How Many Pictus Catfish In 75 Gallon?

[julielynn47]

As many of you know I plan on pictus catfish for the 75 gallon.  Any opinions on how many would be a good stocking number?  I am thinking 3 to 6.  
 
At this point I am not sure what else I want in the tank.   I wanted Angels, but most people think that is a bad idea.   Years ago I had both in a tank. I didn't seem to have any issues. But I don't know. Still thinking about all that.   But I know I want the pictus.  I just hope I can find some when the time comes.
 
Any other suggestions on tankmates for the pictus welcome!

 

[Byron]

This is from a profile on this species that I wrote for another site:
 
Compatibility/Temperament: Peaceful but it is predatory and as it matures it will eat small fish. Should be kept in a small group of at least 5; single fish may pine away. Tankmates should not include sedate fish like angels, discus, gourami and even cichlids as these will be pestered by the nocturnal habits of this catfish, nor nippy fish like barbs.  Medium-sized characins, larger rasbora, rainbowfish are suitable.
 
They do get to five inches, so I would think 5 a good number, maybe 6.  Should have a sand substrate.  As they occur in shallow but flowing waters, a bit of current is best, and obviously tankmates should have a similar need or at least manage with perhaps more current than otherwise for a 75g.

 

[julielynn47]

Tiger Barbs would not be suitable?  They are fast moving. I am thinking about a school of them.  I wouldn't think that they would be small enough to be eaten. Although I have always heard they are fin nippers I would not think that they would nip at the pictus.

 

[Byron]

Tiger Barbs would not be suitable?  They are fast moving. I am thinking about a school of them.  I wouldn't think that they would be small enough to be eaten. Although I have always heard they are fin nippers I would not think that they would nip at the pictus.

 
Tiger Barb are not good tankmates here.  This would be like waving a red flag in front of a mad bull.  The Pictus is one of those species that when being considered for a tank bring with them several restrictions with respect to tankmates.
 
I have observed various fish (not just the Tigers) creep up behind catfish that have long feelers and/or fin extensions, and nip.  To the poor catfish, this is severe.  Please don't set up that scenario.
 
Here's more data if you want other opinions:
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pimelodus-pictus/
http/www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=276
 
PC does suggest gourami, but that isn't wise given their sedate nature.  Fish prowling around a tank in pitch blackness with feelers waving everywhere is very unsettling to a lot of fish.

 

[julielynn47]

I didn't think about that. That does not sound good at all.    I will follow the links.   Regardless of what I have in there as tankmates, I will have my pictus!!!

 

[julielynn47]

Okay, what about Red Minor or Black Skirt Tetras? Something along that line?  Are these what most people would consider medium to large tetras?  I know neons are out of the question.   I really want this tank to have something in it that will go along with the pictus, and be something that I do not have in my 55 gallon.  

 

[Byron]

Okay, what about Red Minor or Black Skirt Tetras? Something along that line?  Are these what most people would consider medium to large tetras?  I know neons are out of the question.   I really want this tank to have something in it that will go along with the pictus, and be something that I do not have in my 55 gallon.  

 
Sadly these are the same problem as the Tiger Barb.  Both Serpae Tetra and Black Skirt/Widow Tetra will nip fins of sedate fish.  The Serpae are the worst, but on another forum a member went with Black Skirts in with Angelfish and proudly told me that all was well--but not for long.  A few weeks later her angelfish had nipped fins you wouldn't believe.  We cannot change fish personalities, so it is always best to assume the fish will be normal for the species rather than hope they may not.
 
You will have to be vigilant with any fish you put in the tank, to look out for signs of beginning trouble.  Sometimes even peaceful fish can change their ways when temptation is before them.
 
With that in mind...Bleeding Hearts is a species to consider.  These get largish, and are not prone to fin nip.  They have some nice colour too.  Congo Tetra might work.  Both should be OK with the current if not severe.  Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata) is OK size wise and temperament, but coming from slower waters might not appreciate the current.  There are of course the Rainbowfishes.  There are some colourful larger species, obviously avoid the more delicate tiny ones.

 

[julielynn47]

I have decided against the Angels so that is not an issue.  Maybe in the future I will have another tank just for Angels. But this 75 is for pictus catfish.
 
So the red minor and black skirts will nip the pictus? I would just assume that the pictus would be too fast for them.  
 
Wow...this is going to be difficult for me I see.  I have a school of the scissor tails in my 55, so I do not want a school in the 75. I want different fish in it.

 

[Byron]

At this point I will make a general comment about community tanks, not really directed at anything specific here, just general observation because combining different fish is something with which many aquarists have difficulty and it really is not all that easy.
 
