Getting some new cats

[in_the_seance]

Getting some new cats for my 90 gallon was hoping someone had some experience with these cats together
filtration 2x emperor 400, cascade 1500 canister
ph 6.8 temp 75
lighting t5ho aquasun quad 48"
heavy planted java moss, java fern, amazon sword, green cabomba, Philippine fern, amazon frogbit
tons of driftwood

current stock
3x Sun cat Horabagrus brachysoma 4"
8x liver cat Heteropneuses Fossilis 4-9"
1x black ghost knife Apteronotus albifrons 7"
1x yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis 5"

removed
2x angelfish 5"
3x saddled bichir polypterus endlicheri endlicheri 12"
1x regular pleco 18"

adding
1x mottled eel-tail banjo cat Platystacus cotylephorus 5"
1x Harlequin Lancer Cat bagroides melaptereus 5"
1x borneo churros catfish breitensteinia insignis 5"
2x sold as two stripe gulper cat ompok pabda 4" but I haven't seen them
thanks

[linuxrulesusa]

I have not had problems per se but based on size/body shape of the banjo cats vs the sun cats [and especially the gulpers],* I think you will have problems down the road. How soon, I can't say. I do own sun cats and banjos but I keep them separately.

Also the mottled banjo is supposedly a somewhat brackish cat, or so I read.

*My bad on the gulpers, I thought you were talking about the SA gulper catfish (Asterophysus batrachus) which is a lot more prone to eating other tankmates. Even so, I'd be hesitant about the banjos with the other catfish you have once all are full grown.

[naturalart]

Are you purchasing your cats online? And if so can you tell us who you are purchasing from. I am currently looking for good online sources for catfish.

[in_the_seance]

I have not had problems per se but based on size/body shape of the banjo cats vs the sun cats [and especially the gulpers],* I think you will have problems down the road. How soon, I can't say. I do own sun cats and banjos but I keep them separately.

Also the mottled banjo is supposedly a somewhat brackish cat, or so I read.

*My bad on the gulpers, I thought you were talking about the SA gulper catfish (Asterophysus batrachus) which is a lot more prone to eating other tankmates. Even so, I'd be hesitant about the banjos with the other catfish you have once all are full grown.

hadn't seen anything on mottled banjo being brackish until you said something
my three sun cats aren't aggressive at all right now they herd with the ghost knife, thats why I got the o. pabda
this 90 is a grow out so I can transfer if need be
also building a 55 gallon diy sump with 950 gph pump for better filtration

these dudes will be here tomorrow
i ordered from thewetspot dude usually has a good stock and cheaper shipping to me in Montana hes in Portland
4 of my heteropneuses fossilis came from here about 6 months ago

[linuxrulesusa]

Sounds good, let us know how it goes.

[Richard B]

What is the footprint for your 90 gallon tank?

Your current stocking, when adult, will vastly exceed the requirements of a 6x2 foot tank without any new additions.

of the fish you are getting then the Platystacus cotylephorus & breitensteinia insignis may suffer as they do not compete well for food with species that are less timid, like the onesyou already have

[naturalart]

Thanks in_the_seance. I have ordered from The Wetspot as well and have had good experiences with them. They do have quality and unusual fish.

[in_the_seance]

What is the footprint for your 90 gallon tank?

Your current stocking, when adult, will vastly exceed the requirements of a 6x2 foot tank without any new additions.

of the fish you are getting then the Platystacus cotylephorus & breitensteinia insignis may suffer as they do not compete well for food with species that are less timid, like the onesyou already have

this is true the tanks a grow out for now
eventually my livers will go into their own
building a bigger tank in my basement
i over feed anyways cause theres about 200 billion malaysian trumpets in the sand, building a diy 950gph 55gallon sump for bioload
i like my cats fat so if they are struggling have other empty tanks just in case

[in_the_seance]

footprint is 48"x24"
moved mottled banjo to brackish tank with balas kept gulping air/floating at surface couldn't get down
doing great in brackish tank now
heres some pics of them

[linuxrulesusa]

I really like the Harlequin lancer cat. Would like to get one someday myself.

Glad the mottled is doing well in brackish.

[in_the_seance]

I really like the Harlequin lancer cat. Would like to get one someday myself.

