Will the older pictus eat younger newcomers?

**JuliaC** · 09-25-2010, 03:31 PM

Hi! I adopted this big old pictus cat recently. Before he came to me he was kept for years all alone in a 10Gal tank. I bought him a 55Gal which he seems to be very happy about. Then I decided to buy him some companions because I read that they are much happier in a school. But the biggest pictus catfish I could buy were 1.5" long... I got 3 of them, they are in quarantine right now. And the big guy is about 5". Do you think he will eat them if I put them in with him?
Thanks!

**Lab_Rat** · 09-25-2010, 03:52 PM

As long as the smaller ones can't fit into the big guy's mouth then you're ok.

**JuliaC** · 09-25-2010, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

As long as the smaller ones can't fit into the big guy's mouth then you're ok.

Thanks Lab_Rat! But I'm afraid they just might fit into that mouth of his... That's some seriously big mouth...

**Lab_Rat** · 09-25-2010, 04:33 PM

If they have a chance of fitting in his mouth, I'd keep them apart until the little ones grow more. They grow rapidly ime. If a pictus can fit something in it's mouth it will try to eat it. That is their nature.

**Crispy** · 09-25-2010, 06:40 PM

Pictus are predatory and will eat eggs/fry and smaller fish if they can. It may work, just keep a watchful eye.

**JuliaC** · 09-25-2010, 07:23 PM

Thanks Crispy.
I suppose I'll keep the young ones in the quarantine tank till they get bigger, like Lab_Rat suggested. Two-three months will be enough, I hope...
And then I'll still have to spend a night or two awake to see if the big one tries to gulp them down...