PlanetCatfish.com

How many Pictus cats would you put in a 29 gallon tank. The only other tank mate would be a bristle-nose pleco.

How often are you willing to clean the tank will answer the question. Personally I would not put pictus in a 29g, I find them to active and fast for the small footprint.

I would clean the tank once a week.

I too would recommend a bigger tank for keeping Pimelodus pictus, as the more floor-space will help them keep out of each others way (bearing in mind that they are both social and territorial at the same time - they like to have their own hiding space, but don't like to be "alone").

The absolute minimum is three - as less than this would have the dominant one go after the less dominant and there's "only one" less dominant fish. Best is a group of at least five... My largest specimen is currently about 6"/15cm long, and it's definitely not unreasonable that they grow bigger than this. That's pretty much on the limit for a tank that is 12" wide.

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Mats

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Mats

I agree with what the other posters have said. I own pictus (4 total / 2 spotted and 2 four line) and I feel at times I do not have enough room in a 55gl. The hiding places take up A LOT of room. I have had to be very creative to make sure they have enough floor space in there as well as hiding places. They do not share hiding places and have to have their own.

They are all very social together.

Because of my pictus addiction I see now with 4 I better upgrade in the future. Even in a 55gl it is 13 inches wide and a fish going to 6 inches (4 lines even bigger) it is just not enough room. Thank god mine are still smaller.

Some places suggest 55gl to own pictus, I have seen some say 75gl min.