Can I have a jaguar catfish

[Divemaster]

Hey guys, I have a 75 gallon standard tank and the current stock includes: 6 giant danios, 1 striped raphael catfish, and 1 sailfin pleco (going in a bigger tank in a year and a half). It will also soon have a green severum, a convict cichlid, and a firemouth in it. I was looking up info for the last month or so about what to do for a final cat and thought about a jaguar so, I have a few questions about them.
1) can I get just 1 because I don't have room for many more fish?
2) will they be ok in my ph of 7.6 if I slowly drip acclimate?
3) if no to that last one then what are some good ways of lowering it, I've tried everything!
4) how much (US dollars) do they normally cost?
5) what are some suppliers in the us that regularly have them?

[Kif]

What size is your 75g ? It would need to be at least a 48x18 footprint for a jag.
I would say leave out the convict and the firemouth, serverums though bigger would get bullied by the two CA's, plenty of other SA you could choose from though.

[Divemaster]

My 75 is 48" x 18" x 20" (L x W x H). And this is my first time with cichlids outside of angels and people on MFK were telling me that stock was good and for cats they said out of the list I made to go with a jaguar or four line pim. So what are some good cichlids to go with the sev and all the other fish then?

[Divemaster]

Oh also I forgot another question which is: what percentage (approx) of jaguars are ones that cruise the tank and that doesn't mean all day but at least during feeding. And how an I make them more active other than giving lots of close together cover?

[emacartoon]

Do you mean one of these?

Liosomadoras oncinus

If so, probably. The size looks to be about what one of my Raphs got to. He might like having someone to catfish pile with.

[emacartoon]

And because you're asking for opinions, I say [insert feigned disdain] NO cichlids are good! Then again, I'm completely biased against the more aggressive fish. ;) I've heard decent things about Parrot Cichlids, so they're the only ones I don't completely turn my nose up to. (My friends and I have only terrible stories about cichlids that are on par with Oscar stories. Same for freshwater puffers. It's become a running gag, and that's where my feigned disdain originates from.)

What kind of personality are you looking for? Swimmers? Dork fish? Cats that only come out at night?

[Koltsix]

The only stock I'd worry about is the convict as they can seriously be nasty. Other then that the cichlids you chose aren't too aggressive. As far as the Jag goes he should be alright in 75 but unless you set up the tank lighting to be diffused you'll probably hardly ever see them. As for lowering your ph you could try driftwood as they can lower the ph on a regular basis until it loses its buffering capabilities and is of course the preferred hiding place of Jaguar driftwood cats.

[Kif]

Why not have a look at geophagus sp. tapajos or Mesonauta insignis - festive cichlid they would be a better fit for your size tank, severums are a 12" fish after all. I always find Cichlids better when kept in groups or pairs and you can see natural behaviour. As for the jag some nice wood tangles and possibly floating plants but it's never going to be a out and about fish.

[Bas Pels]

Being a cichlid keeper, I cannot not react.

Firstly, the idea of convict, firemouth and severum - this is a combination if cantrals - hard water fish, with Southern cichlids- being soft waterfish. Further centrals and southerns fight differently, and will therefore be a bad combination

Heros severus is a species which grows large - in fact too large for a 48 inches, that is 120 cm, tank. I would advise a 2 meter tank, or ~7 feet for that species.

But @ emacarton, there are much differences between cichlids. Crenicichla, Astronotus are rather agressive, Geophagus are clearly not.

A 120 cm tank would be ideal for Biotodoma cupido, a mellow cichlid. Take 5 of 6 and add 1 or 2 Lisomadoras -if the tank is large enough for Lisomadoras. If not, change the Lisomadoras for a Tatia.

[Divemaster]

A few things:

1) the sev is pre-decided and is the focus if the tank (it is an SA and CA cichlid tank WITH catfish)
2) I'll think about dropping the con and maybe replace it with a blue acara.
3) I can't not turn on lights just for a few catfish, my rapahel did fine in my 30 with lights on. Though he hasn't eaten in 12 days since I put him in my75.
3) would an elevated bottom make a good hiding spot for a jaguar?
4) would this stock work:
1 green severum
1 blue acara
2 or 3 festivum cichlids
6 giant danios
1 striped raphael catfish
1 jaguar catfish
1 sailfin pleco (going into a 180 in 1.5 years and is only 3" now)

5) I was looking for a personable catfish that gets in the 7-10" range but haven't been able to find a very good compatible with the other fish match so I you know of one please tell me (no cories and no plecos)

[Divemaster]

Do you mean one of these?

Liosomadoras oncinus

If so, probably. The size looks to be about what one of my Raphs got to. He might like having someone to catfish pile with.

