Pictus Owners: Lend me your experience.

[BluePhoenix]

Hi!

New to the board. Wanted to come to a more specialized forum that deals specifically with catfish.

I have a 120g tank (4'x2'x2') that is still in its planning stages..

I would like to keep:

2 Blue Acaras
X Clown Loaches
X Pictus Catfish
X Turquoise or other Rainbowfish
-- maybe other fish if I have the room?

I initially wanted a biotope tank but I enjoy the clown loaches too much along with what seems to be fish from all over the world.

I know both clown loaches and pictus catfish like to be kept in schools and do best in groups. I was thinking 4-6 for both.

Both are susceptible to ich? and this I worry about. Is it silly of me to try and keep both of these species together in the same tank?
Would the pictus eventually eat the rainbowfish? I picked the rainbows out of a group of larger "schooling" fish (Congos, Buenos Aires Tetras, Giant Danios) because I like them and think they would do the best in this setup.

Any advice you can give about the keeping of Pictuses?
How does this setup sound? Any fish that should be excluded or other that could be included?
What size fish will the pictus eventually eat? not eat?

I've received a lot of comments from others to simply forget about the pictus because they are so susceptible to ich, will eat fish, are rowdy, abnoxious, and will not make for a peaceful tank..
But I like the look and behaviour of these fish so much in the LFS!

bp

[magnum4]

All except the 2 Blue Acaras would be fine as far as i can see. when they breed they get very territoral.

Both are susceptible to ich? and this I worry about. Is it silly of me to try and keep both of these species together in the same tank?

"ich" is the most commnly incountered disease and because it's gathered a reputation it's the one most people can tell you about. in truth there are many more diseases worse than "ich". as long as you know what to do when you see it, there is no problem.

Most importantly is the water quality. cycle the tank first get familiar with water perameters, ammonia, nitrite, ph...ect. after the tank is well settled then introduce the more succeptable species.

What size fish will the pictus eventually eat?

neon size.

[BluePhoenix]

Well thats the first Ive head that keeping the acaras is not a good idea.

The Acaras are a lock. They are my favourite SA cichlid, and are supposedly more peaceful than most others. Even while breeding, I thought 120g worth of space would most definitely give them enough room.

I've been in the hobby for 8 months, know about ich and it being common. It just seems everyone on forums seems to encounter ich at least once while keeping both clowns and pictus cats.

Do you have pictus catfish yourself?

Any other experiences would be appreciated.

[magnum4]

The Acaras are a lock. They are my favourite SA c*****d, and are supposedly more peaceful than most others. Even while breeding, I thought 120g worth of space would most definitely give them enough room.

Wait and see, granted there is enough room for the others. However there is not many fish keeps(although there are a few) that like to see their resident fish get attacked.

I've been in the hobby for 8 months, know about ich and it being common. It just seems everyone on forums seems to encounter ich at least once while keeping both clowns and pictus cats.

Chances are you will too, both species are very susceptable as you have said. but this is not a reason as to why the should not be kept together, in a smaller tank it would be an issue.

Do you have pictus catfish yourself?

Both peruvian and colombian housed with clowns.

[Zack]

My pictus were split down the middle on the predetory stuff,two would eat small fish and fry and two wouldnt even look at them,but as long as the fish is over i'd say two inches its alright. They are succeptable to ich but its not like they get it all the time,just provide good water conditions and keep a clean stress free tank and they should be fine. I've never kept clow loaches so i cant say anything about them,but i hear they get over ten inches so six seems like a bit much to me.

[JohnnyOscar]

I have brought home ich every time I've bought a pictus. No big deal. QUARANTINE them. It's a lot cheaper to medicate a 10 gallon tank than a 120 gallon!

[Beersnob]

[quote="BluePhoenix"]Hi!

New to the board. Wanted to come to a more specialized forum that deals specifically with catfish.

I have a 120g tank (4'x2'x2') that is still in its planning stages..

I would like to keep:

2 Blue Acaras
X Clown Loaches
X Pictus Catfish
X Turquoise or other Rainbowfish
-- maybe other fish if I have the room?

I initially wanted a biotope tank but I enjoy the clown loaches too much along with what seems to be fish from all over the world.

I know both clown loaches and pictus catfish like to be kept in schools and do best in groups. I was thinking 4-6 for both.



In my experience, the clown loaches were cowed/ intimidated by the pictus catfish. I had 2 pictuses, 3 cories, and 3 loaches. The pictuses did not let any fish into their "area." Each half of my 46 gallon tank was the "territory" of each pictus. I've been considering pimodella Catfish (larger but more docile version of the pictus) but I have not kept any as of yet to know if the same effect would happen.

I hope this helps!

Scott

[sand506]

i have had a couple of pictus
my first was a polkadot pictus, i went through ich with him but it was the same time i was haveing some problems with my tank, he eventually got eaten by my tiger shovelnose
he did not want to grow
i now have a striped pictus, never had any ich with him,
he is about 6 inches now, got him at lfs, someone brought 2 of them in and i took both of them and returned one, he was very territorial so did not want to deal with that.

he has eaten little feeders that were no bigger than 1/2 inch but usually eats shrimp pellets

[rcl]

I was just about to post with a similar question, so cool topic here!

