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The animal has grown until today, approx. 9 cm. I know what is coming to me as the final length should reach 70 cm later or perhaps longer, however since I’m also keeping other big catfishes in big aquariums I am already used to it. Of course for a normal community tank this fish is not the right one. He only can be kept in a species tank. Probably this species can be kept with other Ameiurus catfishes or other big fish species. My Ictalurus punctatus is swimming in a 300 litre tank and he is used to following a swarm of Silver catfish (Schilbe intermedius). The colouring and and the kind of fins are a little similar but though not the same. He seems to feel quite settled.

 

Again and again you can see Ictalurus punctatus swimming in the swarm with Schilbe intermedius

 

Fishing in Kentucky, getting a big I. punctatus

 

Although in the specialist literature shaded tanks are recommended my fish swims in an aquarium well planted and with quite normal light. Of course one must offer caves and hiding-places. The tank is without a heater and the temperature is about 22° c. A great “Juwel Jumbo” filter keeps the water crystal clear. The water is changed every 14 days around about one third. Ictalurus punctatus eats great flakes and food tablets without any problems, frozen mosquito larvae is also taken. This catfish however is also quite greedy like my other blue catfishes (Ameiurus nebulosus) if there are given fresh earthworms. Different frozen fish fillets, divided of course into pieces, are also offered.

There is also an albino form besides the wild colour which is kept with pleasure in garden ponds in the USA and Great Britain. The trend could come also towards Germany too. The bright colour variant is taken with pleasure because one can hardly find the natural colour in a pond.

This fish can be recommended to everyone who has a sufficiently big tank, but it doesn’t really thrive and prosper in too small tanks; therefore one should consider the purchase of such an animal with great thought.