Need advise

[nvcichlids]

My wife wants me to set up a tank to spotlight the

Pimelodus pictus

. Right now I have an unheated 125 gallon tank that is staying constant at 70 degrees, a 33 gallon XL (48"x12"x12") that is heated and a barron sandy field,several 33 gallon XL's empty, I have my saltwater tank (which clearly will not house these) I have a 38 gallon standard tank (36x12x18 tall).

So based on the tanks that are currently at my place, I think only the 33 gallon XL and the 125 COULD work, but the 125 I am afraid might be too low of a temp for them and I wasn't sure if my 33 gallon XL would be big enough for some

Pimelodus pictus

. What do you guys think? I have a group of 10 on hold at the LFS that has been there for 3 months and all are healthy. now the only way I would get the 10 is if the 125 would work, but not sure how many could handle the 33 xls without an issue. I plan to have a few "branches" for cover and maybe a sword plant for 2 if needing a tank other than the 125.

Thanks guys,

Nate

[Viktor Jarikov]

IMHO, neither scenario would be sufficient for someone trying to accomplish your/your better half's goal.

You will not highlight/showcase the pictus in a 33 gal with only 2 of them. They will hide all the time, most likely, and even when they come out you will have to come close and squint to see them as they will be fast - collect the food and back into the bushes. This will hardly be a showcase tank for pictus, who are recommended to be kept (by experts) in a pack of at least 6. 33 gal is too small for that.

So the only choice for your purposes would be the 125 gal and like you said a nice group of 10-12. This will look very, very good once they acclimate.

I'd consider bumping up the temp by only 2 degrees to 72 F at a minimum (the low "comfortable" limit in Cat-eLog). You need to heat it during winter anyway, don't you? (I had to heat mine much more during winters than during warmer months even though the room temp was the same on our thermostat.)

If unacceptable, get 1-2 fish and house at 70 F for several months-1/2 a year and see how they fair. Cat-eLog's temp range indicator is, like anything, a work in progress. (See, for instance, the temp range for

Oxydoras niger

- IMO too narrow, cannot be right.) You may find out 70 F is fine or otherwise. And then add valuable knowledge to the Cat-eLog and the community.

[nvcichlids]

Thanks for the advise. I actually cannot/willnot change the temp in the `125 due to it being set up for Sunfish/Madtoms currently which need the winter cool down period.

As far as the 33 not being big enough, is it the gallonage your looking at or the floor plan? The 33 XL's are the same base print as a 55 gallon tank (not sure if I mentioned that in a previous post). I thought the footprint being 4' long and 1' wide might work with them being a max size of what did the catelog say, 6". I do appreciate the info and will check into it to see if I actually do heat the 125 to say 72 degrees, how it would affect my madtoms/sunfish.

[Viktor Jarikov]

a 33 gallon XL (48"x12"x12")

yes, that is a very good geometry for cats for a 33 gal tank.

1. they are lively, active swimmers (under proper conditions)
2. their maxillary barbels exceed their body length. So on a 6" SL fish/7"-7.5" TL fish the barbels will span more than a foot. This, in turns, means that often the fish's barbels will be touching the front and the back glass simultaneously. This triggers stress and flight/skittish/nervous behavior.
3. if you do get 10-15 of them, 33 may be plainly too small gallonage wise for adults.

Also, remember, columbians grow bigger than peruvians. Neither are fast growers though IME.

[L number Banana]

Hi Nate!
Long time no hear from.

How's this idea coming along? I want to add a similar tank but haven't really got to the final planning yet. Have the same tank size(4ft x 12 x 12).

[nvcichlids]

I actually am considering adding the pims to my new 125 gallon. I am not sure what I am going to do with this tank again. Considering doing a WI native tank with crayfish and topminnows.

How are you doing?

[L number Banana]

Awesome, thanks! I just put the new bike away for the winter so the rest of my life is finally getting some attention.

I like the idea of the crayfish/minnow tank. Lots of crayfish around here but they get too big. Are the minnows for them to snack on or are you looking at smaller crayfish? The minnows I had in the cold water tank were all moved out to my pond. Survived the winter last year but this year I bought a heater just to keep an air hole. Froze over twice last year, kind of scary.

Today I moved my living room tank to paint the wall behind and did a bit of redecorating for the fish too. Moved the big guys out and bought some more little fish for the middle layer. Tetras and rasboras and two little oddballs that I need to ID. I'm so pathetic, every time I see a bycatch or such mixed in with the regulars, I have to take them home. They look pretty common but I can't ID them. I'll put up pics in speak easy.

Edit..just went searching minnows to see what was available in your area and I happened to find a picture of the mystery fish I picked up today...they're white cloud mountain minnows otherwise known as Tanichthys albonubes. Awesome and bad at the same time - tank is too warm for them and the water is too soft. I'll probably spend the whole day tomorrow trying to fish them out to move them to the cooler tank. Oh, well, they're pretty anyway
Here they are, ID look right??:

NewFish01292012.JPG (10.7 KiB) Viewed 2458 times

[wrasse]

I reckon if your 4' tank was a 1' longer, it would be easier to say "yes that's fine for 6 P Pictus".

For me your 4' tank is right at the lower limit size-wise, for 6 of these fish. If you provide good power filtration, aquascape the tank with lots of bogwood or rocks, some plants maybe, a temperature around 80degF, it could work.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Yeah, I probably have to correct my prior post - 70-72 F is probably not the temp to house the pictus long term. For long term, you'd need perhaps at least 75-78 F.

[nvcichlids]

My goal is finally ready. I have the fish and they are cycling in my 125 (now heated to 79 degrees)

I just hope that my oscars aren't too big at the moment. I have seen soo many tanks with these and oscars, I am just hoping they don't get caught (although the new stump will protect them!)

Will post pictures when available.