please
Please don't say your cam is broken or it's at work as that's a very poor excuse that most people use who are not telling the truth

If you do provide pictures I will take all my comments back

[Canary bird]

Originally Posted by T1KARMANN

I don't know why people buy red tail cats unless they already have the right size tank to house them

They grow so fast it's a waste of time and money buying one to grow out in even a 300 gal

I would say 8 out of big massive tank /pond builds never happen

Can you show some pictures of this red tail in the pond now please
Please don't say your cam is broken or it's at work as that's a very poor excuse that most people use who are not telling the truth

If you do provide pictures I will take all my comments back

Hang on a minute mate, I haven't got a red tailed catfish my friend has who has taken my Pleco to his pond, if you back up a little you will read that he has a red tail and a pacu in a tank (both juvenile ) not me .. I only wanted my Pleco to go in the pond...So you can take your comments back !
Also I found out today he was given them by someone keeping both of them in a bucket and wasn't bothered if they were dead or alive ,,, so in all fairness an 800 litre tank is much better than near death in a bucket !