Catfish idea
- Thread starter M@T!@$
- Start date
Those look great but I don't believe they can be kept with more than one to a tank. Also, they can be aggressive towards other fish in the tank, especially bottom dwellers. Lastly, from what I read, they are one of the fastest catfish kept in aquariums and require a lot more room for their size. They are pretty much a smaller, faster version of the vulture cat IMO.
I was in the same dilemma as you except I have my fire eels that I want to make sure aren't harmed. I meantioned the pimelodus ornatus because it gets near 12" long, can be kept solo, in small groups, or in large groups, isn't timid, is somewhat active in swimming around the tank, especially with a group, and is very easygoing and not aggressive towards other cats or other fish in the tank. I'm going to look into getting 4-6 of these guys for my 220.
Sun cats most usually do not exceed 1' and it takes several years to reach this size.
LSN in reality turn out to be Sorubim elongatus also with a max of 1'. Much slimmer though. Not hiding. Schooling.
P. ornatus is schooling we are told. How much, IDK. Never had more than 2-3.
That's the bolt.
My two bolts have been ok with tank mates both in 240 (3" to 7") and 4500 gal (7" to the current 10"-11") except each other. I can't recall them bickering with anybody else. But it's one man's experience.
Lol, it sounds like your bolt cats are the "public aquarium" exception. Two in a 4500 gallon tank is probably fine. I would have liked to see how well they did in the 240 at 10-12". I would grab a few of those in a heartbeat, but I have to make sure that my selection will be capable of living out life in a 220 and be ok with my fire eels. The bolt was a close option but I just couldn't bring myself to go with it due to the risks, according to the sources I read. Absolutely beautiful catfish though.
I'm not sure you understood my words. I said mine two have been fine with their tank mates but not with each other. They engage in violent fights even in 4500 gal weekly and light skirmishes daily. Their fins and maxillary barbels, on one in particular, are never intact but that one is not backing down! Next time I will have to drain the tank, I think I will rehome one. I've given them enough chances to settle their differences. They won't budge, won't divide up the 4500 gal. Even my 30" jaus did but these two oompa loompas won't...
I think I meant to say, what's the full grown size, I think I read on a vendors post they get 3'-4'?
Wes said that, that is likely Wild max size, one should probably expect 2' maybe more in captivity if properly kept. They haven't been kept very much for it to be known AFAIK.
