Searching for non-catfish tankmates

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 10 Jul 2003, 19:08

For those of you who keep "other" fish with your catfish, what type of fish do you have with your prized cats?

I've got a 135g tank that's home to the following catfish:
1 Asian Bumblebee
3 Pictus Catfish
1 Sailfin Plec
2 Ancistrus sp(?)

I've got two oscars in there now, but am looking to move to some more amiable fish, something that'll get along with some more expensive plecos. I tend to dislike the idea of the oscars feeding on the plecos (they got a bristlenose once

).

Unfortunately I can't go to a catfish only tank, and so I'm looking for suggestions on suitable replacement fish for the oscars. I was thinking about a few rams and tetras, but don't know if that would be a good idea. How likely are the bumblebee and pictus cats to take out tetra-sized (~1.5") fish?

Thanks for the help!

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Jul 2003, 19:13

I always find that other ostariophysans (tetras and minnows) make the best tankmates for catfishes. The pictus may or may not take out 1.5-inchers, but if the bumblebee is large enough, it definitely will.
I think mid-sized tetras, barbs or rasboras (something in the 3-4" range) are a safer bet.

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 10 Jul 2003, 22:07

I have barbs in with my asian and have not had a problem except when they were very small but they have outgrown his mouth. Also i have 2 severum which are the only fish that can go near and even in his cave without getting the smack down. They actually seem to enjoy the others company. Severum make a nice pretty fish that gets large but has a small mouth so it will not be able to eat smaller fish. Also non agressive except other severum. Either get one or more than two to cut down on agression toward their own kind, and you have plenty of room in that tank for multiples. Very personable and friendly to people as well, much like oscars.

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 11 Jul 2003, 11:52

IME really good characins for cats are the African Congo tetra's. They're lively, peaceful, really good looking, and dwell in the upper half of the tank (unlike many barbs!). Next to this, they're not so easily stressed as the big Rasbora's (like R trilineatus and such), and look really awesome.
My favourite is the Red Eye CT, Arnoldichthys spilopterus.

Others are Brycinus longipinnis (Yellow Eye CT),

Alestopetersius caudalis (Blue CT )

and Phenacogrammus interruptus (Congo Tetra).
Congo's usually range 3-5", depending on species, wich is way too big for Pseudomystus or Pimelodus to eat. They're very agile too, and rest near the surface or in mid water at night; unlike many South American tetra's that rest on the bottom.

Other fishes that would do well are Poptella orbicularis (looks like a small Methynnis, but it doesn't eat the plants!), or if you like peaceful imposing looking fish:

Ctenopoma acutirostre.
The even bigger C kingsleyi is also a very good fish for catfishtanks. They range from 6-8", are extremely peaceful, unless you're a guppy! Like cats they can do with less light, and unlike cichlids they're not territorial at all.

And if we're talking funfishes for catfishtanks, how about this one?

or this?

The list goes on and on....

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 11 Jul 2003, 15:48

SG_Eurystomus wrote:... and rest near the surface or in mid water at night; unlike many South American tetra's that rest on the bottom.

That is a nice quality, especially when the tank bottom will be so active at night.

Is it a problem, or just personal preference, when it comes to keeping African and SA fish together? I've heard a lot about not mixing continents, but I'm not aware of any reasoning behind it. Of course I've got my Pseudomystus in with a crowd of SA catfish so what do I know ...

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 11 Jul 2003, 15:59

I think I'd like to have a non-catfish "centerpiece" in the tank to compliment the main catfish (currently my gibby since he's the biggest fish in the tank and has such a beautiful dorsal fin). I think FatCat's severum's would fill such a role in his tank. Something so that non-catfish-lovers would enjoy the tank as well (although not as much as a catfish fanatic).

Do you keep a larger fish as a focal point with the tetras, rasboras, and such as filler/dither fish? Or do you let the catfish take the spotlight with the others as background?

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 12 Jul 2003, 01:44

Keeping African and South American fishes together (apart from predator- prey or territorial versus territorial role models) is very well possible IF you pick RIVERINE fishes from Africa. Unlike South America, there's a load of fish from Africa that come from (Rift)lakes. the famous Chuckoo cat (Synodontis multipunctatus) and a multitude of cichlids are examples from that; those need very different water.
But the African riverines from the lowlands like Congo, and the West Africans do well -in general- in medium soft and neutral to acidic waters. Hence it is possible to combine medium small Synodontis, Corydoras, a multitude of Pleco's, characins, small cichlids from both continents, etc etc together. Most Asians do well in this water too; I'm generalizing major here, but usually Rainforest-fishes all have similar water requirements.

So it usually comes down to the specific fish not being overly aggressive or voracious.

Aeroflight, sorry to spoil it, but you need another ""non-catfish "centerpiece""; a Gibby IS a catfish so it doesn't count as such!

peaceful big African Anabantoids, Polypteriformes or Knife fishes (either Gymnotidae or Notopterids) can be used for this (as mentioned), but peaceful cichlids from both continents can be used too (like Geophagus or Heros severus from S America or Chromidotilapia from Africa)