Tigrinus tankmates???

All posts regarding the care and breeding of these catfishes from South America.
Post Reply
Blackwater
Posts: 14
Joined: 03 Aug 2005, 23:28
Location 1: Michigan

Tigrinus tankmates???

Post by Blackwater »

What can I safely keep with a Tigrinus in a 180 (72x24x24)??? I have heard Silver Dollars and Tin Foil Barbs as a couple options? Wouldn't Silver Dollars get eaten eventually? I need to find some large but gentle/peaceful fish, any ideas??
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Post by MatsP »

As this fish grows to 20" or so, it would probably be a good idea to start thinking about a bigger tank, before you consider tank-mates. They aren't exactly (as I understand, anyways) slow growers. You need a tank that is at least 40" wide/high sides and 80" long (72" long is probably sufficient, but 24" wide/high isn't!).

Now for tank-mates: Silver dollar's grow quite big (12" or more, if I remember correctly), so if you get some that are decent size already, they should be able to keep themselves from being eaten. Tin foil barbs, again, grow to about 18" or so. Both species are good candiates as tank-mates as they have quite a lot of "height", and they are not going to compete (much) for the food, as the dollars and barbs are both herbivores, whilst the tigrinus is a carnivore.

You probably can't keep much plants in with the barbs or dollars, but if you find some quite tough plants, they may survive.

The Cat-eLog also suggests loricaridae as tank-mates. A large-sized (aka L14) or or something like that sounds like a lovely addition to the tank. They like strong water movement too. The Panaque will eat some of the driftwood that the tigrinus will hide behind, but as long as you replace a piece now and again, it should be perfectly fine.

--
Mats
kev
Posts: 459
Joined: 04 Dec 2003, 22:28
Location 1: Lancashire
Interests: Catfish and Stingray's

Post by kev »

My friend has a 20"+ tigger in his shop and keep's silver dollar's with it, and at home has a 12" tigger and keep's Geo's with him.

Kev
Put me dinner in the oven, im off to the Xingu!!!.
Post Reply

Return to “South American Catfishes (Everything else)”