Larger cichlids and........

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J

Jc1119

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2010
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Orlando fl
Pictus cats?......... We have a 300 gallon tank that will end up housing 3-4 large cichlids(Midas, Festae, Loisellei) and a few medium plecos. I know pictus can reach 4-5" but has anyone kept them with cichlids that grow a foot or more? Do they pretty much ignore them or are they a no go. I really like them, but not enough to risk losing two fish if somebody thinks they're food.....

Thanks in advance....
 
I've kept them with juvenile Jack Dempsey and Oscar with no issues... but I wouldn't risk a much larger fish choking on them. Stopped keeping them anyway because all they do is hide and eat at night, even in schools (in my case anyway).

Clown Loaches are a much better choice for large cichlid tanks imho.
 
They would work at first but when the cichlids get 8'' or so the pictus are in trouble

the solution ? get some P. blochii or ornatus both can get 8''-9'' no problem. How ever size isn't the only problem, aggression is what you really need to watch. Pim cats can't really fight back and will only swim away. However they are fast cats so with a big tank with lots of hideing spots it could work
 
pictus cat can survive with almost all large cichlids i had mines in with the meanest flowerhorn but i got ride of them because they are only active at night or wen u turn of your lights
 
My Clown loaches are active nearly all day long. They take a few breaks throughout the day where they disappear for a while, but they are mostly swimming and grazing all the time. I guess they can be annoying to some fish with their activity too. In a 300 they would grow nicely over a long time. I also considered getting Pictus Cats but I don't want anymore fish that hide all day. My Raphael Cat holds that position well enough on his own. I actually forgot he was in there today when i saw him come out and gulp down a pellet before disappearing again. But Pictus do seem pretty active when I see them at smaller sizes at LFS.
 
i had a couple of pictus in my tank, mine were active all day, as my cichlids got larger most were ignored but with a little chase every now and then but my jag which was about 6inches at the time took a dislike to them and literally hunted them all day, it was unusual as its probably the best behaved fish in the tank, usually very mellow, removed the pictus as there were going to end up dead and the jag has regained its position as best behaved in tank once more. Could of been the constant movement that brought out its instincts, that was in a 150g so im sure there would be more chance of it being calmer in a 300g, just keep a close eye on it
 
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