Tankmates

[matthew112687]

I am just about to start building a wet/dry filter system for my empty 55 gallon aquarium and had a few questions regarding stocking. I have researched these fish on this forum and a few other websites and I think it will work, but I wanted to see if anyone else has tried this combination with success.

As far as the tank goes, it is a standard 55 gallon, my pump will be pushing 590 gallons of water back into the tank. I am planning on having 4 gallons of pot scrubbies and left over bio material I have from other tanks. So lots of biological filtration.

As far as stocking goes I was hoping for:

3 Leopard Ctenopoma
4 African Butterflyfish
1 Polypterus delhezi

For decorating the tank I was planning on keeping it a barebottom tank, for easy cleaning with some grey PVC for the Polypterus delhezi to hide in. And possible a large piece of driftwood from my 90 gallon.

As for the surface of the aquarium, I was going to put some floating plants I have leftover from my old planted tank thats now just floating around in my 90. I figured this would be good for the African Butterflyfish and Leopard Ctenopoma to hide in.

The only thing I am concerned with is aggression, because I have never kept any of these fish before.

If you have had any experience with these fish, please let me know what you think about this possible set-up. Sorry for such a long post, I wanted to add as much information as possible.

Thank you.

 

[beblondie]

I know several people who keep these fish together with little or no problems-Anne

 

[Onion01]

I kept butterfly fish with bichirs no problem, since they rarely come in contact. Don't know about ctenopoma

 

[puntodan]

I have 2 butterflys and a 7" ornate and there are no problems at all, well the bircher loves the live locosts and crickets I put in so sometimes comes up and steals 1 or 2.

 

[killerfish]

sounds good except that the ctenopoma really like plants i'd say add a few leafy plants and it should be good
i've heard that the butterflys don't like each other to much but a group of 4-5 would spred out any aggression so other then that it should make a good tank

that filtration does seem strong don't get me wrong but the butterflys like there water a little calmer so just make sure there not getting shot around the tank

 

[AquataHolic420]

just make sure ur ctenotoma are bigger then the bichirs mouth!!

Get a big cteno. and small bichir! should work then.

 

[SUNFLOWER]

I have kept these fish togeather for a couple of years in a 125gal no problems at alla vary good combo. of African Fish.

 

[puntodan]

sounds good except that the ctenopoma really like plants i'd say add a few leafy plants and it should be good
i've heard that the butterflys don't like each other to much but a group of 4-5 would spred out any aggression so other then that it should make a good tank

that filtration does seem strong don't get me wrong but the butterflys like there water a little calmer so just make sure there not getting shot around the tank

I have 2 togeter and most of the time there at opposite ends of the tank, except when it comes to feeding time and then there both under the hatch trying to steal food out of each others mouths!

 

[matthew112687]

Thank you for all of the great responses. I will probably start off with just the Polypterus delhezi and African Butterflyfish. If all goes well, I will add the Leopard Ctenopoma later on. I will take some pictures of the wet/dry when I get that going and pictures of the tank in December when I have more $$$ for these fish. Im planning on moving out in December so money is a little tight right now. Thanks again everyone.