# how fast does a red tail barracuda grow.



## wlz28 (Apr 5, 2006)

I am wondering because I was thinking about starting a mixed species predator tank. I was going to get a few red tail barracudas, few needlenose gar, and a wolf fish. I'm in the research stage right now so if this is a bad idea please don't hesitate to tell me. I wanted get the fish young and about the same size, so they don't eat eachother obviously. But I have read that gar grow verry quickly, up to a foot in one year. I'm affraid if the fish don't grow at about the same rate then the small ones will suffer... Big time. Oh I have a 125 Gal. tank.


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

moderatly fast. they grow up to 15 inches, usually between 12-15 in a tank. provide these fish with plenty of decor. surface plants for cover and drift wood or slate rocks are appreciated. 
i would recommend a 75 gallon for this species. they grow fast enough where i would recommend they be placed in their long term home right away regardless of size.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

I had one. they aren't horribly fast growers. it really depends on how much you feed them. they get about 8-12" Mine I kept for about 2 years and it reached about 9". They act alot like tigerfish except they don't swim as much. I had mine first in a 50gal then moved to a 29 gal tank and he would spend most of his time just hanging out and twitching. not a whole lot of swimming.

Do not get anything that looks anything like them. They are very territorial of like colorered fish and will kill them. at 3" mine wiped out most of my african tank. started with the compressi's and then went to the smaller ones. within a week he became a very expensive fish. Id have moved him to the 30gal then if I didn't have a baby snakehead in it at the time.

Eating wise I never got much enjoyment out of them. altho they do have some mean lookin chompers. they generally eat their food whole. At best you might see them juggle the food so they can swallow it. sometimes they will hold their prey in their mouth and you can see them peeking out of the barri's teeth.

To keep for life I think your 125 would be fine.

But I don't know how well they will do with the gars and the wolf. Or even with the other RT's. I've only kept him with smaller cichlids.

They can be trained to eat pellets.


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## Helperwolf (May 7, 2006)

i got a barracuda too!


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

oooo Salty Barri. those are awesome.


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