columbian shark catfish tankmates/habitat

beer_baron1 · Post by **beer_baron1** » 20 Sep 2005, 15:27

I am curious about what type of habitat my columbian cats come from. I know that they like brackish water (they are nly about 2" now, but i've already got them brackish). I guess I'd like to see my tank as natural as possible. this also means that i'd like to keep the tankmates similar to what the columbian cats might see in nature. my tank at the moment is only a 29 g. but i am looking forward to an upgrade in the near future. also, if you do reply, id appreciate an address to where i can find the recommended tankmates... the fish shops in fargo nd don't have that great of a selection for some reason...

thanks much,
chris

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 20 Sep 2005, 16:05

The cat-elog for Columbian shark says:

Initially most medium sized active fish, but with the addition of salt to the water as the fish grow, brackish water fish such as Monos, Scats or large Mollies are the order of the day.

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More info, for example how to decorate the tank can be found in the Cat-eLog: .

Beware that the tank requirement for a 14" fish would be quite a large tank: 56" x 28" x 28" -> ~ 200 gallon [but note that those are the minimum sizes on each dimension, and just any 200g tank may not be good enough. More likely, the tank that you can buy for this fish would be 72" x 30" x 30" -> 280 gallon].

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Mats

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 20 Sep 2005, 16:09

Hi,

Have you read the Cat-eLog entry and the CotM article?

They should help!

beer_baron1 · Post by **beer_baron1** » 20 Sep 2005, 18:21

I have read both the cat-elog and the cotm articles (more in depth then before) and they are much help. I am looking forward to building a 200+ gallon aquarium and engineering a built in filtration system (i have a bit of time considering they are but wee lads at the moment [all named daryll by the way].) I am really conserned about keeping the tank as natural as possible (to columbians swim with scats in nature, or do they just thrive in the same water conditions on other sides of the globe)

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 20 Sep 2005, 18:32

Well, Scats are, as you say, on the opposite side of the planet [ranging from Australia to Africa]. So if you want to have something that is at least from the same quarter of the planet, I think Mollies are what you'd have to go with. I'm not sure which species of Mollies you'd be best at trying, because all that I've seen are small enough that I think they'd disappear quite quickly.

Brackish fish are not common in the trade, which makes life for those who want to keep to a single biotope even harder than for us that stay to the fresh-water (or fully marine). I think one reason for the lack of brackish fish is the fact that very few fish are adequately adapted to those conditions, and many of the ones that are, aren't suitable for aquarium conditions...

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Mats

beer_baron1 · Post by **beer_baron1** » 20 Sep 2005, 22:42

I seem to recall reading that some of the banjo cats are brackish and from that same area... I think it was the eel-tailed banjo... anyhow, the cat-elog doesn't seem to have any info on them, the everyday variety of banjos seem to be freshwater.

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 20 Sep 2005, 22:59

Platystacus cotylephorus

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 20 Sep 2005, 23:27

The books and sources seem to differ quite a bit on this species about it's brackish nature.....
I got a pair wich are doing fine for a long time now in the usual bogwood, sand, live plants setup with Corydoras, Dianema, small Dorads, Akysis etc.

Asphredo however is always desrcibed as a genuine brackish cat.

these are very rare fishes in the trade, however, esp the latter......
Also taking the size in consideration (Arius can reach 1 foot and a half and more), and the nature of these Banjo's (they don't like to be disturbed) I would go for the more boisterous, but harmless Argus instead, despite them not being a genuine South American.

Mollies are food.