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Im conciderig moving my striped raphael out of my fifty five and into a smaller planted tank to make room in the fifty five for a few more pictus. The fish in the 35 gallon planted are

6 neons tetras
6 black neons tetras
1 cherry barb
3 pristella tetras
4 kuhli loaches
2 peppered cories and 3 arched corys
and one small ram

Im not concerned about aggresion or anything just that he might eat the neons or the loaches?? Is a 35 too small for a striped raphael?? hes only about two inches right now but growing steadily. I also have a chocolate raphael and would like to move him if hed be alright in the tank to so all the previous questions pertain to him to. Thanks.

he's gonna eat the tetras i garentee that, and if u put the chocolate one in ther 2 ur gonna see agresion on the loaches, heck just the striped may be agressiv toward them, the tank size is good and the plants are even better, but doradea like to be with 3 or more of there own speceis, preferably 4-6+ but there has to be alot of dark spaces or there not going to be happy.

Aswell as Kuhli's!!! Lunch!

Well i didnt put the chocolate in because he is plenty big enough to make a snack of most of the fish. I did however put the stiped raphael in, hes onlly about two inches right now, once he gets three or four i'll move him into another tank. But for now this is as good as its gonna get for him. I have tried getting more stipeds for company for him but can only get spotted. Will he interact with these the same as he would with striped raphael???

Hi,

I keep both striped (Platdoras costatus) and spotted (Agamyxis pectinifrons) doradids together without any problem, and have done for years. I have even kept them with small fish without the doradids eating them, most likely due to the fact that they were well fed! You will need to provide plenty of hiding places for these catfish, and you will find that they relish aquatic snails as part of their diet.

Happy fishkeeping

Dorad

The raphaels are not new aquisitions, i was just wondering if theyd eat the neons or other small tetras. Hes been in there for about two weeks now and I'm pretty sure that he hasnt touched anything. The chocolate i didnt move because after posting this topic originaly iv fed a few small feeder goldfish in the tank he's in and i happened to see him catch one when it ventured too close to him. Thanks for the advise though. Would they eat snails like apple snails?? I dont have any snails in any of my tanks but i could buy one every now and then if they'll eat them.

Hi,

Apple snails will be too big for them to eat, mine have tended to eat small aquatic snails which have found their way into the aquarium from purchashed aquatic plants. Hope that this helps.

Regards

Dorad

Ok thanks dorad, I have a planted tank so when i buy new plants i'll just scan um for snails before i wash them.