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How do you keep a three-meter-long fish at home? Do you understand the challenges of keeping sharks and catfish?
With the popularization of fish farming culture, more and more families are choosing to keep large fish as pets. Among these fish, the shark catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) has attracted the attention of many aquarium hobbyists with its striking appearance and special needs. Although named after the shark, this fish is not actually a shark, but a tropical freshwater fish from the clear rivers of Southeast Asia.
Fortunately, although this fish has a wide range of diet, it has very strict requirements on the environment when raised at home.
The natural home of the shark catfish is mainly the Mekong River and the Chao Phraya River, where the water quality and temperature are crucial to their growth. This fish likes to swim in water temperatures between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius and lives in an environment with smooth water flow and clean water all year round. Such demands make it difficult to successfully keep a shark catfish at home.
Feeding Challenges
First, shark catfish need a lot of living space. According to experts, when raising shark catfish at home, you need a water tank of at least 12 cubic meters. This is because adult shark catfish can be up to three meters long and they like to take up a large space when swimming. Without adequate space, the growth and health of these fish will be affected.
Many fish lovers have found that due to the size of the water tank, the actual length of the shark catfish at home is often only 15 to 30 centimeters, and may even die prematurely due to the stress of the living environment.
Habits and social needs
Besides their need for space, shark catfish are highly social fish that prefer to live in groups. This means that when keeping a shark catfish, it is best to keep at least three or more fish to reduce its loneliness. When overly stressed or frightened, a shark catfish's instinct is to flee quickly, which can lead to injury and erratic behavior.
Environmental conditions
Shark catfish are also quite picky about water quality. The waters they live in need to have a certain pH and hardness, with the optimal pH range being 6.5 to 7.5. In addition, they also require regular water changes to maintain water quality and avoid high concentrations of harmful substances. If the water quality is not clean or there is a lack of regulatory filtration equipment, the health of sharks and catfish will be affected, and in serious cases, they may even die.
Therefore, people who want to keep shark catfish at home must make adequate preparations, including learning various knowledge about fish breeding and investing in the right equipment.
Dietary requirements
Although shark catfish is an omnivorous fish that can eat a variety of aquatic organisms and plants, proper feed arrangement is crucial when raising it at home. In the market, these fish are generally easily available on feeds designed specifically for shark catfish, but overfeeding should be avoided. According to experts' advice, feed them twice a day on a regular basis and keep follow-up observations to ensure their health.
Care and Maintenance
Of course, in order for this large fish to grow healthily, in addition to a suitable tank and a suitable diet, regular health checks are very important. External factors such as noise and sunlight may affect the quality of life of fish, requiring operators to be patient and persistent in maintaining their living environment.
In summary, raising a three-meter-long shark catfish is not an easy task, and there are many factors to consider, such as space requirements, social needs, water quality requirements, etc. For many aquarists, this is a rare challenge that allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the lives of these unique creatures with each keeping and observation. If you're considering trying to keep shark catfish at home, are you ready for the challenges?
