Xenomystus Nigri compatibility in 50 gallons

[Nerevar]

Hi

First off, I'm Nerevar from the Netherlands. I have been reading on this forum a lot lately.
I have recently bought a Juwel Trigon 190 (50 gallon) and have more or less decorated it West African style. There are no fish introduced yet (today is only day ten of this setup), but I have a very clear picture of what I want. I have a couple of questions involving compatibility, where you could come in.

This is a short video of today:

[video=youtube_share;jpNQRntX7vE]http://youtu.be/jpNQRntX7vE[/video]

And this is the list of species I have in mind, with the Knife as main protagonist:

1 Xenomystus Nigri
1 Pantodon Buchholzi
2 Microctenopoma Ansorgii
2-4 Synodontis Nigriventris
1-2 Ctenopoma Acutirostre

Questions:

- Are there (now and when the plants are well grown) enough hiding places? Because it seems a little open spaced to me.
- Is there a problem with any of the above mentioned fish species in a 50 gallon tank in combination with the Knife?
- In which order should I introduce these fish?
- What other, preferably non-cichlid, fish could be recommended as tankmate for the Knife in this aquarium? (as opposed to/besides my list)

A number of other questions were answered in other threads, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here so I made it as specific as possible

Thanks in advance!

 

[King-eL]

If u can get all those fish all at the same time it would be best to introduce all together. African brown knife seems to be nippy to long flowinh fins or newly introduce fish. Also if u can get a group of them as they do best and looks much better as mine swim together. Dont get less than 5 as they will end up fighting. Ropefish and other small size bichir can be a good tankmates as well.

 

[Nerevar]

Thanks King-eL

A Ropefish (Erpetoichtys Calabaricus) was also one of my probable tankmate-list options, but its length probably wouldn't suit this tank. And does the group of at least 5 Knives also apply to a 50g tank, with or without tankmates? Seems a bit crowded imo.

 

[Nerevar]

I have added a ropefish a week ago, then it disappeared into the filtercompartment. At least I thought so, there was no sign of it on the ground anywhere... It reappeared today so I filled the open top of this with a spunge before I shut it with some plastic contraption tomorrow

Here he is for about a second
http://youtu.be/FV5i5er8_tg

I also ordered a school of Yellowtail Congo Tetras to mature the tank (and for some movement without cramping the bigger standard Phenacogrammus Interruptus in the tank), but I hope they're already big enough not to be devoured by my Ctenopoma Acutirostre Else, in the 15 gallon tank with them...

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[Nerevar]

Well, yestetday the courier arrived with 2 packages: 6 yellotail congo tetras and a knife. But, it was the wrong knife! What fish store mistakes a black ghost with a xenomystus nigri? Will have to wait another 1-2 weeks for them to rectify and deliver my desired knife

In the meantime i have bought another male and female yellowtail at the lfs. Happy to see they had them also finally, only went in there to buy some bogwood and life mosquito larvae

Here they are, camera shy but visible. Now they just swim around, flashing their greenish blue and silver sides in the stream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1oDmpjlRJA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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[Nerevar]

1 Ctenopoma Acutirostre
1 Xenomystus Nigri
1 Erpetoichthys Calabaricus
1 Polypterus Mokelembembe
2 Pelvicachromis Pulcher
2 Synodontis Nigriventris
6 Alestopetersius Caudalis

... And all working fine with each other. In some weeks the kribs will move to the small tank, since the only tension is between them and the Ctenopoma, nothing serious and only short chase-the-krib-and-retreat behavior.

My Pantodon Buchholzi lasted only a couple of days and was probably sick when bought: no eating, being dominated by the tetra's and kribs and not responsive to anything actually. I've then decided to go for the bichir and have no complaints (yet)

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