Are Channel Cats compatible with African Cichlids.

[Cafe Jeff]

Hi,
I did a little googling around but was not able to find out much. The LFS near me has some nice looking 3 to 4 inch channel cats. (I won't say which store it is, except to say that it rhymes with fart). I have a cycled 55 gallon with 4 small African (under 3 inches) cichlids, a 2 inch pleco and another cat whose name escapes me at the moment. Could I put a channel cat in here? The water is slightly alkaline (basically Toronto tap) and the substrate is sand. Filtration comprises an Emperor 400 and an Acquaclear 150 for backup. Jeff

 

[Terry]

Hi cafe jeff, I would not put channel cats with african cichlids that is a no no. I think in the states people have caught channel cats up to 50lbs in weight. The fish you have would become lunch at some time.

 

[cdawson]

They get WAY too large for any tankmates and are not suitable for any aquarium.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Too bad.
He looked like a nice fish.
Could this be another fish wrongly called a Channel Cat?
Jeff

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Nope, it is most likely a real live channel cat. As a reference one of our members a while back bought one at a few inches like yours. Within a few months it had grown to about 8" and had eaten most of her tetras. At this point I adopted it from her, and put it into my aquarium for the winter. Over this time it grew to about 10" or so. He now lives in my pond and has to be close to 18". The fish is a real jerk too, up to the point where my dad has considered trying a little cajun cooking. It will have been a year since I have had the fish this November.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

No, that's more than likely a properly identified fish- Ictalurus punctatus. You do NOT want to buy one of those: they reach lengths of about two and a half feet and are predators. These guys are not community fish at all and are one of the many species that shouldn't be available for purchase in shops, IMO.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Now if I had a pond or new someone relatively close by with one -- which I eventually will -- I would take the risk and buy him for the winter. Oh well.
Jeff

 

[Cafe Jeff]

What about a bala shark twice the size as the next African Cichlid.
Would that go? Jeff

 

[Cafe Jeff]

What about a bala shark twice the size as the next African Cichlid.
Would that go? Jeff

 

[RogerMcAllen]

They are not good in ponds either. They are voracious predators and will attack anything, mine hit an 8" comet.

 

[Terry]

Cafe Jeff, if you want African cichlids just stick with those, if you want other things then go for a community aquarium.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I agree with Terry: Africans have needs/temperments/behaviours that aren't really suitable for mixing with other tropical fish.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Luckily I don't have a pond so the critter is safe (or unsafe, depending on how you look at it) in the shop. Jeff