Yes I do like the look of 4 or 5 catfish jammed in a hole together. Makes them seem more gregarious than they really are. I would love to do even more cats than what's listed in the stocking list but I've had a few people on MFK tell me "I'm maxed out on bottom level fish". Maybe they meant because the fm and con hang towards the bottom, so maybe if I dropped them and did a different cichlid that's more top level like a blue acara and one other one I could do a few more cats......maybe........I don't know I'll leave that up to the catfish experts on the forum.

[Kif]

For a much as MFK is a good site for some species, it does have a overstock them attitude towards both CA and SA cichlids, as people have said severum are a big fish and my advice is look for something different, if the severum is none debatable just have that as your lone cichlid and give it all the tank.
Plenty of very nice cats will go in but not all active, floating plants may help.

[Divemaster]

For a much as MFK is a good site for some species, it does have a overstock them attitude towards both CA and SA cichlids, as people have said severum are a big fish and my advice is look for something different, if the severum is none debatable just have that as your lone cichlid and give it all the tank.
Plenty of very nice cats will go in but not all active, floating plants may help.

Cats such as.......
They don't have to be extremely active but it should able to be viewed at feeding time. I know a lot a jaguars are like that but what other species would be ideal?

The sev is a definite, I've wanted one for so long and I'm sure I can get away with one other cichlid. I'll add more filters and ramp up water changes to 50%'s if I have to! And also not trying to offend anybody but I did start this thread about the catfish not the cichlids so I trust all you guys on cats more than I do cichlids, not that a lot of you don't know your cichlids.

So like I said could you please name a few species of cats please that would "pile" with my striped raph and probably soon to be jaguar.

[Divemaster]

How about this stock:

1 Green Severum
1 Blue Acara
6 Giant Danios (already have them)
1 Striped Raphael Catfish (already have it)
1 Spotted Raphael Catfish
1 Jaguar Catfish
1 Sailfin Pleco (for 1.5 years) (Already have it)

Temp: 76 F
ph: 7.6
wc schedule: 40-50% weekly

[Scleropages]

Why just one severum? If it is the focus of the tank, wouldn't it be better to do away with the other cichlids on your list and keep a small group of severums with the catfish and danios you listed? While your tank is a little small for severums in the long term, you will probably be able to get them to breed in your tank. Heck, at one point, I had uaru breeding in a 65gal (36" x 18" footprint) tank--they started before I could get them in my 125gal. Anyway, just some food for thought.

[Divemaster]

Why just one severum? If it is the focus of the tank, wouldn't it be better to do away with the other cichlids on your list and keep a small group of severums with the catfish and danios you listed? While your tank is a little small for severums in the long term, you will probably be able to get them to breed in your tank. Heck, at one point, I had uaru breeding in a 65gal (36" x 18" footprint) tank--they started before I could get them in my 125gal. Anyway, just some food for thought.

Oh I would LOVE to breed but two things I worry about are the cats eating the fry and the parents attacking the cats. I would be willing to do just sevs but when you say "small group" what would that be? 3? 4? 6? I am also getting at least a 125 in about a year and a half but more than likely a 180 so the sevs could eventually go into that.

[Scleropages]

6-8 should be okay as long as they are going in a bigger tank within a year. As far as getting the eggs to hatch and rearing the fry, I would personally pull the eggs and put into an egg tumbler; then raise the fry in a bare 20gal long tank (with sponge filter & heater).

If you want the parents to care for the eggs and rear the fry, I wouldn't add any more catfish. The current two should be okay, but, again, they will all (besides the raphael) have to eventually go in a bigger tank within a year.

[Divemaster]

What, the jaguar needs bigger than a 75! I have had the pleco in my 30 tall since 2.25 inches and he is only 3" now! I need at least a year and a half before I upgrade. I guess I won't be breeding sevs then either if I need a separate tank for fry which I don't have available. What are some other good cichlids I could do with a single sev then?

[Viktor Jarikov]

I think the last listed stock will work for a while if the jaguar cat is small. If left for life, the jag will eat the danios.

Also, they are notorious for hiding. Some manage to see them relatively often but those keepers appear to be few. Most keepers report they don't see their jags for months on end. Not even at feedings.

[Kif]

If you wanted something that would be out and about and you don't mind fry going missing if your sev's breed then I would look at some pictus or hoplos.

[Bas Pels]

As the tank is too small for severum, and non debatable

I will refrain from any further comment.

Were this a Dutch forum, I would tell you exactly how I feel about the kind of people who have a small tank, want to put large fish in that tank and don't want to hear any realistic feedback

But on this forum such comment is, lamentably, not appreciated.