I am very new to keeping fish, and very interested in keeping catfish; but there's a lot of questions I have.

I am looking to get a 120gal as well (i think the one I am looking at is the same dimensions, 4x2x2) and I am looking at keeping the pimpictus as well. But I have some doubts/worries....

Every place that talks about how big they get, gives DIFFERENT SIZES! The Cat eLog says they will grow to be ~5 inches, which liveaquaria.com says ~10 inches, and another site (FishBase I think?) says ~4 inches.

This is a pretty major range. I understand peruvian and columbian grow to different sizes perhaps, but I don't know how I can go about getting the one that's right for me. From all I have heard it seems like a lot of places selling fish are not very reputable and will pass it off as whatever the buyer is looking for

What I am interested in are catfish that will grow to be larger. Initially I was looking at arius semani, which would really be my ideal fish I think, except that it requires marine environment and I don't know that I am ready as a first time aquarist to take on that challenge (or price).

Another question I have is how much it would cost to feed say 6 pictus and a couple loaches, per week or month or whatever?

Could I keep these fish in a smaller aquarium? I was looking at 120gal (i do not mind the initial price of buying the aquarium, but I don't know what kind of extra costs/maintinence this is going to cost me) because I was interested in keeping the 12"+ arius semani. Are there other cats that look attractive, more like the 'classic catfish', that are large and do not require saltwater? I'd be interested in keeping channel cats, but I understand that they pretty much require a pond after a certain amount of time. Is this true? Could I sustain 1 or 2 with some other fish in a 120 or even 155gal?

TIA for any answers,
Robert (lost in fishland)

[magnum4]

Every place that talks about how big they get, gives DIFFERENT SIZES! The Cat eLog says they will grow to be ~5 inches, which liveaquaria.com says ~10 inches, and another site (FishBase I think?) says ~4 inches.

This happens with a lot of different species so it's good you are checking first. PC gives size in SL(which is explained it the FAQ, read this and some of the problem should make sence). The history of pims makes them a bit different than most, as a few species have been traded under the same common name.

From all I have heard it seems like a lot of places selling fish are not very reputable and will pass it off as whatever the buyer is looking for

Best way to find an honest knowledgeable supplier is to test them first, ask questions to answers you already know. see if they make up any BS.

Another question I have is how much it would cost to feed say 6 pictus and a couple loaches, per week or month or whatever?

Not a lot, there are always ways around costs.

Could I keep these fish in a smaller aquarium? I was looking at 120gal (i do not mind the initial price of buying the aquarium, but I don't know what kind of extra costs/maintinence this is going to cost me)

Yes you could, but the bigger the better IMO.

because I was interested in keeping the 12"+ arius semani. Are there other cats that look attractive, more like the 'classic catfish', that are large and do not require saltwater?

All i'm gonna say here is have a look through the
cat-elog.

I'd be interested in keeping channel cats, but I understand that they pretty much require a pond after a certain amount of time. Is this true?

Yes.

Could I sustain 1 or 2 with some other fish in a 120 or even 155gal?

Not long term, not without a stunting effect or starvation to keep growth down. With 52" maximum size you decide.

[Mooncaller]

I had a somewhat similar set up going for 10 years.

90g ( 18X48X? inches)
2 Aequidens paladius
2 Turquose Severums
8 Bleeding Heart Tetras
1 Pinktailed Chalceus
1 Prochilodus (probably Semiprochilodus taeniurus)
2 Anostomus trimaculatus ( replaced a very nast A. anostomus!)
1 Blue eyed pleco
1 Exodon ( to mix things up a bit!)
and
6 pictus ( the only cat I could safely keep with my Panaque)

I never had a problem even when the cichlids tried to breed. The tank had a lot of structure. I was also turning the water over 10 times/hour, and kept my nitrates below 20 PPM. I used a malachite green product twice, and a nitrofurizon product once. The cats were always healthy. When I gave them away, ( I had to because I was moving to far to take my hobby with me ), they were at least 15cm TL.

I would advise against the Clown Loaches. They are indeed schoolers when young, but as they age they become territorial. I would only put two adults in a tank with a 24X48 inch footprint.

[chahala]

I have a 33 gallon and have 2 pictus catfish. I love them but I am stumped by them. The bigger guy loves to beat up the smaller guy (if they are both guys) and sometimes the weather loaches. I really would like to know hwy their stomachs get so HUGE. Is it over eating? I would hate to have to get rid of them I have only had them for a few months. They look so cool as well.

[Silurus]

The bigger guy loves to beat up the smaller guy

That's the reason why it's a bad idea to get only two individuals of a shoaling species. Aggressive behaviour (apparently some kind of displacement activity) is bound to happen. Get more pictus (at least 2 more) and it should stop.
The huge stomachs sound like you are overfeeding them. Cut back on the feedings.

[Birger]

BluePhoenix, a 120 is a fair size tank but you may want to do a little research on the size of adult clown loaches,most people(not necessarily yourself) do not realize how large they can get,4-6 full grown clown loaches is an impressive sight.
Good luck with yourtank!