Leopard ctenopoma/spotted climbing perch

[Synirr]

Ok, here's the deal... I've been wanting a spotted climbing perch forever, and my lfs just got in a little 3" specimen! I am absolutely batty for anabantoids and I love the little guy to death and am dying to take him home, but I'm not sure I have the proper tank arrangement to do so... so basically, what I need are some opinions

I'm a little apprehensive about keeping an adult in anything less than 55 gallons (I like my fish to have plenty of room) but right now all I have is a 29 gallon and can't upgrade until I move out next year. I'm not sure how fast spotted climbing perch grow, so I'm wondering if this would be sufficient until I get the chance to upgrade? I've read about their max size being anywhere between 5 and 8", so I figure their growth cap is around 6" and only really old specimens would be much larger than that?

The tank has enough filtration for a tank twice its size, is planted, and currently houses a 5"-ish senegal bichir (too small to bother anything much larger than a platy,) an African butterfly fish, a bumblebee catfish that I never see, and a pair of angels (about half grown). If I can house the spotted climbing perch in a tank this size, I wouldn't mind rehoming the angels if need be and I have another tank the catfish and ABF could be moved to.

So, what do you guys think? Would it be ok to go ahead and purchase this fish, or should I wait until I can get the 55 gallon?

 

[Synirr]

If I get many positive responses to this by morning, I might just have to go by and pick him up tomorrow

 

[Opcn]

I think ryan had one, why not post this an anabaitoids?

 

[andywg]

I recently picked up two and in around 3 weeks they have grown from 1" to 2".

I would say that tank should be ok for a while (especially for one).

They can be nasty to each other but as there is only one that should be fine. Be careful with tank mates as they have a trap door mouth like a butterfly fish.

Only other advice is to be careful with feeding. Allegedly, as they are ambush predators, they can be beaten to food by tank mates, but mine are straight in there pushing Pictus out the way and second only to my Chalceus.

I'd say go for it for now, so long as the 29 has a fair width and is not just depth (I don't know standard US aquarium sizes).

HIH

Andy

 

[cometcattle]

I think he'll be fine in the 29g.

I bought mine back in Dec 04, and he/she (I have no idea how to sex them) was about 2.5 - 3" and I'd say he's almost 5" now, but thicker.

This is the only old pic (Jan 05) I have of him and it sucks. He's next to a small senagal bichir, and an USD cat is above him:

Here's a couple pics from a few weeks ago:

They are VERY cool fish.

 

[scottsbt1690]

i bougth a pair of these fish about 6 months ago, they have grown too much i would say one is around 2-3 inches and the other is around 1-2 inches, though the bigger does bully the other a little bit, but doesnt bother with any other fish, i think mayeb i have a pair or soemthing, not sure, oh they are kept in a 4ft long tank witrh plenty of room, they are also known as bush fish


scott

 

[Synirr]

Woohoo, I'm gonna go snag him today then! I hope no one else has bought him.... but he was in one of the tanks closest to the ceiling, and no body ever looks up there

 

[Synirr]

Well, I got him! He's so adorable
I did make a really boneheaded move though... Once I got him home I realised he's only about 2", and small enough for my bichir to eat, so I decided I'd put him in my 10 gallon to grow up some. I moved my WCMMs for their safety, but I didn't even think about the dwarf gouarmi!!!!
I feel so guilty... Mr. gourami went up to introduce himself and had half of one of his little ventral feelers bitten off . (EDIT: Nevermind, apparently he was just tucking it under himself, because I see now that it's still completely intact! Whew, that was a close one )

Anyway, little miss Mini was temporarily downgraded to a 1 gallon Aquaview tank while the climbing perch grows up some in her 5 gallon. Hopefully he'll grow fast and be able to live in the 29 gallon soon.

Do you think the angels will have to go? I don't have any experience with these guys so I'm not sure if he'll be able to play nicely with angels or not? My thought is not, but I figured I'd ask

 

[Fruitbat]

In my experience with the Leopard Ctenopoma or Spotted Bush Fish (Ctenopoma acutirostre), they are not particularly aggressive fish though they certainly are predatory. I currently have 6 different species of these fish and rarely have any problems with aggression. Though I've never kept them together, I suspect that your Leopard Ctenopoma will get along fairly well with Angelfish. If there are any aggression problems I think they will probably be instigated by the Angels (which are, after all, cichlids) and not by the Ctenopoma.

Your 29 gallon tank will be fine for quite some time.

Oh....like you I'm a 'nut' for anabantoids, especially the more 'oddball' ones like Bush Fish, Combtails, Climbing Perch, etc. They take second place only to my Bichirs.

-Joe