distichidodus

[ghostknife]

I will be setting up a new tank soon and i have set my heart on a DISTICHODUS
except i don't know much about them so i have some questions:

1. What different sorts are there?
2. How big do they get?
3. What fish can they live with?
4. What do they eat?
5. Can i keep one with some big fish (eg. polypterus, Black ghost knifefish and others) in a four foot tank?

Thanks

ghost

 

[CFC]

There are quite a few distichodus species ranging from the tiny dwarf distichodus (D.descemmaculatus) with a full grown size of 3" to the mighty D.sexfasciatus which can grow to over 30"!
Most distichodus species are peaceful shoaling herbivors that can be combined with fish with similar sized peaceful fish.
Any of the medium sized distichodus would be suitable for your proposed tank, affinis, noboli and notospilus spring to mind as none of these exceed 6" when full grown. Distichodus to avoid are sexfasciatus, lusosso and fasciolatus all of which grow to over 24" and would require tanks of at least 200 gallons to house a small shoal of them.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> D.sexfasciatus

Yeah, but what a fish that is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CFC]

Yes young sexfasciatus are stunning and if i had a unplanted 300 gallon tank would not hesitate to add 3 or 4 but unfortunately the fish loses most of its colouration with age and takes on a dull grey colour, which is why so many end up dumped in the sump tanks in branches of maidenhead aquatics .

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> fish loses most of its colouration with age and takes on a dull grey colour,

Don't we all mate!

D. sex. is a cracker of a fish. Even the big ones are remarkably peaceful. You are, of course, right, they get huge... but "what a fish"!!!!!!

 

[aernympha]

thats a good one lateral line !!!! LOL!!! and anyways ... i go to maidenhead aquatics store but notin london lol they have a hude tank behind the till and i mean HUGE!!!!! lol its great it has loads of cories few clown loaches and some angel fisha nd i think they may have ut some paranha (biting fish lol) they might of been something esle buut they was shoaling species maybe silver dollars i dunno.....just wish i could stock a tank like that !!!