Whats the smallest catfish?
- Thread starter Gurglar
- Start date
Catfish is a very general word. There are many species. Most that I know of need heaters, but there may be some others that require a chiller. In reality, all fish need a stable temperature, so even "coldwater" fish like goldies still need a heater to regulate the temperature. The most common small catfish is the tropical(heater needed) ottocinclus. A sucker mouthed, algae eating catfish that only gets about 2" max. They are social fish and do best with others of thier own kind. Some other common, smaller cats are corries, bumblebees and golden 4-lined cats.
if you want tropicals, the smallest you can get are otocinclus catfish of the family loriicaridae. they are social fish a will wither if not kept in at least pairs, or trios. they need heaters. they are sensitive and eat almost exclusively algae, so make sure your tank is well aged and chok full of algae before you buy one. cories are also small, and are opportunistic scavengers and will eat just about anything. they are schooling fish and must be kept in groups of at least 5. need heater in most cases, except for peppered cories. for small coldwater catfish, madtoms only get a few inches in lenght, but are rarely seen in stores, and if you have your heart set on one you could try to catch one as long as you live in the midwesten or easten USA.
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Care to explain why peppered cories are able to withstand temperature fluctuations and or low temps?
May I ask what size tank you plan to house them in? Are you unable to get a heater?Gurglar said:
Good question Plah. And really, if the tank is small enough a heater is not all that pricey. As I stated in my first thread, even fish who prefer lower than the common tropical temperatures need a heater to regulate temperatures. If your house is 60 degrees, i dont see a small tank staying at 70 for too long.
true, we need to know that. and I guess you're right, SF, but most people keep their homes at 72-4 degrees most of the year, and my father has kept his peppers in an unheated tank for a good 6 years.sumthin fishy said:
actually, they prefer the temp from 71 through 82. They are the same as most other cories. Cooler water does spark breeding habit, that's why they often spawn after water changes. If your house is kept at 72-74 though, I can see that this may be ideal for them.
And for the record.... I wouldn't keep my heat at 72-74 unless you were paying tha heating bill..... so please don't consider that "most" housholds do this.
And for the record.... I wouldn't keep my heat at 72-74 unless you were paying tha heating bill..... so please don't consider that "most" housholds do this.
