Small catfish suggestions.

[flame_fish]

Anyone have any ideas on small catfish besides cory catfish that can help clean the tank but are bigger enough not to get eaten but not too big, i was planning to have cories, mollies guppies & platys in a a 55 gallon tank & what are very hardy small catfish you guys can reccomend? Thanks

- Tylerr.

 

[toddnbecka]

Synodontis petricola or lucipinnis would be better suited to the hard/alkaline water conditions that livebearers prefer than Cory's. You can usually find young ones (~1") pretty cheap on aquabid. They're also social fish, so a group of 5 or more is best. They grow slowly, about 2 years to reach maturity, and then 1 more to full adult size of 4-5".

 

[flame_fish]

Thank you! I don't know much about catfish species, but the lucipinnis does it need a specif temperature? And are they hardy?

 

[toddnbecka]

I have a group of 5 that were in an unheated tank in the basement for several months a couple years ago. I had a broken hip and couldn't get down the stairs, so I didn't realize I'd forgotten to put a heater back into the tank. Lost all but a couple of the cichlids, but the catfish didn't mind a bit. Last summer the basement temps were in the mid 80's (no air conditioner in the basement) for weeks, that didn't seem to bother them either.

 

[flame_fish]

Oh okay thanks. What foods do they prefere? And you think they can be compatible with guppies & live barriers? & are they aggressive?

 

[toddnbecka]

They'll eat the same thing the guppies/etc will, no reason they shouldn't be compatible. They're social, schooling fish, not territorial or aggressive toward other species.

 

[flame_fish]

thanks. One more question, can they be found at any local petstore or do they have to be ordered?

 

[severum mama]

Moved to FW and Brackish- General Discussion.

It just depends on what the stores are like in your area. You may find that you have to order them online.

 

[toddnbecka]

You might find them locally, particularly if there's a local aquarium club with someone breeding them.
Otherwise, here's a good deal on 6 little ones: AquaBid.com - Item # fwcatfish1320645118 - 6x Synodontis Petricola.1inch+ InSize FreeShipping - Ends: Sun Nov 6 2011 - 11:51:58 PM CDT

 

[flame_fish]

thanks! But i'm just gonna make a stocking list & are they easy to breed or you don't know?