How to Care for Aquarium Catfish
Catfish are a popular aquarium fish. They are calm creatures that don't require a large amount of maintenance. However, you should find out the type of water that they thrive in and their eating habits. This information can keep your catfish happy and around for a long time.
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Instructions
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Place the catfish in a large tank. Certain breeds of catfish can grow very large and should be put in a tank that gives them plenty of room to grow. Catfish can be placed with other fish in an aquarium.
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Keep the water quality neutral. You don't want to keep the water too acidic if you plan to keep catfish inside your aquarium. Use aquarium chemicals to control the water quality.
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Give the catfish worms or flake food to eat. Catfish are not picky eaters and will enjoy traditional fish food as well as blood worms. Either of these choices can be bought at your local pet store.
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Check the water temperature. Catfish prefer colder water than most fish. You are likely to find that catfish are going to be happiest if the water stays around 70 degrees F.
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Put in aquarium additions to allow the catfish to search for food. Place gravel at the bottom of the aquarium as well as tunnels that they can swim through.
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Use lights that are low. Catfish are not going to be happy with bright aquarium lights. Put in bulbs with a very low wattage.
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Tips & Warnings
Ideally you want some of the fish food to make it to the bottom of the tank where the gravel is placed. Catfish like to forage for their food.
Caves and shelters should be big enough for the catfish to hide in. This can shield them from the aquarium's light source.
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Comments
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what is right name for glass sucking loach.
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thanks for all the tips on how to care for catfish.
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catholicteen
Aug 10, 2009
Good advise, four stars! But I heard that cat fish help control the algea by actually eating it, is that rue? -
AtlantisChild
Jul 31, 2008
"I do have catfish in our aquarium, I am having a problem with the water always getting cloudy, what am I doing wrong?" If you just started out it is a bacterial bloom and is safe and natural. It will go away soon. If not, check the Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels. If they are high (esp. ammonia) that will muck up water. If one or more is real high do small water changes over a few days till the levels are safe again. How is you filter? A good filter should rem,oce the cloudyness if it is just fine debris in the water. An airstone or babubbler will not do this. "Keep the water quality neutral. You don't want to keep the water too acidic if you plan to keep catfish inside your aquarium. Use aquarium chemicals to control the water quality." Eek! Do not use chemicals unless you have to. They are unreliable for changing pH and may hurt your fish. Catfish have a
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AtlantisChild
Jul 31, 2008
"I do have catfish in our aquarium, I am having a problem with the water always getting cloudy, what am I doing wrong?" If you just started out it is a bacterial bloom and is safe and natural. It will go away soon. If not, check the Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels. If they are high (esp. ammonia) that will muck up water. If one or more is real high do small water changes over a few days till the levels are safe again. How is you filter? A good filter should rem,oce the cloudyness if it is just fine debris in the water. An airstone or babubbler will not do this. "Keep the water quality neutral. You don't want to keep the water too acidic if you plan to keep catfish inside your aquarium. Use aquarium chemicals to control the water quality." Eek! Do not use chemicals unless you have to. They are unreliable for changing pH and may hurt your fish. Catfish have a
