The Importance of Catfish

[icefreeze57]

So I'm going to add to my tank again (not this week, probably next time I come home, so like 2-3 weeks from now).

So my stock (all small btw and I run two filters)

1 Red Tail Shark
1 Convict
5 Tiger Barbs

So I want a Peacock eel, which should be good in my 40G tank, but I don't want to over populate that bottom of my tank. Meaning, I have the room in the tank, but might not in the bottom. I'm also considering adding a Striped Raphael as my catfish. So I have to add additional cover/hiding spots in my tank for either one of them, maybe I'll add some plants or something, and/or a rock or cave or something I'm not sure. But I probably don't have room for both anyway. (Unless you guys think I do).

So I guess the question is... do I need a catfish? OR can I get my eel? Or both? or what?

thoughts? suggestions?

thanks
-ice

[pjaldave]

i would go for a pictus catfish in that tank. not quite sure if it's gonna overload your tank. but then, you already have a bottom feeder, why need another catfish?

[icefreeze57]

i would go for a pictus catfish in that tank. not quite sure if it's gonna overload your tank. but then, you already have a bottom feeder, why need another catfish?

who is my bottom feeder? IDK if I would describe the RTS as a bottom feeder...

Doesn't the Pictus get a foot long?

[pjaldave]

in my research, RTS would be a bottom feeder. but then, i wouldn't know much because i never had them.

as for pictus, i just realized that yea, they get a foot long. so yea, instead of pictus, you can get away with an upside-down catfish.

[skullduggery1]

As in upside down catfish,you mean syno?A lace syno(nigrita)or a ocellifer,pajama syno(flavitaeniata) would be perfect for that tank reaching 5 to 8 inches.As well as some of the hybrids.The common african upside down(nigriventis) needs to be in groups and could not handle convict aggression.Also there are some bagrids that would work also.Just remember lights outs,means snack time.And from what I hear tiger barbs can be delicious.

[cuckoochews]

I see no reason to "need" a catfish. The rts will do great work on fallen morsels not mention tiger barbs are mad eaters picking clean all thats in their tank... Besides' you do vacuum your gravel regularly, right?

[Botch09]

Upside down cats (synodontis nigriventris) prefer to be in small groups. I have 3, a RTS and rubber lipped pleco and they all get along. The upside down cats will even come to the surface to eat flakes. However, I don't know how well they'd handle being in an aggressive tank.

[Lady Hobbs]

I never had a catfish of any kind until maybe 5 years after I started keeping fish. I wiped the inside glass with a paper towel on cleaning day and never had a need for one. I ended up getting some corys only because I thought they were cute and then a couple featherfins for the same reason. I don't see them for anything that's needed especially pleco's that add waste.

[StandsOnToes]

get some burmese boarder loaches, they are awesome , and unlike the overly availible clownloaches they don't eventually turn into gigantic fish that need a giant tank. Other loaches that don't get huge are dwarf loaches, skunk loaches, and i'm pretty sure pakistani loaches. keep in groups of 4 or more. they need buddies. They do a great job picking up left over food and scraps. They also all have awesome personalities.

[icefreeze57]

in my research, RTS would be a bottom feeder. but then, i wouldn't know much because i never had them.

as for pictus, i just realized that yea, they get a foot long. so yea, instead of pictus, you can get away with an upside-down catfish.


maybe you are right... I mean he does kinda do it Ill probably notice as he gets bigger, but he deff eats flakes as I drop them into the tank.

[icefreeze57]

So if the upside down is gonna eat Barbs then I really don't want one lol...

[skullduggery1]

Not the common 4 inch upside down,the convict will eat barbs.A full sized tiger barb will not be food to the syno's that were mentioned in a earlier post.

[hydra01]

If you have a pretty fine substrate, loaches are pretty effective believe it or not. If it is a smaller tank go with corydoras, if you have a larger tank, go with synodontis, predatory catfish tend to produce a lot more detritus than they eat.

In your case I would go with a larger catfish, corydoras will get annihilated by convicts and sharks.

[Lady Hobbs]

I think you have enough problems already with Barbs, a red tail shark and a Convict.

[icefreeze57]

really? I thought my tank was well researched tbh

you guys think the convict will turn on the Barbs? Thought the Convict stayed fairly small, being able to be housed in something as little as a 24G http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/convict.php and was also considered a beginners fish...