The first thing to keep in mind is that almost all of the fish we put together in an aquarium would never come into contact with each other (thinking species) in their habitats.  In some cases, other fish of any species might be rare.  Rivers and streams in the tropics extend for kilometers, and many species remain in shoals and avoid other fish species and/or are themselves avoided by other fish species.  If they do come close, the volume of water is usually so vast they will easily remain separated.  Natural predation among our aquarium-type fish is very rare, because most of them do not eat fish as a part of their normal diet.
 
As soon as we place fish in an aquarium, we are putting the fish in a very artificial environment, exposing them to various things they would likely never experience in the wild.  The natural trait to sneak up and pick up a crustacean or worm is a response triggered by the fluttering sensors of a catfish, the the extended filaments of a fish's caudal fin.  I have often seen a fish pick at a plant root that has emerged from the sand; it is not because the fish eats plant roots, but it triggers a natural response.
 
The other thing to remember is that we will have considerably more fish in a close space than would occur in any habitat.  This of course is why water changes are so vital.  But the fish are continually in each other's face, so to speak, and this is quite un-natural.  As I sit in front of my fairly well-stocked tanks, I often am struck by just how well some of these species do manage to co-exist without incident.
 
Byron.

 

[julielynn47]

Upon my searching the internet today I have came upon a lot of conflicting info.  According to this site http/badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile70.html  The pictus can be kept with cichlids.  Which would make, I think, for an interesting tank experience.  Colorful cichlids combined with the beauty of the pictus.
 
So hard to know what do with all this.  I know that no matter what a person puts in a tank, there are going to be some who think it is okay and some who do not.  I am just going to keep researching and reading and see what I can come up with.   
 
I would think that the barbels of the pictus might not be so good around another fish that swims on the bottom.  Don't the pretty cichlids swim just about everywhere?
 
I may just end up with only pictus cats in this tank....

 

[julielynn47]

Years and years ago, probably 27 years at least, I had a 20 gallon tank.  I had all kinds of fish in that tank. I had and Angel, a pictus, platy's, a fresh water flounder, guppies, neon tetras, and a couple of crabs. I had a wide array of fish life in that tank. The only thing that I remember giving me any problems at all were the crabs. They ate on the fish at night. I was so glad to be rid of them.
 
Now I know that sounds like a nitemare by today standards, but I do not remember having any trouble at all.  I knew nothing about anything back then, not even the cycle, and I never lost a fish except to the crabs.
 
I don't understand why now things have became so complicated....

 

[julielynn47]

Oh, I forgot, I also had in that tank a kuli loach and pretty red male betta.  Yes...I know...but I swear I had no problems at all.   No nipped fins that I ever saw.  
 
I also had an under gravel filter and I still to this day think those are the best filters. I would not want to break one of my tanks down to install one, and they are not as easily found now days either, but it worked really well for me. That tank was always clean, no carbon come to think of it was ever used.
 
Yes, IMO, fish keeping has become  more complicated over the years.  I guess the more we learn the more we worry

 

[julielynn47]

I must admend my above post.  In the end I did have problems with the Betta nipping other fish. I just remembered that. He did fine for a long time, then out of the blue he started being a Betta.  I gave him to a cousin of mine and that ended that.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I think if it was me, I would go for some rainbowfish. So many different kinds and they look amazing! Just my opinion. Lol. I don't have any but I was following this thread out of curiosity. I LOVE the look of the pictus cat! I um...used to have one when I was a kid *cough cough* in a 10 gallon with 3 tiger barbs, 2 blue gourami, and a common pleco *cough cough*. To top it off...they were from Walmart! Lol. So much I didn't know then!! Or actually, it may have been some zebra danios and the 2 gouramis may have came later.....

 

[Byron]

Comments on issues mentioned in posts 10-13.
 
Cichlids are lower level fish.  They eat from the substrate, and tend to remain in the lower third of the water column.  They are thus poor tankmates for active nocturnal catfish.
 
As for conflicting information...one has to know the source.  In other words, who is saying what.  Anyone can set up a website and promote themselves as an "authority" on fish, but they may not be so.  There are reliable sites that are run by ichthyologists and biologists who do know fish.  It is not surprising that when one compares information on these sites, it almost always agrees.  That is the reliable data.
 
As for the fish in the 20g... we can say with certainty that they were not in good health.  This is where many get into problems--read the two citations in my signature block, they are apropos.  It is basically impossible to know what a fish is going through by simply seeing it swimming around.  And another point, fish placed in such difficult situations generally do not exhibit natural behaviours because they are under stress from the situation, be it tank space, too few of the species, inappropriate tankmates, environment, whatever.
 
Undergravel filters have their benefits, but they also have problems.  They can get clogged, just like your filter does.  If the flow stops for a long period, they can become anaerobic and kill the fish.  You cannot use sand with them.  And the water flow is contrary to nature, where water from the aquarium moves down through the substrate, is heated by the bacterial actions, then rises back up into the aquarium.
 
Byron.