Glad the mottled is doing well in brackish.

the harlequin is very solitary so far
whereas the rest all jam under the same piece of driftwood
except the churros hes planted himself in front of the powerhead with his mouth open doesn't move even when chunks of food are rolling over his head only eats what blows in his mouth

[in_the_seance]

not necessary getting another cat but have to house my buddies mystus bocourti, hi fin mystus about 5", while he moves could he go into tank with bagroides melapterus harlequin lancer? would there be aggression or should i house him in another tank? thanks

[Silurus]

Mid-sized bagrids don't necessarily take kindly to each other. I would house them separately as a precaution.

[in_the_seance]

Mid-sized bagrids don't necessarily take kindly to each other. I would house them separately as a precaution.

thanks for the quick reply and advice

[minipol]

My Hora's (i have 6 of them) definitely have a pecking order and you sometimes see them in a dominance battle.
Battle is a strong word, it's more of twisting around each other and then usually one swims away, and turns and it starts over.
Weird thing is, they prefer to be in each others company.
Plenty of room but they like to be in the same area.

[unblinded]

Thanks so much for sharing. Congrats on the new cats. I'm about to order some Malawi Synos from Wet Spot & was hesitant. Seeing yours came through just fine makes it a bit easier to go ahead & pull the trigger.

[in_the_seance]

Thanks so much for sharing. Congrats on the new cats. I'm about to order some Malawi Synos from Wet Spot & was hesitant. Seeing yours came through just fine makes it a bit easier to go ahead & pull the trigger.

sweet dude! glad i could help, most of his are wild caught so you may want to quarantine them. I don't know about the malawi when you email him ask if they are/ also he has no problem giving you the most spotted/marbled fish just ask.

[in_the_seance]

My Hora's (i have 6 of them) definitely have a pecking order and you sometimes see them in a dominance battle.
Battle is a strong word, it's more of twisting around each other and then usually one swims away, and turns and it starts over.
Weird thing is, they prefer to be in each others company.
Plenty of room but they like to be in the same area.

my 3 haven't done this but i'll keep an eye out, so far they all like the same piece of driftwood and form a catfish ball(at least the liver cats) but they are pretty small about 4" had them for about a year or so. grown considerably since I got them maybe about 1" but they bodies are way fatter bulkier build

[in_the_seance]

so i went to a pet store in another town and they had all these different cats in one tank but all sold as pictus for $3 big one $6, i noticed that they were different and picked up 3 small ones and ol big. I'm thinking the small ones are tetramerus around 3" put them in 55 with ombok pabdas, and ol big seems to be a channel cat about 5" let me know what you think? good pick-up? never seen the tetramerus in person until then. thanks and sorry about the crappy pics had to crawl to the back of the tank to get pics of channel

[Silurus]

I believe the last are

Mystus mysticetus

.

[linuxrulesusa]

I believe the last are

Mystus mysticetus

.

Is the main external difference between mysticetus and tengara the size/shape of the dark spot on the side? I agree his look like mysticetus. Obviously those grow larger as well (but only to 130mm vs 80mm or so).

[in_the_seance]

I believe the last are

Mystus mysticetus

.

good call brother thats them wasn't to sure on id thanks man

[minipol]

I have a few of those as well. Great little catfish, not very active but a couple of the ones I have are very visible

[in_the_seance]

adopted this dude today from some guy on craigslist said it had been eating his neon tetras called it a bumblebee cat i'm thinkin its this dude
bumblebee jelly cat
Batrochoglanis raninus
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=721

[Silurus]

bumblebee jelly cat
Batrochoglanis raninus

Yup

[foodkf]

very good & use full info "in_the_seance" keep share it around the web..

[in_the_seance]

I know this is my old thread but I thought i'd update and get some advice!
Sold most of my fish i had to move. I have one heteropneutes fossilis now a new one only one i could find. My new project is a 420ish 84x48x30+. Tanks done just need my new cats coming soon 5x bagroides melapterus harlequin lancer!!!!! Is there a way to tell sex like a black lancer? I need to know before I order I was thinking 1 male 4 female?

[Silurus]

You sex harlequin lancers as you do all bagrids: males have an elongate genital papilla in front of the anal fin.

[in_the_seance]

Thank you I thought that was right just wanted to check. They'll be here next week. Should I do 2 m 4 f or 1m 5 f and have one called stud!?