cats for a 55 gallon cat only tank

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 11 Feb 2003, 06:24

Hi All,

Got a 55 gallon with 3 pictus,1 strped talker,1 chocolate talker,1 synodontis eupterus.
I need some ideas what else to get? I am looking for something that wont exceed ten inches that will be seen sometimes and that isnt too aggressive, I also want something that will eat feaders,Before you give me the lecture about feeders let me tell you that they are home bread and rased guppies and swordtails. Im looking at maybe a ornate pim,a lima shovle nose and a fox face pim. Besides these what other fish is there that will fit the criteria?? Does anyone have any info on the fox face?? I have found a few pics but never any info on them. Thanks

SirHelm · Post by **SirHelm** » 11 Feb 2003, 07:22

get some hoplostroum thorcatum (spelling may be off). They get to about 7" or so, and they swim everywhere. Check out smiling Syno's web site.

http://www12.brinkster.com/mrsfish/

i doubt that they will eat feeders tho.

SH

Post by **Silurus** » 11 Feb 2003, 08:32

FWIW, Lima shovelnoses might grow larger than ten inches. The fox faced pim (Goeldiella eques) is a good idea though. Haven't kept one before, but I did keep the African version of it (Chrysichthys ornatus, which looks almost identical in shape and color), which may be another option (provided you can find one).
Otherwise, you can also try one of the larger South American bumblbbe cats (Pseudopimelodus).

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 11 Feb 2003, 18:56

I concidered the hoplos but i want something more like the fish i mentioned. I meant to mention the african version of the fox face but forgot the name,thanks for reminding me. Wich is more common the south american or the african? I know the lima will get about a foot but iv read that several could be kept in a single fifty five.What about a asian upside down cat?? Im not quite sure on the scientific name but i think its mystus leucophasis?? Have any of you guys ever kept a bagarius bagarius (sand shark,devil cat)?? Maybe some kind of north american cat like bullheads??? The tank is just a sandy bottomb with a few pieces of drift wood and one rock cave. Well thanks again.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 11 Feb 2003, 18:59

Would i ever see the bumblebees?? What iv read about them tells me that they are just like the raphaels in that they never come out. No one mentioned anything about the ornate pim, Have any of you guys ever kept them?? ANy info on them??

Post by **Silurus** » 11 Feb 2003, 19:37

My South American bumblebees will come out at feeding time. However, I have both types (Microglanis and Pseudopimelodus) and I must say the smaller one (Microglanis) is a tad more active of the two.
I think Goeldiella is probably more easily available in North America than Chrysichthys. I've seen the former, but not the latter for sale here.
People have been reporting mixed results with Mystus leucophasis. On the two occasions I have kept them, they got along well with (predominantly catfish) tankmates (but they must be of its size or larger).
Sorry, haven't kept ornate pims before, so can't comment on that.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 11 Feb 2003, 19:43

Thanks silirus. I'll have the lfs check on both. I wonder if ordering any of these fish from a online retailer would be worht the while??? Iv seen a few sites that have had some pretty neat cats. Have any of you guys ever tryed this???

Post by **Silurus** » 11 Feb 2003, 19:57

Some of the more reputable ones are pretty good. But then, many of them are specialty stores focusing on fishes from a particular geographic area (like Africa, say).
Someone else on this forum may be able to give you the names of reputable dealers. I've dealt mostly with importers online so far.

Post by **Dinyar** » 12 Feb 2003, 00:58

We have an ornate pim (Pimelodus ornatus) in one of oue tanks. It coexists peacefully with many small fish like Otocinclus and small tetras. I don't think it would be interested in feeder fish unless it was VERY hungry.

Pretty fish, but very reclusive. Never swims around. And grows quite big.

Dinyar

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 12 Feb 2003, 03:15

Thanks for the info. I was always under the impression that they were aggressive active fish. How big is yours??

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 13 Feb 2003, 03:44

Well i gave the lfs some fish to check for and all they can get is limas and ornate pims. What other fish should i ask them to check on??? Does any body else have any experience with the ornate pim??? Would a lima bother my upside downs??? (syndontis not the asian ones)

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 13 Feb 2003, 04:14

Dinyar, I just reread the catfish of the month article and it actualy talks quite a bit about there being preditary. Are you sure you have a ornate pim?? Maybe yours is just too small to be eating other fish already. Well keep the suggestions coming.

Post by **Silurus** » 13 Feb 2003, 11:03

I think the lima would be fine with the synos. They are rather retiring fish for large pims.
BTW, two species of Sorubim are sold under the name of lima shovelnose: S. lima and S. elongatus.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 13 Feb 2003, 15:35

Are they both similar as far as care,behavior, and size go???

Post by **Silurus** » 13 Feb 2003, 15:37

Yup, they are. Aquarists have been keeping both species as S. lima for years now.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 14 Feb 2003, 02:04

whats the difference between them???

Post by **Silurus** » 14 Feb 2003, 02:09

The color patterns are identical, and the only way to reliably tell them apart is to look at them from above. Sorubim elongatus is the more slender of the two. Mind you, all of this is relative, since S. lima aren't particularly stout fish to begin with. There are also some minor differences in the shape of the toothplates on the upper jaw and the mouth shapes when viewed from below.

Post by **Dinyar** » 14 Feb 2003, 07:56

Zack wrote:Dinyar, I just reread the catfish of the month article and it actualy talks quite a bit about there being preditary. Are you sure you have a ornate pim?? Maybe yours is just too small to be eating other fish already. Well keep the suggestions coming.

Sorry, Zack, been missing in action for a while. My P. ornatus is about 5" (12 cm) SL. I have had some small W. African kilies, otos and Chiloglanis in the same tank as the P. ornatus, and they're all still very much there. Maybe mine's just lazy. Which is fine by me.

Dinyar