Nice to finally get my dream fish
! I'll have better pictures tomorrow.
My First Native Catfish
Started by
Sean Phillips
, Jun 24 2014 08:45 PM
13 replies to this topic
#1
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 24 June 2014 - 08:45 PM
Was fishing for sunfish for my 75 gallon at my local lake tonight. Well the water was so muddy from last night's torrential downpour so nothing was hitting but yellow bullheads. At first I was only catching 7-8" ones, most of which were swallowing the hook so I figured it wasn't worth keeping any of them. But them I caught a miracle bullhead: it was 4", didn't swallow the hook, and wasn't bleeding from the hook! That was such a beneficial coincidence on my part but I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity to finally get a fish I've wanted since day 1 of fish keeping. Now he's in a 14 gallon Rubbermaid bin (as a quarantine "tank") with a seeded sponge filter and a few hiding spots. He'll eventually be going into my 75 gallon until he gets to big at which point I'm fully prepared to upgrade him. I do have one or two questions though. I know bullheads are generally not picky feeders but since he's wild what food should I start him with and what should I work him up to? Also should I feed once or twice a day?
Nice to finally get my dream fish ! I'll have better pictures tomorrow.
Nice to finally get my dream fish
! I'll have better pictures tomorrow.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#2
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 24 June 2014 - 09:30 PM
You can't go wrong starting with nightcrawlers. Frozen market shrimp would be a good start as well. Then move towards pellets.
A 4 inch bullhead will attempt to eat anything that can remotely fit in its mouth, so keep that in mind when you look at the size of its mouth. At night when other fish are inactive, is when it will most likely happen.
A 4 inch bullhead will attempt to eat anything that can remotely fit in its mouth, so keep that in mind when you look at the size of its mouth. At night when other fish are inactive, is when it will most likely happen.
#4
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 24 June 2014 - 09:45 PM
Your giant danios are dead fish swimming if they are going to be housed together.
Yeah I was afraid of that. I'll either move them to my 30 tall or sell them.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#6
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 25 June 2014 - 08:08 AM
Or you may find that you love your native fish so much that you just don't get too upset if your catfish snacks on them. I have no idea how expensive giant danios are though.
About $3 per fish where I got them.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#7
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 30 June 2014 - 08:34 PM
Finally got him to eat last night, ate an entire adult nightcrawler which was enormous when stretched out underwater! Going to drop another in tonight and see if he takes it.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#9
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 01 July 2014 - 08:46 AM
You should do a feeding video
I do plan on it but he only eats after every light is out and I've never witnessed him do it, once he's in the tank and is feeding during lights on I will.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#10
Guest_jacksmelt_*
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Posted 04 July 2014 - 05:01 PM
i have a 12in. spotted southern bullhead. he's just beautiful and dominates my 75 gal. he will eat anything and even comes out during the day esp. if he smells food. I've chunked up just about any fish and he devours it! he will even catch the fatheads i put in there for my warmouth. i give him floating cichlid pellets and while he's eating i pet his back. doesn't seem to mind. you're gonna have fun w/ your yellow!
#11
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 01 August 2014 - 11:50 AM
Put him in my 75 gallon a few nights ago. He's doing good and last night I got him to eat a cube of bloodworms, first thing he's eaten outside of nightcrawlers. He's actually about 5 or 5.5" at this point.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
#12
Guest_Stickbow_*
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Posted 01 August 2014 - 02:34 PM
I am jealous -- I really love catfish. Wish I had space and tank size to do one justice. My mother in law's "pit" pond was stocked with channels that they fed. About a year ago, one of her nephews seined in pretty much empty. IMO, that was bad, until I started catching young brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) this summer. Pretty sure they came up the overflow from the 70+ year old pond that is about 50-75 yards away, but in this "pit pond" they are more visible and will feed on the surface. Yeah - I know they aren't supposed to do this, but when the mower goes by kicking grasshoppers and crickets in, they swarm.
#14
Sean Phillips
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- NANFA Member
- Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA
Posted 19 August 2014 - 08:17 AM
He's doing good still. His feeding routine is if he eat all of the 5-6 shrimp pellets I give him every night he'll also get a reward of either an entire bloodworm or brine shrimp cube or 1/3 of a nightcrawler. He's about 6" at this point and really putting on some size and girth now.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage
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