compatible catfish

[pwmin]

I am going to have a tank with a BGK, an ornate bichir, and a silver or black arowana. right now i have a 125 w/ just an 8" BGK, but i'm planning on going up to either and 8x3x3 or 10x4x3 (LWH) or somewhere in there in a year or two.

I was going to put in a Loricarioidea, but I've heard horror stories about them sucking the slime coat off of a couple of the fish I plan on having. Is it worth the risk of trying or is it inevitable?

I was also thinking of putting in a Pimelodidae. What would go okay with those fish? I don't want anything that will get larger than the aro (I'm thinking 24" would be good, maybe 30). Do "4-lined pimodella" get large enough to be in w/ the aro (supposedly 12" max)?

 

[SimonL]

I like leiarius or perrunichthys if you want a mid size, predatory pim. Both grow about 24". Lima (not tiger!) shovelnose are a good one too.

 

[pwmin]

I forgot to add that I'm looking for something that isn't terribly inclined to dig up plants as I'm planning on having a few plants on one side of the tank.

I did come across some of those, specifically L. longibarbus and Perruno p. and heard they would probably root up plants. Is that true and/or a major problem? A porthole (spotted) shovelnose would be okay, huh? How about a juruense cat?

 

[SimonL]

Most larger fish will end up uprooting plants...I'd pot them, or surround the bases with large stones. Swords are the only plant I've ever had good luck keeping with bigger fish.

Yeah, the cat should be fine, I seem to remember them being rather expensive compared to a Lima though.

 

[pwmin]

cool, thanks. i got some more plants last night and put the river rocks around them. i needed to move them anyway to make an open swimming space on the bottom.

any other ideas of catfish i should look at? i think a BGK, bichir and predatory catfish will be enough for the middle/bottom. i may get a tigar oscar, too. i didnt want one cuz i didnt want hit to root up the plants, but i don't think thats a big concern anymore.

 

[pwmin]

sorry, P. perruno.

I've pretty much scratched the idea of an oscar or two, maybe later when i get a bigger tank. i may not even get an aro till later, too. hopefully, i can find a nice cat off my list. i'd like to find a P. perruno based on looks and size. they're not an exact amazon biotope fish, but close enough, esp as they are almost identical to L. longibarbus.

does this look like a decent setup? (i'm hoping the driftwood will waterlog and i wont have to have the rocks holding it down; i might add some more pieces, too)

 

[pwmin]

after reading about the growth rates of perruno and L., i think they will get too big too fast for my tank and will have to upgrade before i can.

do shovelnose species grow as fast? (tigrinus, flash tiger, lima, porthole, etc.)?