[Divemaster]

My stock will be:

1 Green Severum
1 Firemouth (or) Gold Severum
6 Giant Danios (DITHER)
1 Striped Raphael Catfish
1 Sailfin Pleco
(You guys help me pick the last combination cats. Some ones I like are Jags, Spotted Raphs, Hoplos, Four Line Pims, Dwarf Goonch (bagarius bagarius), Goeldiella eques (my LFS has 2 4.5" ones), sun cats, bullheads. Some of those MAY BE a bit big now that I think about it, but I'll let you guys decide that )

temp: 76 F (can be adjusted if needed)
ph: 7.6
wc schedule: 40% weekly

[Kif]

Disregarding the other stocking and looking at just the cats I would say you only have 3 realistic choices, the hoplo, the spotted raphael and the jag, some of the others are just silly sugestions tbh.

[Divemaster]

Disregarding the other stocking and looking at just the cats I would say you only have 3 realistic choices, the hoplo, the spotted raphael and the jag, some of the others are just silly sugestions tbh.

Yeah, that's just the way I make lists (some serious and some I just stick in there because I like them) unfortunately. I do plan on adding the spotted raph and jag as my last two so I'm glad they both work. However my striped raph I have right now isn't doing well unfortunately so as much as I HATE to say it I may end up having to get another one . Mine raph has some slime coat peeling off him and hasn't eaten in 13 days even with after dark feeding multiple kinds of food, or maybe I'm just not seeding him eat but he has definitely lost a good bit of weight.

[Richard B]

Megalechis thoracata

would be an ideal fish as they are active and attractively patterned.

Jag's can hide for months on end and never been seen, even with lights off. They can be acclimated to high pHs though & fare just fine.

I'd be concerned about finding fish that all 'pile together' if there was a mix of doradids & auchenipterids as the auchenipterids - like the jag - could easily suffer sugnificant body damage from all the bony scutes and pectorals of the striped raph (or spotted raph)

If you are having Raphs you could have

Acanthodoras cataphractus

as well

[Divemaster]

Would the other fish listed work with these cats:

1 Striped raph
1 Sailfin pleco
2 Hoplos
1 ornate bagrid (another rarity my LFS has that attracts me )

That might be better for bioload than a bunch of doradid and similarly related catfish.

[Divemaster]

Ordered the fish, here's what I decided on.

1 green sev
1 firemouth
6 giant danios
1 striped raph
1 sailfin pleco /----both of these fish will be
1 irwini catfish\-----upgraded to a 180 in 1-2 years. (Irwini may eventually go into a 500-600)

[Oceanica]

Firemouths shouldn't really be kept alone, and it is not a great idea (as you've already been told) to mix CA and SA cichlids. You are interested in SA catfish and your heart is set on a Severum; why not make your tank a more harmonious mix of SA-only species? Instead of the poor single Firemouth, you could have a small group of Mikrogeophagus altispinosa (Bolivian rams) for the bottom, a large-ish group of hatchet fish for the top (I'd rehome the danios) and either a Blue Acara or another Severum. And the raphael catfish, and no more. I think that would be a good-looking, interesting, low-stress tank.

[Divemaster]

Firemouths shouldn't really be kept alone, and it is not a great idea (as you've already been told) to mix CA and SA cichlids. You are interested in SA catfish and your heart is set on a Severum; why not make your tank a more harmonious mix of SA-only species? Instead of the poor single Firemouth, you could have a small group of Mikrogeophagus altispinosa (Bolivian rams) for the bottom, a large-ish group of hatchet fish for the top (I'd rehome the danios) and either a Blue Acara or another Severum. And the raphael catfish, and no more. I think that would be a good-looking, interesting, low-stress tank.

Mmm, community tanks (peaceful fish anyways) are getting less and less amusing to me. I'll swap the firemouth for a blue acara but I'm keeping the rest of the stock. If you're wondering where the Irwini came from (and it's a growout) here is a link: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... ranoscopus

[Oceanica]

There seems to be some confusion about the meaning of "community tank". A community tank will be a mix of species will no regard to geographical origin; it's the typical tank the vast majority of aquarists have, and involves low skill. That is what each of your proposed mixes amounts to: a community tank.

What I am suggesting you keep is a loose biotope - something for more advanced aquarists. I started out with a dopey mix myself, before learning the error of my ways! I haven't gone all the way to a strict biotope as they are too limiting, but a loose biotope feels and looks right, and the animals are far more likely to be work together.

If you're simply not particularly excited by the prospect of a (relatively) peaceful tank, then you can always abandon the severum + catfish plan and re-structure your tank as... a Malawi tank, with a lot of Mbuna and a few synodont catfish. Or make it a Central American loose biotope, as CA cichlids are, by and large, pugnacious. If you want an aggressive SA tank with big mean cichlids and big catfish, then you will need MUCH bigger tank than what you've got.