Nonreclusive bottom dwelling SA catfish for 75 gallon?

[niks93gt]

I would like a single bottom dwelling catfish that will get between 4-8" without turning anything in my tank into a meal and that won't hide all day. My corys don't really hide, there is just a patch of amazon swords that they only leave a few times a day to feed and Scooter, my pleco, stays behind the heater and outlet pipe all day and only scoots around at night. Another requirement is that it be from South America. Hope I'm not being too picky....

stocking:
1 BGK "Snake"
1 Angel "Assassin"
1 L199 Pleco "Scooter"
8 Bleeding Heart Tetras
10 Silver Hatchets
5 Peppered Corys

Nik

 

[neilanh]

Have you checked www.planetcatfish.com? Lots of good info there.

 

[niks93gt]

Anyone have experience with pictus catfish?

Nik

 

[severum mama]

They'll eventually get large enough to eat small fish, and they are very active. A pictus may stress your other fish, especially the hatchets. Hatchets stress easily IME.

 

[Stephen]

You can try the armoured catfish. I have 6 in a 100 gallon tank, and they pretty much leave the Buenos Aires tetras and the severums alone.

They are a bit rowdy though, constantly moving at night, and they eat like there's no tomorrow.

 

[niks93gt]

I always thought 'armored catfish' were plecos and I have one...

Nik

 

[courtnee]

Im a pictus owner. I have 4 of them. They can stress fish as they "frenzy". Mine have terrorized my snail and my tetra. All is well now but the tetra still all go hide in a corner when the pictus come out at feeding time because they eat in a frenzy. They fly through the tank.

Also they will eat any fish that will fit in their mouth. Their mouths grow. I have white skirt and serpae tetra so they will be too big *crossing fingers* to eat. lol

 

[zenkatydid]

fyi courtnee, my friend's pictus has eaten full grown tiger barbs.

niks, i wish there were such a fish - i want it too! many catfish are shy and active only at night, and many will eat smaller fish. check out the synodontis species - they may be your best bet. i think they are from africa, though.

 

[Stephen]

I always thought 'armored catfish' were plecos and I have one...

Nik

Sorry about the confusion. Do a search on Callichthys callichthys. This was the fish I meant.

 

[niks93gt]

Those armored cats are a little ugly.... I'll look for them in the lfs to see what they look like. My pleco is slowly starting to come out of hiding... so maybe I won't need something more active for the bottom.

Nik

 

[Stephen]

Haha. They look like polka-dot sausages with whiskers. It does take some getting used to, similar to plecos.

 

[zenkatydid]

these guys are pretty cool too: http://www.fishtanksandponds.info/live-stock/fishprofiles/hoplo_cat.htm

 

[Stephen]

Oops. Sorry about the mistake. Those hoplos are the ones I have. Sorry for being such an idiot, even with the scientific names I make mistakes.

 

[courtnee]

fyi courtnee, my friend's pictus has eaten full grown tiger barbs.

I wouldnt doubt it! Many reports online to read about pictus eating other fish. Many people wont own them again because of the pictus eating all their fish. I had to make that choice when I bought my pictus and the tank that the tank is there for them and prepared for them to eat what else is in there. I tried to put a big enough fish in there for them and only time will tell. If a tetra ends up missing I will be okay with it as I know it is natural for them to do it and take action from there.

They get a 125gl tank soon and I am not to sure I am going to add anything else.

I agree if you want pictus cats do not be to attached to the other fish in the tank that can become supper and I wouldnt put spendy fish in there either.

 

[niks93gt]

Sounds like no fish meets my demands... oh well...

Nik