So proposed stocking so far:
4 Synodontis Petricola - LFS advised that should be fine as they max out at 4"
8 Pareutropius Buffei / Debauwi - Only had the latter in stock, but preference would be Buffei as they are smaller, and nicer looking IMO.
And then...
1 Rock Dweller Group (Read below)
1 Butterfly Fish
Then I get a bit stuck...I think whiptails may get too big tbh.
When I started to think about how the tank would look, it feels like there would be something missing...I'm starting to sway towards maybe venturing outside of just catfish, but sticking with the African theme, so maybe some kind of rock dwellers? I like Julidochromis Transcriptus, or Pseudotropheus Saulosi (small known-sex group: 1M4F), but think the aggression around breeding time might be too much for the Debauwi? Other suggestions would be appreciated.
I thought on the right hand side of the tank some lava/ocean rock, then some bogwood and maybe plants on the right as well as a some of those fake plants that you sucker onto the top of the aquarium and hang down to cover the back.. I thought black sand/fine gravel would be a good idea too to bring out the colour of the synos - would they need sand?
I also thought that a Butterfly Fish would top it off really well too - and I know this is now more of a community than catfish only, but with a smaller tank, I think that adding much more onto the bottom would be a struggle!
Nick
Meant to post my two pennies worth in this thread earlier in the week, as it involves some of my favourite fish...
African Butterfly Fish will get highly stressed in anything but a gentle current (as would any Rift Valley fish besides odd ones like the Goby Cichlids), while Pareutropius buffei and debauwi crave a good current, so I feel you really need to choose whether you are looking at a calm or riverine setup and then choose appropriate fish.
ABFs are semi-social, as in they like their own space, but then at times they happily swim side by side. Your tank could easily house two (30x30cm footprint per ABF is recommended), with floating plants (which they love to sit in) spread around the surface.
Pareutropius buffei/debauwi need good sized groups to settle, in the order of around 15+, which needs a sizeable tank to hold. It is very common for these fish to be mislabelled (P. debauwi is far rarer to find), so if you are not already aware of the body stripe and caudal fin shape/colouring, check out profiles such as those found at planetcatfish. As these fish tend to roam all levels of the tank and are quite fragile, I would be extremely wary of mixing them with rock/shell dwelling cichlids, who punch way above their weight when protecting their homes and fry.
If you choose to go down a calm water tank, Shadow Catfish and Glass Catfish (K. minor) spring to mind as midwater swimmers, but Shadows may be too tempting a size and shape to mix with ABF and Glass Catfish do tend to be sensitive to water chemistry/quality changes. Another possibility for the tank bottom would be South American or African Bumblebee Catfish, both are far more shy than their Asian cousins and if anything need carefully chosen peaceful tankmates
Your idea of Whiptails could definitely work in a riverine setup, as would Chaetostoma (Rubbernose).
