Stocking with a four line

[klaude]

I have a four line cat who's looking lonely in a 55g all by himself. I have been researching stocking options and am thinking either discus or rams and rainbows.

Would the rams be uncomfortable with the other large bottom dweller in the tank? The cat is about a foot long, I don't think he'd be able to fit a ram in his mouth... I do plan on adding more hiding places as well.

I'm not sure how dirty the tank would get with discus and a four line I know they are both messy.

Any advice/experience is greatly appreciated!

 

[mambee]

Your catfish would eat the rams. Both rams and discus require very warm water. In addition, discus need extremely clean water with very frequent water changes. How about some severums?

 

[klaude]

Yea I'm looking those or rainbows right now.

 

[klaude]

Okay after further research I have a 55g with a 14in four line cat currently and an aqueon quietflow 55/75g filter. pH has been consistently ~7.0, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 20-40

I am planning to add a second filter (same, aqueon quietflow 55/75) and am looking at adding

6 boseman's rainbows
2-3 angelfish

Does this sound reasonable? aqadvisor says yes, but that's basically a calculator. Would like to hear input from people with experience... My cat is about 10 years old, don't want to over stress him at this point, and I don't want to add anything to the tank that might end up as food or cause fights.

Any input would be appreciated...

Thanks!

 

[SherLar]

Never had a 4-line catfish before, but what I just now read, yours may be about at the end of it's lifespan; sorry. IMO, don't stress it by adding more fish to it's home.

 

[klaude]

Never had a 4-line catfish before, but what I just now read, yours may be about at the end of it's lifespan; sorry. IMO, don't stress it by adding more fish to it's home.

Yea that is a concern of mine as well, and why I've been stalling for so long... He was living with a large blue cichlid for most of his life, just recently alone. Seemed depressed for a while after the cichlid died but he's perking up again.

I'm excited about getting new fish but definitely don't want to do it at the expense of the one I have now! From what I've read he's bigger than they usually get in captivity and he's already outlived the general lifespan for his species... Wouldn't want to compromise that.