How Should I Set Up A Tank For A Pictus Catfish

[Fizban]

i have a tank and am going in to the pet store tommorow to pick up stuff that may look good or that i need any surgestions? i would like to no as well what use for the ground should i use small stones big stones or sand or midel size stones what the best for this typ of fish ?

 

[§tudz]

I'd say sand, but what pictus are you thinking of getting and how big is your tank?

 

[jayjay]

Well i'm setting up a tank which will contain pim pictus, if I finally decide I want this stocking lol. It will have a silver sand substrate, pile of river cobbles and maybe some bogwood.

 

[§tudz]

thats sounds good to me, very similar to the tnk I was going to use for my rainbow snakehead, but been waiting 2months for it now

so it might end up being a cory holding tank

 

[jayjay]

Oh and for pim pictus, probably what your getting? You'll need a 48"x12" footprint tank.

 

[Bloo]

Oh and for pim pictus, probably what your getting? You'll need a 48"x12" footprint tank.

Agreed at least 4ft long. I had mine in a 3 ft (50 US gallon) and it was way too small for these highly active fish.

 

[jayjay]

Mine will go into a L48"xH12"xW15" 40g, I think that's a good size for a mainly catfish tank.

 

[Fizban]

the first pic looks like the one i have http/aqualandpetsplus.com/Catfish,%20Pictus.htm as for tank size i that down im only going to have maby 2 or three other fish in there so its not loanly any surgestens on what fish would like him i have pecos but i think that when end up being lunch right ?and sand i see is whats good any reason for that?

 

[Bloo]

Mine will go into a L48"xH12"xW15" 40g, I think that's a good size for a mainly catfish tank.

Personally I think that's too small and the fish will get stressed. In my opinion they need 75 gallons ++ as they really need to be in groups of 3+

 

[andywg]

I question the need for groups, as I have 5 and the only time they go near each other is to fight over resting spots in bogwood. Even once the lights are out they don't patrol the tank together.

Even when they were in a 6x2x2 all they would do is move out for food and then go back to sit and occasionaly fight. Now they are in the 3 foot tank they do very similar.

 

[jayjay]

Bloo it's mainly footprint, not actual capacity that matters most. When i've kept these before they were in a 90g but it's footprint is only 48x18.

 

[Fishy412]

i have mine in a tank with large gravel, some fake plants, bogwood, and a big lava stone. They seem to like the shade a lot. i have 4.


andy- I for one am a supporter of keeping these in groups. While they may not seem to be that social they probably are. Mine like to huddle in groups all the time and during feeding time theyre in a huge frenzy. It is quite the sight to watch