Catfish for 400 gal?

[mybirthdateisfake]

I'm planning to add a catfish to my 400 gal pond, but what catfish should it be?

Current stocking:
- 10-11in Green Terror
- 12in Jaguar cichlid
- 10in Oscar
- 2 Tinfoil barbs

 

[kno4te]

Vulture catfish would work. Maybe not too big to eat your tankmates.

 

[Fishman Dave]

A number of the larger pims would work, as would bolt, a couple of the smaller hemibagrus, the mystus luecophasis, obviously the larger synodontis types, giraffe cats, larger plecs, larger bumblebee types, jelly cat

 

[mybirthdateisfake]

Vulture catfish would work.

Would definitely keep one if they weren't so expensive. Nobody breeds them here so they're all imported.

A number of the larger pims would work, as would bolt, a couple of the smaller hemibagrus, the mystus luecophasis, obviously the larger synodontis types, giraffe cats, larger plecs, larger bumblebee types, jelly cat

I have a Featherfin synodontis in a grow out, but besides that, plecos, and the giant bumblebee catfish, most of these fish are rare and hard to get. Pims are extremely expensive, nobody sells bolts. Hemibagrus are really common but most sellers here don't know which species they're selling (because they are native here). Most people sell Mystus singaringan, nigriceps, and gulio, but not luecophasis. Giraffe cats are generally expensive, but I really want to keep them. Same for jelly cats, exept they're hundreds of dollars.

Some catfish I've been considering are:
Hemiarius stormii
Pure perruno
Clarias batrachus (they're legal here)

Would some of these work?

 

[Fishman Dave]

Yes, assuming actual perruno and not marmoratus, this may get a bit big. Clarias batrachus are quite sturdy and not overly agressive generally(and < 2ft)

 

[mybirthdateisfake]

Yes, assuming actual perruno and not marmoratus, this may get a bit big. Clarias batrachus are quite sturdy and not overly agressive generally(and < 2ft)

So, in your opinion, which of the three is best?

Unfortunately, the actual perruno has ran out of stock, leaving only marmoratus/achara (which I don't think would wotk in my pond), or more expensive options

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It seems it'd be hard for us from the US and EU to advise you because we have no idea of what aquarium, exotic or local, catfish are available to you and affordable by you.

If you gave us a list of what you like and can get, we might be able to be more helpful.

We have never seen a Perichthys perruno in the trade anywhere in the world in the past decades. There has been no export from the Lake Maracaibo and vicinity where they only live. Nor would it fit into a 400 gal I think.

 

[mybirthdateisfake]

If you gave us a list of what you like and can get, we might be able to be more helpful.

Clarias batrachus
Hemiarius stormii
Synodontis eupterus (already own)
Eclipse/sun catfish
Hemibargus nemurus
Sorubim lima
Black lancer
Ompok bimaculatus

Also do any of these fish venomous? I wanted to keep Neoarius berneyi but I don't want to deal with venomous spines.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

So the cCurrent stocking is:

- 10-11in Green Terror
- 12in Jaguar cichlid
- 10in Oscar
- 2 Tinfoil barbs

... and you are looking at:

Clarias batrachus
***We had a varying experience with these. In a smaller tank, like 240 gal they can be mean to each other and other catfish, perhaps not so or less so to the listed cichlids and tinfoils. When we had 10 of them at 2ft in a 4500 gal, they were totally chill. The bigger the home, the more relaxed they are.

Hemiarius stormii
***As stated, never kept. See https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/hemiarius-stormii-care.757735/#post-8519038 for a couple of thoughts.

Synodontis eupterus (already own)
***Should fit in well, even in numbers.

Eclipse/sun catfish
***Should fit in well, perhaps better in numbers.

Hemibargus nemurus
***Should work well. If these are farm raised albino, they won't exceed 12-14 inches and are rather mellow IME.

Sorubim lima
***Would work well only when lima are well over 1ft. Smaller lima are timid and rather fragile while your large cichlids are boisterous.

Black lancer
***My comments would be similar to lima.

Ompok bimaculatus
***My comments would be similar to lima.

Also do any of these fish venomous? I wanted to keep Neoarius berneyi but I don't want to deal with venomous spines.
***A poke or a stab from the three spines of all these catfish and also from the Neoarius is similarly painful but has no lasting consequences. If you are not allergic to the neurotoxin in the slime on the spines (I've never heard of one case yet), the intense pain usually goes away soon, in minutes or tens of minutes. The defensive neurotoxin is designed to cause sharp pain at the point of entry but I assume our bodies break down the toxin rather quickly, and I know no harm results after the initial pain. Of course secondary infections are always possible, so wounds must be properly sanitized and treated.

 

[mybirthdateisfake]

***A poke or a stab from the three spines of all these catfish and also from the Neoarius is similarly painful but has no lasting consequences.

Just found out all catfish have venom. I would like to know where the three spines are located?