Last summer I bought a 2 inch albino channel cat. Watched him swim around the bottom the first day and never saw him again.
Last night I was looking out the window into the pond, and there he was swimming in and out from under the big rock in 36 degree water. He has grown. Maybe to 3.5 inches.

Never give up hope until you see them belly up.

They get quite large don't they Wayne?

Derrick

That is what I have heard and hoping for. That is until he starts misbehaving.
Those things got teeth.

The channel catfish is an opportunistic omnivore, gorging itself on nearly any form of living or dead material. Being primarily a nocturnal animal, channel catfish must rely on its sensory organs, including the well-developed barbels, to find food. Their diet consists of aquatic insects, worms, clams, crayfish, snails, and fish, all of which could be dead or alive. Their stomachs might be packed with vegetable materials dropped into the water or minnows depending on what’s available. However, big channel catfish eat almost nothing but fish.

that is not a fish that is a SHARK
OK got that off a web site and that thing is HUGE careful waynes fishies SWIM SWIM AWAY.

wayne that thing is scary what are you going to do when he goes after your babies?
C2

Thanks for the 411, I will keep an eye on him.
Have you ever known me to play it safe.

I do have plans to relocate him to a friends pond who has catfish If he gets to be a problem.

wayne you want something that is HUGE and grows fast White Amurs (Grass carp) and they are vegitarians I have 2 in my 1/3 acr pond and they in 2 months have gotten HUGE I put in 2 and I alway see them together and they are beasts. Plain janes but I still like them they are only legal if they are steril (sp) see there is a litle danger there LOL
C2

The truth is ,I just don't believe he will get that big in my little pond. We will see.
I just like something unique. As long as it is safe.
Your white grass carp sound really cool, but I am afraid they would knock pots over in a water garden. Would they like a visitor?

Channel cats do grow huge and do eat anything they can catch. Wayne's orfe are probably too fast for him though. It will take a while for the baby catfish to grow. Grass carp will denude a small pond of all vegetation. I know Wayne's got some nice plants!

How do you castrate a carp? :lol: :blink:

Very carefully! :huh:

LMAO that is funny. Yeah you are probably right they will get your plants I am sure. Not sure if you make an appointment and ask them if they can either SPAY or Nuter your grass carp...that would be a funny phone call. ( my vet wouldnt be surprised if i called with that question he already thinks I am a nut) LOL
C2

Thats why we love you so much.

The grass carp aren't castrated; I'd like to see that! They are bred so that they are triploid which means they have three sets of chromosomes instead of the normal two. When sperm and eggs meet up, they can't form a viable embryo.

ahhh wayne thanks :D

And yes they guy I get them off of are already do the deed the heat something or something he told me the process but I really wasnt listening.
Man that is funny

C2

I missed this thread! I guess I wasn't paying attention either! :o

So will he get castrated or not? :blink:

You guys make me smile! :) :)

tia

OK WAYNE I was at AA (aquarium adventure) and they have an albino channel catfish in there big indoor pond (he was big) with the HUGE koi this was the most amazing fish in there SUPER friendly jump in your hand friendly now I know why you have them now I want one but he will eat the others I could get one that would grow with the other fish (they sell the small ones 2in long)BUT I would be affraid to incorporate smaller fish at a later time what do you think?

C2

Hi C2, I will throw my 2 cents in since I have been fishing all my life and for years have managed the ponds at workthat contain catfish. Channel cats will eat any fish dead or alive that they can get their mouths around which are pretty large. They get very large over 10 lbs depending on availability of food and will not reproduce in small ponds. I would not hesitate keeping one as long as you are aware they can eat a fish half their size with no problem. I don't thing fantail goldfish would stand a chance. Too slow.

Froggy

Hi C2
Obviously I work on the theory, "nothing ventured, nothing gained." ( which may not be for every one)

I believe they will eat fish, but I am not convinced He will get that big in my pond to be a problem to healthy fish. The reason I say that is because my largest orfe is 12 inches long at 8 years old. I am sure he would have been 16 inches at 5 years old if in the wild. I have friends with catfish that will take him if he becomes a problem.

Also if he does eat a dead or dieing fish on the bottom that I have missed, that is better then it polluting the water.

Also catfish are not very stream line compared to an orfe. Will he be able to catch one? We will see. Right now he is only 4 inches.

I am not trying to convince anybody to get one, just stating why I have one.

Remember- If the guys at AA played it safe they wouldn't have had the huge albino channel cat to amaze you.

They had the channel with other large Koi and the AA guy did tell me he would eat one smaller if he could fit in his mouth I am sure of it he (the big one) was amazing though he was housed with 10 other LARGE koi and he himself was at least 36in long and thick more clumsy of the bunch I agree but the friendliest for sure he was awsome.

Never the less I couldnt over winter him outside I shut my pond down so I will visit the one at AA and pretend he is mine. The AA guy thought he would go after the frogs more than the fish I think well fed they will not have that KILLER instinct but who knows they are fish.

My dog kills all the forest animals but doesnt touch our house cats. (she even killed a deer) poor deer).

C2