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Bas Pels wrote: ↑26 Feb 2019, 10:42 @ schooling, M thoracata do not swim that much, so I wonder how they could be schooling. I have their relative Hoplosternum littorale, which swims a lot more, but they do not school. Each one goes their own seperate way.

Aqua_Bankie wrote: ↑26 Feb 2019, 18:02 They dont school as such.

I have kept them individually ok and in pairs and groups, what I have observed is that while they dont school or swim in any formation etc however they appear to be fine with each others company mine would share the same log ,cave etc.

They can be quite boisterous at times mainly feeding but very peaceful hardy fish,I haven't kept them with Corys but they lived with Brochis fine in my old tank, a great species which I would keep again.

N0body Of The Goat wrote: ↑02 Mar 2019, 20:30 I used to have four with just one male and they were fairly social with each other, I've fond memories of them being very brave and being happy to come and eat Tetra Prima in the palms of my hand while my hands were immersed in their tank water.

Fishmandavew wrote: ↑12 Mar 2019, 22:20 Happy to lucky cats which whilst don't actively school, do seem to "come together" quite often throughout the day. Fine with corys from panda size upwards. Groups of three or four or more seem more natural in my opinion. Often bought small before sexable but males do seem to get on ok providing there is enough room /tank size. Seen one male chase another away but rarely.

characinfan wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 16:26 Hey there -- I have had one M. thoracata for almost 9 years. (I initially bought two juvies, but the other one failed to thrive). Mine is a male and his only other tankmate is a 26-year-old Abramites hypselonotus who is now partially blind. My M. thoracata is peaceful but goes crazy for food and will suck worms (Eisinia fetida from the composter) out of my fingers. I think that having another fish in the tank, even though they are not the same species, keeps both fish calm.

Quokka, if M. thoracata eats ramshorn snails, they only eat snails that are small enough to swallow whole. I have a few in my tank. They do not appear to consume trumpet snails at all.

My M. thoractata also likes to build bubblenests in the spring using the greens I feed to the A. hypselonotus. There is a bit of non-aggressive drama because the catfish wants to assemble all the floating vegetation together while the headstander just wants to eat it.

Bas Pels wrote: ↑16 Apr 2019, 18:40 I never knew Abramites can get that old. I got 9 . And a pair of H littorale

Quokka wrote: ↑18 Apr 2019, 04:44 OMG that is one old headstander! You must take outstanding care of your fish!