Hatchet Fish Or No Hatchetfish

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

Hey all. I have been stocking my 55 Gallon fishtank and I have been thinking about stocking silver hatchet fish. I currently have 11 black neon tetras, 6 emerald cory cats, 1BN pleco, a snail. Should I stock 6 or 7. I would also like to know about upsidedown catfish. Will they go to the surface for freeze dried bloodworms. I am thinking about stocking 3.

 

[FishLover66]

I have 3 marbled hatchets and plan to get 3 more soon (originally bought 6, but 3 died). They are sensitive to ammonia and nitrites, so be sure you're tank is fully cycled and all other parameters are fine (hardness, pH, etc.). They basically stay at the top and are quite shy, but come alive at meal times. They also appreciate floating plants as they like shade and feel safer.

I don't know much about upside-down catfish, but they seem pretty cool.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

If you are going to buy some Synodontis nigriventris, it is well worth doing the "in for a penny, in for a pound approach" just like with Kuhli Loaches, as in forget about minimum groups of six and go for minimum of ten. They are very social, just liike Corydoras, but also rather shy. The only time my nine come out into the open is after I've gone to bed, after getting a night vision video clip of them.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

So will hatchet fish be okay in a PH of 8.2 and a hardness 180+. I have tried to change it and can't. My other fish are fine in it so I think they might be fine too. How does this sound: 4 Upside downs and 6 Hatchet fish.

 

[FishLover66]

Oh, that pH is awfully high. Tetras/hatches prefer soft, acidic water. My tank is usually around 6.8 - 7.0. Not sure how they would do in hard/alkaline water.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

My tetras are fine in this water.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Tetras do better off in softer water but. They are oftenly breed in harder water and are raised in harder water too, so they do absolutely fine in harder water

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

So what is the verdict on 6 hatchetfish and 4 upside down catfish.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Hatchetfish need at least 10 to truely settle down and similar numbers apply to Upside Down Catfish, so a 6/4 combo needs revising. I've had nine Synodontis nigriventris for ~10 months (started with 3 ~18 months ago) and I'm strongly considering a few more this week, especially when I discovered a LFS selling chuncky ~6/7cm specimens at <£3!

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

yeah but wouldn't that overstock my tank.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

If your stocking is correct in your signature, I think you would be fine adding 10 of both Hatchetfish and Synodontis nigriventris, before calling your tank fully stocked. Add them in groups of five every two weeks (so 8 weeks for 20 new fish) providing water tests show your filter has adjusted to the new bioload, if you want to play it safe (or your LFS will not let you buy and reserve others for later), or add them as complete groups (10 of one species one day, the other species group at least two weeks on) but keep a close eye on tank stats.

Incidentally, I went back to the LFS selling "Upside Down Catfish" at £2.75 each this afternoon after work, the tank contained four social Synodontis nigriventris and at least ten more spiteful Synodontis nigrita (plus a lovely juvenile Synodontis that may have been a rare true S. Petricola with large black spots the same size on the body and head). Three of the S. nigriventris were good size (2x 5cm, 1x 7cm) and one was just a baby ~2cm that I got free, so four fish for a whopping £8.25! All have appeared to settle in well with the existing nine,

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

Now I am definitely getting hatchetfish but yesterday my LFS told me I should buy them one at a time so they wouldn't stress each other out. What should I do get them one by one or in a group.

 

[fluttermoth]

Shoaling fish will be even more stressed if they're on their own; in the their minds they'll 'think' all the others in their shoal have had something awful happen to them.

You should definitely by them in groups, six for preference.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

Thanks I will get both species in groups.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

Oh! one more thing. I saw the worlds cutest upside down catfish. It was really small and still had its yolk sack in its belly. Can I buy it and raise it from birth or would it stress them it too much.