Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Wondering if anyone has experience growing eel-tailed catfish in AP/aquariums/arm dams?

Interested in particular how painful the poisonous barbs are and if you think they would be problematic to 'swim' with.

*farm dams pretty creepy picturing a hole full of arms

I had a couple that I used to hand feed worms , cant see them likely to attack you

Oh yeah I do recall you mentioning it in another thread. Did they ever create a rock nest? My only thought was if they were breeding might get defensive.

I can attest that the barbs are very painful, resulting in a big rash around the area where they get you. I think you just have to be brushed by them to suffer the rash. I experienced it while swimming in the Namoi River at Manilla in the 1970s, resulting in a rash all over my inner forearm.

It looks like the results can be quite severe for some, scroll down to the bottom of this:
https://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/fi ... ed-catfish

(warning: graphic content!)

A neighbour where I often ride my MTB has them in his dams, each spring I see quite a few catfish nests, with attendant guard.

I had a few in my sump tank until I ate the last one about a year back. No nests built... but they couldn't have found any materials to make one anyway.

I can't speak from experience about the barbs. I kept my hands well away, having heard horror stories about their Top End relatives when I lived up there.

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Wow, thanks for all the feedback. I think i'll leave them out. I am considering a new system to replace the dirt vegy patch. Might stock there if it is a goer.

Just so sad to see them in such decline in the wild. They have such a fasinating biology.