Rearing Methods and Key Technical Points for the Suckermouth Catfish
The suckermouth catfish, also known as the redtail catfish, can reach 1 m in body length, with a head, back, chest and belly that are flat and broad, and an anal fin and tail that are relatively laterally compressed and narrow. So how should it be kept?
1. The suckermouth catfish is omnivorous, mainly carnivorous, and especially fond of small fish, loaches and chicken, and can be fed sinking pellet feed as a supplement. It is easy to keep, has a large appetite and grows quickly.
2. The rearing water temperature is 22-28 degrees, and the water quality is weakly acidic soft water. One advantage of small suckermouth catfish is that they can be trained to accept food from a young age; you can try feeding them feed from a young age, and if they are fed feed from a young age, they will also accept feed when they grow up. During this period, live bait can be fed as a supplement, but the frequency should not be too high and the amount should not be too much.
3. Small suckermouth catfish can also initially be fed barley worms, though it is not recommended to feed too many; if feeding shrimp, the head and tail need to be removed and the shell peeled off to avoid piercing the intestines and causing enteritis; feeding small fish is relatively easy, as you can buy them at the market and then put them in the tank to feed. If the quantity is too large, be sure to clean them or soak them in salt water, and do not feed dead fish; loaches are always a choice for feeding large fish. At present, the price of loaches is relatively expensive, and when feeding, it depends on the condition of the suckermouth catfish whether they need to be cut up; for meat, if you want to save money, you can buy a large fish and then chop it up to feed. These foods are all the suckermouth catfish's favorites, and feeding directly determines how big the suckermouth catfish can grow.
4. The suckermouth catfish is a bottom-dwelling fish, and its activity area is mainly the bottom of the tank. If kept together with upper-layer fish, there is absolutely no problem; for example, gars, oscars and tiger fish can all be kept together. Of course, the bottom-dwelling clown knifefish (detailed introduction) can also be kept together with the suckermouth catfish, because the suckermouth catfish is also a bully that fears the strong and picks on the weak. When it encounters a fish larger than itself, it definitely will not dare to bully it, and the clown knifefish, with its huge body, is a fish that many others do not dare to bully.