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Well this summer I'll be moving, and first thing I'll be doing is building a pond, reguardless if I'll be able to finish it by the end of summer, I don't mind waiting a while to fill it up.

So anyways, my aunt and cousins have this channel catfish. They have it in a 55 gallon indoor pond like thing. In 2 years it went from 2 inches to 14, and I think it's starting to show small signs of stunting. It's in there with about 4 or 5 goldfish . I have a feeling as soon as I move out and get a bigger tank, they're going to be trying to give it to me. I know I'm not going to have a big enough tank, they tried to give it to me when I first got my 30 gallon.

I know these fish get huge, I'm a fisherman, and I've caught huge catfish. Heck, I think they're monsters at 2 feet, and I know they get bigger. So what's a good pond size for 1 or 2? Tankmates would include goldfish, rosey red minnows, possibly some native minnows (although they'd get eaten). Or anything you would recommend for the central pennsylvania area.

Another question...after being kept indoors for 2 years, do you think that will affect it's ability to stay in the pond over winter?

I don't know for sure, but I would go as large as you care to dig...a couple hundred gallons easily, as I don't think they ever quit growing I would also make it plenty deep so that it will help keep it warm in the winter, and find some way to heat it...acclimating it as slowly as possible...heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Channel catfish are really hardy and adaptable fish that handle some pretty extreme temperature in both directions so you should be able to acclimate the fish without too much difficulty.

Make the pond as large as possible with plenty of depth and as much swimming room as you can allow and you'll possibly be okay. As you stated channel catfish get very large and I have personally caught them over 25 pounds.

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

How does somewhere between 8-10'x6'x2-3' pond sound for one? It's also a golden channel cat, not quite albino because of the eyes, but almost all white, is there anything different about them I should watch out for? Such as being not as hardy or not as good as overwintering or something like that?

10 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet should be ample for now. However, I checked this webpage and apparently the world record size for a Channel Catfish is a whopping 58 pounds in weight. Which equates to what, about four feet in length? So Mr Catfish might end up being the sole occupant of that pond. Can't see even large goldfish lasting long with a catfish that size.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

The irony of it is, they had this fish for about a year, and one day went fishing at the local river. Well, my uncle, the one who bought this catfish, caught the state record for a channel catfish, at a little over 3 ft long I think it was. Tried holding the catfish up, and it's tail was still on the ground. Problem is, state hasn't gotten around to updating their list, or I'd post it. I think average size around here for these guys is 2-3 feet at full length, if it gets bigger than that well, it's going in the river, atleast it's native here lol (jk)