Oil catfish tankmates

[jcork]

I was just wondering if an oil catfish would eat tankmates the size of an adult guppy. It's a 20 gallon high aquarium which I would think would be large enough for 1 or 2, please correct me if I'm wrong !
P.S.- does anyone have any personal experience with the care of oil catfish. I read the article on here but it seemed more oriented towards breeding. Also, how closely related are wood cats and oil cats? Thanks!

[kruseman]

With "oilcatfish" you mean Centromochlus perugiae?

They're safe to keep with adult guppies.
Newly born ones have the risk to be eaten by them.

[Marc van Arc]

does anyone have any personal experience with the care of oil catfish. Also, how closely related are wood cats and oil cats?

There should be plenty of people with experience, so I'll let them tell you first.
Woodcats is a common name for

Auchenipteridae

and

Centromochlus perugiae

is a member of that family. To be exact, the Auchenipteridae are divided into two subfamilies, the Auchenipterinae and the Centromochlinae. The Oil cat sits in the latter.

[jcork]

Thanks, they're mouths reminded me somewhat of a gulper catfish and I got nervous! Do you know of anyone selling any specimens? Once again, thanks for the help!

[Marc van Arc]

Thanks, they're mouths reminded me somewhat of a gulper catfish and I got nervous! Do you know of anyone selling any specimens? Once again, thanks for the help!

These are very friendly & small fish and the only things they gulp away are red mosquito larvae -).
I don't think it's very useful to tell you who has these for sale in the Netherlands, so perhaps a US-member from the North-East is able to help you out here?

[jcork]

I know that petsolutions has them for sale so I may et some from there, thanks for all the help!

[Bas Pels]

Also, how closely related are wood cats and oil cats? Thanks!

Generally speaking, woordcats refers to the family Auchenipteridae (excuse me for any spelling errors) and Centromochlus is part of that family