Tankmate for Asian Bumblebee

Conrad · Post by **Conrad** » 04 Dec 2005, 13:19

Hi can anybody recommend a Catfish that would live peacefully with my Bumblebee.

He's in a 190 litre tank with loaches, corys & gouramies.

Ideally I'd like something that grows to a max 8 inches and shows itself more frequently than the Bumblebee.

Thanks

Post by **Birger** » 04 Dec 2005, 15:30

I am planning such a tank as well and along with a group of P.siamensis would like to use the shoaling Mystus carcio,they are from a different area in asia but availability plays a hand in my choice, a large school of these would be an interesting sight. The only drawback being if the P.siamensis would chase the smaller M.carcio(possible?)

Birger

Conrad · Post by **Conrad** » 04 Dec 2005, 19:14

The M. Carcio certainly looks like an option.

I don't really have any fears of the bumblebee eating other fish as that would involve him leaving his cave which he does very rarely (even when only the moonlights are on).

He's in with peppered corys and zebra loaches which are roughly the same size as M. Carcio and he ignores them to the point where they swim freely in and out of his cave.

Thanks for your thoughts.

worton[pl] · Post by **worton[pl]** » 05 Dec 2005, 09:24

After about 6 months of keeping mine p. siamensis start to show during the day time. I got two of these fish. Female (which grow very fast) and male which was always chasing but bigger female and he didn't grow as fast as female :). But this catfish can eat enormous amount of food! 14 neon tetras in one night - so be careful, it won't harm bigger fish but everything that he can manage to swallow will became a dinner :).

Conrad · Post by **Conrad** » 05 Dec 2005, 18:23

I'm glad mine is in with larger tank mates.

Given the size of their appetites I must assume he's coming out late at night to feed as he doesn't join in the standard feeding frenzy but tries to grab food floating past his cave entrance.

I've had a look at S. Ocellifer as a potential tank mate as they would appear to be roughly the same size and temperament.

Has anybody had experience of the 2 together or know of any particularily bad territorial habits from the Bumblebee or S. Ocellifer

DeepFriedIctalurus · Post by **DeepFriedIctalurus** » 05 Dec 2005, 22:02

As far as Mystus go, I'd be more inclined to find a small group of M.myticetus. They stay fairly small, but get a good bit larger than M.carcio...which might avoid any possible trouble if the siamensis outgrows them quickly. They usually go under the trade name "blue mystus" around here, but they're easy to spot among the other common species (M.carcio & M.vittatus).

My experiences w/ larger Synos (anything around 6"SL or more) are pretty much the same across the board, they're not to be trusted around other catfish. I've seen aggressive territorialism from Synos directed at eachother & other catfish species from S.ocellifer, eupterus, nigrita, nigromaculatus & numerous other assorted "lace cats".

Others may have differing experiences, so your milage may vary!