Effective Rearing of Catfish in Tanks

Keeping catfish in home aquariums requires a few crucial pieces of gear. In addition to the hard gear, you must provide a livable and familiar aquatic environment for the catfish to dwell and thrive. Catfish are bottom-dwelling fish and thus do well in dark, cooler waters. The catfish need places to hide and escape daytime light, as well as access to the proper food, which needs to drop to the bottom and not float.

Things You'll Need

  • Bog rocks
  • Aquatic plants
  • Air filter
  • Length of 3-inch-diameter OVC tubes
  • Scoop
  • Sinking catfish pellets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare your tank by adding water and adding bog rocks to the entire bottom of the tank. Pour the rocks in to give different levels of rock. Place four to five different aquatic plants on the bottom. These plants are readily available at large pet stores or specialty fish and aquarium centers.

    • 2

      Attach an air filter to the side of the tank. Place two to three pieces of 3-inch-diameter PVC tube into the bottom of the tank; push at least one of these pieces of tube up to the edge of the tank, blocking one end of the tube openings. The PVC tubes provide a hiding den for the catfish, which tend to hide from light.

    • 3

      Clean the tank daily. Use a mesh scoop to clean feces and detritus from the tank. Fish feces break down into an ammonia, which may harm or kill the fish in an enclosed environment such as aquariums. Scoop the tank a minimum of once a day.

    • 4

      Feed the catfish once a day, at the same time daily, with sinking catfish pellets. Check to ensure the pellets do indeed sink. Bring the food down to the catfish; do not draw them to the surface with floating food.