PlanetCatfish.com

I want an L-number for my 230l community tank. I have made a wish list based on pictures and some of the more basic facts. These are often quite expensive in Norway, so I'd rather have one I'd actually see. ;) I can't find any info on whether they are day active or night active. Can anyone help me? If you know just one of these, I will be more than grateful.

The list,
L047
L036
L128
L199
L270
L066
L077
L178
L204
L121/L135/L305
L075
L205
L211
L134
L313
L330

Thank you!

All are similarly active throughout the day, which is basically not much. They will get hyped up when accustomed to food hitting the water, but then will go back to sulking under their respective favorite hiding spots after the food is gone.

get a royal

I haven't got a single one of the fish on your list, but I have got L15, which is similar to L121 etc, and they are really active during the day. L134, L205 and L211 I expect to be similar.

If L47 is anything like L177, you'll rarely see it.

I wouldn't recommend L313 - it may be fairly active, but it's also going to get BIG!

Same with L330 - although it will grow a lot slower than the L313, it's eventually going to need a tank at least 4 times larger volume than your current one...

--
Mats

Like MatsP, I too have an L015, but mine is very secretive during the day (although he does come out when dinner is served). Just to show that fish have their own personalities, even within the same species.

In the end, what is most important (imo/ime.) is whether your fish are feeling comfortable and secure. If so, in most cases they will automatically become more active and outgoing once they settled in.
Things to consider are: Does the tank have enough hiding places and is there enough room for each territorial bottom dweller to claim a little patch as their own? Are the water quality, filtration, oxygenation and -depending on the species - the amount of currents up to par? Is the tank also inhabited by community fish, which may add to the sense of security (small fish swimming around freely suggests the absense of predators)? Are the fish well-fed, and offered a diet that resembles what they eat in the wild? Are the fish overfed (which may impact activity levels, as the fish have enough to eat and lack the need to come out quickly during dinner time to compete with other bottom dwellers)?

As said, fish have different personalities, and some are active, some are not (so it's impossible to say that species X is active, and species Y isn't) - but the way you care for, feed and house your fish also has a significant impact on activity levels and shyness.

My L15 is very active during the day. I have other catfish, but I almost only see them when they are fed.

Very active when not fed:
L15

Sometimes active when not fed:
L201
LDA33
L162
LDA01 (at first I never saw her, but after 8 months she became really active)

Only active when fed:
L264
L066
L134