Tigrinus shovelnose tankmates

[TheEelKing]

Sorry for the slow response I've been out of town. I would say it could theoretically kill the cat if it wedged in it's mouth and wasn't removed or from infection as a result of the puncture wound from the CL barb. That barb is pretty sizeable on a big CL easily 1/2" or bigger on a 10" CL.

You probably have a higher chance of the Tig having a go at the CL in the second scenario you mentioned with a 28" tig and an 8" CL than with the smaller size difference but still I feel like it would be relatively safe. Also generally keeping the CL in schools is always recommended and I feel like that would limit predation even further with a bunch of those guys swimming together. I would honestly think 5% chance of an attack. I've kept many smaller fish and never had the Tig attempt to eat any of them, maybe I was lucky? maybe it was because they were taller shaped fish like Severums, Prochilodus, or native sunfish species? maybe just a more passive Tig and well fed? Who knows.

Shovelnose catfish will always have the ability to eat much smaller fish due to their mouth but from experience the "smaller" species like Tig and Jur aren't nearly as aggressive as TSN. That said there was a 20ish" TSN in that same tank and it didn't mess with the CL either.

Thank you. Also, I keep clown loaches in groups of at least 7.

Three more questions:

1) Would a tigrinus shovelnose be able to stay with larger bichirs like the congo, endlicheri, nile, and ornate for life? Would a 28" tigrinus try and swallow adult specimens of these bichirs? I'm having reservations because of the noodle-shaped bodies bichirs have.

2) Would an adult tigrinus shovelnose eat smaller catfish species like african feather fin catfish, jaguar catfish, and striped raphael catfish?

3) Tigrinus Shovelnose with large 12"+ bala sharks and tinfoil bars?

Thanks!

 

[amazonfishman]

Thank you. Also, I keep clown loaches in groups of at least 7.

Three more questions:

1) Would a tigrinus shovelnose be able to stay with larger bichirs like the congo, endlicheri, nile, and ornate for life? Would a 28" tigrinus try and swallow adult specimens of these bichirs? I'm having reservations because of the noodle-shaped bodies bichirs have.

2) Would an adult tigrinus shovelnose eat smaller catfish species like african feather fin catfish, jaguar catfish, and striped raphael catfish?

3) Tigrinus Shovelnose with large 12"+ bala sharks and tinfoil bars?

Thanks!

Should be fine with Bichir's, seen plenty of tanks overseas with adult Tig's with 12-18" Bichir's, when they get bigger they are thick, like forearm thick so not easy for a Tig to eat one despite their torpedo shape.

I wouldn't keep Tig's in general with any African catfish, they require different ideal water parameters. As far as the jaguar and raphael they are much smaller and grow super slow where they could be eaten but they would likely be tucked away under driftwood out of sight from the Tig even if it wanted to eat them it would likely not bother them.

Non issue especially with the tinfoils, they are really tall fish it would be difficult for a Tig to take one out even at max size, big tinfoils are like 6-8" tall.

 

[TheEelKing]

Should be fine with Bichir's, seen plenty of tanks overseas with adult Tig's with 12-18" Bichir's, when they get bigger they are thick, like forearm thick so not easy for a Tig to eat one despite their torpedo shape.

I wouldn't keep Tig's in general with any African catfish, they require different ideal water parameters. As far as the jaguar and raphael they are much smaller and grow super slow where they could be eaten but they would likely be tucked away under driftwood out of sight from the Tig even if it wanted to eat them it would likely not bother them.

Non issue especially with the tinfoils, they are really tall fish it would be difficult for a Tig to take one out even at max size, big tinfoils are like 6-8" tall.

Thank you! So, if a tigrinus is okay with loaches, it would probably be okay with larger goby species like the fat sleeper or the marbled goby then? Fat sleepers are taller and thicker than clown loaches. It seems as if tigrinus shovelnose are not as predatory as I thought they were.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thank you! So, if a tigrinus is okay with loaches, it would probably be okay with larger goby species like the fat sleeper or the marbled goby then? Fat sleepers are taller and thicker than clown loaches. It seems as if tigrinus shovelnose are not as predatory as I thought they were.

Right. I hope after all this you are still not confusing tiger shovelnose or TSN and tigrinus shovelnose or tig for short.

It almost seems you are tangled up in common names... which is why most people never use "shovelnose" after tigrinus or tig. Say "tigrinus" or "tig", and almost all know the fish you are referring to.

