Hujeta gar (Ctenolucius hujeta) aquarium set up

[14crazychris]

Hi everyone

new here, hope I have posted in the correct section?

I have kept fish for years now, from a 14,000-litre koi pond to a 200L reef tank. I love oddballs and am really keen on keeping a small group of Hujeta gar (approximately 3-4). I love natural looking tanks biotopes/biotypes and would love to base one around the Hujeta gar. I have been researching this fish for many weeks and plan on setting an aquarium up slowly within the next 4 months. I am not aiming for a strict biotype, rather a south American/ Colombian themed aquarium. The tank will have a large manzanita tree root surrounded by various river pebbles, amazon sword species and Vallisneria. The substrate will be a pH reducing one (Colombo pro flora) which will assist with plant growth. I will also use Amazon frogbit for a floating plant. I will use rainwater and tap water along with various leaf litter to help maintain a low pH. I have a few questions below, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Could I incorporate a small shoal of large tetras such as red-eye or bleeding hearts?
would it be possible to keep a group of corydoras within the tank?
I would also like to include a few different pleco species?
would ottos be ok for algae cleaning or be eaten?

I appreciate the Hujetas will eat fish, therefore, I am unsure whether the above will be ok? if not what tank mates would suit? would prefer something natural looking rather than some big cichlids or catfish. The main focus of the tank is the Hujetas with some dither fish.

Kind regards
Chris

 

[kno4te]

Hujetas are a cool smaller oddball. It should be fine to add red eyes or bleeding heart tetras. Make sure they are large. Most of the hujetas won’t come in large sizes although I have seen 10in. Most of the time small. Smaller neons and cardinals size will get picked off.

The Corydoras are fine to add.

Would switch to a rubber lip pleco or bristlenose. Avoid otos as they’ll get swallowed easily.

 

[14crazychris]

Thanks for your response, that really helps. The plan was to stock the tank slowly, have it running for a few months and then purchase the Hujetas. Am planning on buying them small, around 2.5/3 inches.

Stocking:
8 Bleeding heart tetras
3-4 Hujetas
6 Corys (unsure which ones yet)
1 whip tail catfish
8 ottocinclus
3 different species of small plecos (4-inch max)

Hope this list will work? if not, any other tank mate suggestions?

cheers

 

[kno4te]

Thanks for your response, that really helps. The plan was to stock the tank slowly, have it running for a few months and then purchase the Hujetas. Am planning on buying them small, around 2.5/3 inches.

Stocking:
8 Bleeding heart tetras
3-4 Hujetas
6 Corys (unsure which ones yet)
1 whip tail catfish
8 ottocinclus
3 different species of small plecos (4-inch max)

Hope this list will work? if not, any other tank mate suggestions?

cheers

Sounds it’ll be a great tank. The only concern would be the otos. Would do a rubber lip pleco or ancistrus pleco for algae control.

 

[14crazychris]

Ok perfect! yeah was worried the Hujetas would eat the ottos, however, the ottos tend to stay on surfaces, therefore, I'm not sure if they would be seen as prey?

are there any other smaller plecos I could house? don't mind the rubber lip or bristlenose, but would prefer something with a little more colour or rarity?

Other than the plecos/ottos I think I'm decided, cheers for the help.

 

[kno4te]

Ok perfect! yeah was worried the Hujetas would eat the ottos, however, the ottos tend to stay on surfaces, therefore, I'm not sure if they would be seen as prey?

are there any other smaller plecos I could house? don't mind the rubber lip or bristlenose, but would prefer something with a little more colour or rarity?

Other than the plecos/ottos I think I'm decided, cheers for the help.

Even when stuck on glass it might try to pluck them off.

Red pleco bristlenose would give you the color ur looking for. Limited on algae eaters with the other fish.

 

[14crazychris]

Even when stuck on glass it might try to pluck them off.

Red pleco bristlenose would give you the color ur looking for. Limited on algae eaters with the other fish.

Ok cheers, yeah true! Sounds like a good idea, will start getting bits together for the tank. Any further help or stocking ideas would be appreciated, or if anyone has any first hand evidence with this species.
Cheers Chris

 

[kno4te]

Ok cheers, yeah true! Sounds like a good idea, will start getting bits together for the tank. Any further help or stocking ideas would be appreciated, or if anyone has any first hand evidence with this species.
Cheers Chris

Got a red bristlenose in my semi planted tank now. Eats algae of the glass and decor. Can’t go wrong with them.

 

[Miles WHD]

Even when stuck on glass it might try to pluck them off.

Red pleco bristlenose would give you the color ur looking for. Limited on algae eaters with the other fish.

I have a super red in with my Hujeta, never had issues with it and tank mates- I have even small cories with it, I imagine the silver dollars help.