Featherfin cat with Africans

[squirrilah fish]

Recently I was looking into getting some Synodotis petricola cats. But heard they need a group of 3 or so, and I don't have the room.

Does a featherfin cat need a group? Or is it better on it's own. Still worried about the size, but I just saw one for $5.

I already bought a rainbow shark to play this kinda " cleaner" role, would a feather fin mix with a rainbow shark, and my many African cichlids?

 

[Brandon D.]

Yes many people do mix them plus I'm pretty sure some come from the rift lakes

 

[squirrilah fish]

Cool, I'm more wondering if they can be kept alone, or if they need a group like petricola?

 

[Tacoeater]

I have two in my 60g Mbuna tank and they don't hang out with each other ever. One hides all day till feeding time and the other hangs around all day with the Mbuna's. They are tough cats, they hold their own when they get picked on once in a great while. Great bottom cleaners too.

 

[Fishy Smell]

I have a featherfin squeaker in my 130G and 5 Petricola in my 55G

Featherfin squeakers are fine (if not better) on their own. Petricola's need 3+ as you say, but 1 featherfin could potentially be harder to house than 3 petricola. You need some space for a featherfin as they get to 8" and i've seen them a few times at that size. They are substantial fish.

The petricolas are prettier fish, but the featherfin is an impressive animal. I've found both easy to keep at 7.5ph, 25-26 degrees and with all sorts of angry cichlids.

 

[squirrilah fish]

How fast do they grow? I know petricola has a rep of growing painfully slow.

 

[Fishy Smell]

How fast do they grow? I know petricola has a rep of growing painfully slow.

Of my 5 petricola, i had them all roughly the same time, a year ago.
2 were from one source, a little over 3 inch and i don't 'think they've grown since i bought them. 2 were from another source, maybe a little under 3" and have grown half an inch. 1 was from another source, was 2" and is now the same as the rest. So as i say, they're all about 3.25" now

The featherfin, i've had for 3 months, bought at about 3" and is now over 4.5 inches already a fairly large catfish.

 

[bettaowner]

I've seen a large feather fin catfish. I wouldn't keep it with cichlids because as they grow, this species has been known to develop a taste for other fish.

 

[squirrilah fish]

I decided against it. Maybe when I upgrade my tank again to like a 125.
I'm just doing all male Africans with a rainbow shark.

 

[Fishy Smell]

I've seen a large feather fin catfish. I wouldn't keep it with cichlids because as they grow, this species has been known to develop a taste for other fish.

What, you think it'll gobble up my Green Terror, Jack Dempsey, Severum etc.... LOL

It might snack on a Neon Tetra at a push, but they are definately not even close to being as bad as many other catfish, many smaller. Did you take a look at the size of its mouth? If not, investigate further and compare to something like a SA bumblebee catfish, which from my experience do cause disappearances in the night.

Synodontis are fine with smaller fish, within reason.

 

[Brandon D.]

I have one no clue what it is it's with my oscar and polypterus an he's doing good