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MY local walmart has begun selling semi large channel catfish. As an avid fisherman (catch and release) would these be a good idea to add to a larger tank? Or would they tear up my substrate and plants
Any feedback is goodfeedback

Fish or cut bait.

Channel cats get huge.
Think in the nature of around 3 to 4 feet
in length.
The tank needed to keep such fish would exceed
500 gallons.
I would leave them in the store.


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I don't think semi large is a good description for the tiny little babies sold in stores. They are nowhere near large compared to what they will be if kept and fed properly. Also any large catfish is going to be somewhat destructive. They will root in the substrate, knock down any loose rock stacks, and destroy most plants. Usually a large catfish tank contains only a few stacks of rocks siliconed together(and sometimes to the bottom as well) so they don't fall and a few very hardy tough plants.

What about pictus catfish?

Fish or cut bait.

Much easier to care for than a channel cat but they are fairly active and prefer some company. It would be best to have 2 or 3 in a 4' tank and not with any really small fish like neon tetras or they will be snacks. All bottom feeders will do some digging in plants and substrate and the bigger they are the more damage they can do so you do need to keep that in mind if it's a big issue to you. The pictus won't completely destroy a planted tank like the channel cat though. They are fine so long as you don't have really thin soft leaved plants.

yes channels should never be thought to be in an aquarium at all. they get to be 8-20 lbs around here, but really if they keep growing withought being caught early like the ones here do, they can get to around 50lbs easy i suppose.

not aquarium friendly.

Fifty pounds in weight?

That's the weight of a Labrador Retriever!

An aquarium suitable for a fish packing as much mass as a Labrador Retriever is going to be VERY LARGE ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

While most channel cats you catch fishing will be under 10lbs they can reach 45-50lbs pretty easily in good conditions with no predators, including fishermen, and a good source of food. The world record channel cat caught is actually 58lbs. Definitely not going to fit in any normal aquarists tank. Although I would love to have one.

yes, most american fish shouldn't ever be put in aquariums.

Bluegill along with all sunfish are pretty much like cichlids, but they get quite large, larger then oscars. Catfish in america range from bullheads (around 5lbs fully grown i believe) to flatheads (80lb NE state record) and blue cats (record in the 130's i believe), infact the only fishes i can really think that would fit in the aquarium are things like minnows and other bait-fish that really don't look good.....


but ya there are quite a few catfish found elsewhere that look pretty close to channels and stay small. My dream tank would be large enough to make a Nebraska ecosystem with 2 bullheads, a few bluegill, breeding minnows and maybe some other sort of fish.

Actually, it's surprising how many of the smaller North American natives DO look good in an aquarium - cyprinids belonging to the Genus Notropis are among the fishes in big demand among those Germans who specialise in North American natives, and of course, the Pygmy Sunfishes of the Genus Elassoma are also in big demand.

Among the bigger Sunfishes, Lepomis humilis is also in demand, and if you see an adult in breeding colours, you'll know why!

As for Ictalurid Catfishes, well they're juggernauts. I remember talk about baby Channel catfishes being sold as coldwater fishes here in the UK as a substitute for Weather Loaches back in the 1970s, but that idea was flushed down the pan when someone said "Er, you do realise they can reach 3 feet or more in length?"


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

As said there are several small sunfish species that do great in tanks. The green sunfish being one of the most common and I had a couple for awhile but found them too agressive for my liking. There are also darters but they aren't heard about much since they are not fished for by anglers. Along with that some of the minnow species can actually be rather interesting. I had a little school of minnows for awhile and they are no less interesting or colorful than some of the tetras and minnows like white clouds that are sold in stores. Catfish though should mostly be left in their native waters unless you have an impressive tank. Even some of the bullhead species can get quite large. http://planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=32 A 2' bullhead with it's heavy build is still going to require quite a large tank.