Looking for some ideas for medium sized, active catfish for a 6'x2.5'x2.5' tank. Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks
Medium sized catfish recommendations
- Thread starter robuk
- Start date
I'll be moving my Zebrina pike cichlids in there and a Datnoides. That will probably be it.
Pimelodus ornatus, the ornate pim, would fit the bill nicely imo. Very active, enjoy being in groups which your tank could accommodate well. They are compatible with a wide variety of tankmates, including your dats and zebrinas. Not too large, not too small. Also look into goeldiella eques which is a similar type fish.
By my reckoning, vultures are on the large side for a tank like that but could work. I know that
thebiggerthebetter
has had many territorial issues with his full grown vultures in a tank of several thousand gallons.
leiarius are out of the question for sure.
By my reckoning, vultures are on the large side for a tank like that but could work. I know that
thebiggerthebetter
has had many territorial issues with his full grown vultures in a tank of several thousand gallons.leiarius are out of the question for sure.
Specify active, please.
Are you talking for life? Then this can be too theoretical as everyone's circumstances tend to change over 5, surely 10, most surely 20 years, which is the usual lifespan of a medium catfish, 20-30 years, it seems. Could be longer.
I too think adult Leiarius are too big for this tank. As would vultures and tigrinus be.
You probably need something that doesn't exceed 12"-18" and not a non-stop swimmer. I like Pimelodus ornatus suggestion, would add other mid-size Pimelodus species, blochii, tetramerus, albicans, maculatus. Rhamdia quelen is another one.
You can filter Planet Catfish Cat-eLog by size and study the hits of just browse the catfish families and genus. At this moment, the field is way too wide to be listing dozens of aspiring qualifiers.
Too small for vulture or leiarius but a great size for a bolt catfish, maybe even a group of two or three! I think you would then be the only person I know with a group of bolts!
No one I know of knows how they interact together.
There are a number of smaller hemibagrus and mystus if you can find them including a couple of albino types.
No one I know of knows how they interact together.
There are a number of smaller hemibagrus and mystus if you can find them including a couple of albino types.
I've reported in my thread mine two bolts 3" started fighting still in acclimation, straight out of their separate shipping bags, combined in one bucket, the bigger started ripping the smaller. In a 4500 gal when adults they would seek out each other and beat the snot out of each other on a regular basis for years. So I am unsure of your angle with this advice.