One is Pseudoplatystoma = fake flat mouth (it's not flat at all but collapsible, for stealth), the other is Brachyplatystoma = short flat mouth.

They are vastly different in predatory habits as kept in captivity and the size of the prey they are able to swallow is very different too. Tig's mouth is not collapsible, not at all like TSN's.

*****

I apologize if you know all this. Don't mean to be presumptive, only hoping to help.

 

[TheEelKing]

Right. I hope after all this you are still not confusing tiger shovelnose or TSN and tigrinus shovelnose or tig for short.

It almost seems you are tangled up in common names... which is why most people never use "shovelnose" after tigrinus or tig. Say "tigrinus" or "tig", and almost all know the fish you are referring to.

One is Pseudoplatystoma = fake flat mouth (it's not flat at all but collapsible, for stealth), the other is Brachyplatystoma = short flat mouth.

They are vastly different in predatory habits as kept in captivity and the size of the prey they are able to swallow is very different too. Tig's mouth is not collapsible, not at all like TSN's.

*****

I apologize if you know all this. Don't mean to be presumptive, only hoping to help.

Thanks, I know the difference between a tigrinus and a TSN.

That said, barbs can be nippy when it comes to long fins and whiskers, right? Would tinfoil barbs nip away at the tigrinus's whiskers and tail streamer? If so, then bala sharks may be a better choice for me to go with if I do indeed get a tigrinus.

Also, what is the minimum fish size you would put with a tigrinus to avoid being eaten by it?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

In my small experience, I don't think I saw a difference in the "nippiness" and general boisterness between balas and tinfoils. If anything, balas are more ornery. Neither do I think the nipping will take place necessarily.

The minimum size is defined by the tig's mouth width - the tank mate's height or width must exceed it. Just like you yourself said, a 2' noodle, like ropefish, might be risky while a 6" disc, like silver dollar, is safe.

 

[moe214]

Bichirs at larger size can’t be eaten by a tig. They get fat as stated. You just want to be careful they don’t have the luck of J jaws7777 who’s bichirs are hit or miss with the cats he tries, he had a jur which I’d say would be a close example.

There’s also a member I believe Burbotman who has large bichirs with a large marbled goby for years. So your good there. It’ll just depend how the goby and tig get on. Will depend on the specimen. IMO it would work, ime they pick who they tolerate though. A member here has one specimen he keeps alone But has many he keeps with other fish. Will depend on the specimen in the end.

 

[SharptoothBass]

I have three specimens I keep alone, one female that I keep with two much larger fish who she constantly harasses and has made one of them jump out twice. I have one tank that has four runt gobys that stay with other fish and do pretty well. I only keep runts and females with other fish. I have five tanks of Marbles and have been keeping them going on thirty years and I would not spend money on a tig and put it with one of these gobys. My big female beats up on my big apure catfish everyday tigs are much more delicate fish and I just wouldn't risk it. There are many factors that also go into these combos like sex of fish there is a big difference in behavior from a mature male and female marble, size of the fish and size of the tank, the setup of the tank, what are the fish eating all sorts of things. I have five tanks of MARBLE GOBYS with four males and four females and they have different behavior so be careful when people tell you things will work because they work for someone else.

 

[SharptoothBass]

Another big thing with cohabitation is how long did it last. Some fish will be good for years until one fish fully matures and all h## breaks loose very few people keep gobys long term so you have to be careful with that also. Almost all the people who I see giving info on these fish has never raised and kept a Marble Goby long term. I have raised my gobys from under two inches to 16 and 20 inches one is 11 and one is 9 years old. Nobody has all the answers when it comes to these fish they are living things with their own minds.

would you want your tig being bit like this.

 

[jaws7777]

Bichirs at larger size can’t be eaten by a tig. They get fat as stated. You just want to be careful they don’t have the luck of J jaws7777 who’s bichirs are hit or miss with the cats he tries, he had a jur which I’d say would be a close example.

There’s also a member I believe Burbotman who has large bichirs with a large marbled goby for years. So your good there. It’ll just depend how the goby and tig get on. Will depend on the specimen. IMO it would work, ime they pick who they tolerate though. A member here has one specimen he keeps alone But has many he keeps with other fish. Will depend on the specimen in the end.

Well said.

Keeping a comm is always trial and error no hard rules. No one can say for a fact this or that would work. Yup the ornate was a great example. He tore up a juruense but completely ignored my vulture.