need suggestions stocking an all catfish tank

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Daniel_MoY

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Sep 20, 2007
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Hello everyone, I am curently cycling a 60g tank with a 4'X1' footprint, and it's rather tall. So I can't get the really big catfish.

So stalking I was thinking

Upsidedown catfish
Lace Catfish
Pictus Catfish
Pelco

But not sure what other catfish I could use. I went to planet catfish and seen hundreds of nice wonderful catfish but I do not know how to get them. If petco or LFS would carrie them or if they are rare.

I like the looks of the lace catfish but it hides most of the time in my other tank.

Any suggestions
 

Daniel_MoY

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Sep 20, 2007
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Will all these get along in the 60g tank?

1 Banjo Catfish (6")
10 Glass Catfish (2")
2/3 Halo (6")
4/6 Pictus (6")
2 Lace Catfish (6")
(4?) Synodontis Petricola (3.5")
 

kv501

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Sep 16, 2007
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Will all these get along in the 60g tank?

1 Banjo Catfish (6")
10 Glass Catfish (2")
2/3 Halo (6")
4/6 Pictus (6")
2 Lace Catfish (6")
(4?) Synodontis Petricola (3.5")

Hate to say this but that is WAY to much fish for a 60 gal, especially a tall. that tank would only hold maybe 2 of the larger fish you mentioned. These are, for the most part bottom dwellers, so a 4 x 1 footprint would esentially make your tank equal to a 50 gal minus substrate and decor. If I were you I would suggest a school of cories or some of the smaller plecostomi.

Nick
 

Sploke

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I agree, the problem you're going to run into is that all of those fish are going to be fighing for real estate in the same level of the tank. You could do a group of pictus OR a large group of cories OR a group of synos, but not all of them.
 

Daniel_MoY

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Sep 20, 2007
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I was thinking that the Glass Catfish would hold the middle of the tank mostly by themselfs so a group of 10.

The Pictus are active during the day and will be all over the tank as they are alittle hyperactive.

(10) Glass Catfish (Middle of tank)

(4/6) Pictus Catfish (bottom and middle of tank)

1 Banjo Catfish (6") (bottom)
2 Lace Catfish / Upside down catfish (Night time catifsh)

the Banjo, Lace and Halo are night time active, mostly hiding during the day.
I am new though so I could deffently be thinking something wrong.
Is there another catfish that isn't a bottem dwelling like the Glass but bigger?
 

Sploke

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Pictus are hyper but stick to the bottom, I have a group of 7 in my 150. Glass catfish, from what I have seen, will hover in schools just above the substrate, I've never seen them more than 2-3" off the bottom. So basically you're looking at shoving all those fish into the bottom 4" of the tank.

Catfish by nature are bottom-dwelling species.
 

Beasts

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Jan 15, 2007
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And what would be wrong with creating artificial substrates using rocks and driftwood. If you created caves at the same time even more territories would be available. Plants would also break up otherwise wide open spaces creating more hiding places. As an example, my dojos have taken up residence in the roots of my floating Hydrocotyle at the surface of a 30 inch deep aquarium. Until the Hydrocotyle filled in they were quite happy (for over 6 months) moving throughout the aquarium. My striped rafaels are rarely visible since they hide in the cavities of a large piece of driftwood. The 4 pictus all stay under one sword plant even though they have a substrate which is 25 square feet! Yes, they constantly harass each other, but none of them ever show any damage. They prefer being in close proximity to each other.
Be creative. Find ways to create more territories, more niches. Make sure that you provide ample filtration being certain to move the water at the surface as that is where most of the gas exchange occurs. Keep up on water changes and don't overfeed.
I do agree, however, that even with all of these suggestions your list is a bit much for a 60 gallon aquarium.
Beasts
 

kv501

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Sep 16, 2007
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I was thinking that the Glass Catfish would hold the middle of the tank mostly by themselfs so a group of 10.

The Pictus are active during the day and will be all over the tank as they are alittle hyperactive.

(10) Glass Catfish (Middle of tank)

(4/6) Pictus Catfish (bottom and middle of tank)

1 Banjo Catfish (6") (bottom)
2 Lace Catfish / Upside down catfish (Night time catifsh)

the Banjo, Lace and Halo are night time active, mostly hiding during the day.
I am new though so I could deffently be thinking something wrong.
Is there another catfish that isn't a bottem dwelling like the Glass but bigger?
Cut the number of fish in half and you might be ok. In that size tank you're pushing it with even two 6" fish, let alone the other ones. My suggestion would be to do a search about stocking levels and read up on those posts, because I think that this is where you're going wrong. People who give you the BS 1" per gallon rule are only kidding themselves, and petstores will tell you anything to get you to buy more fish. There are many other variables such as tankmates, swimming levels, and water condition that come into play.

You have to remember that you don't truly have 60 gallons of water. Your substrate and decor take up a lot of volume, and the fact that the tank is a tall means that for catfish (glass and pictus included) reside in the bottom few inches of water. This isn't enough room in your tank for that many fish of that size to thrive. You can either get fewer (recommended) or get a bigger tank.

My suggestion would be to get just one of the bigger cats, and focus on doing a good job for caring for it, along with some smaller mid and high-water fish. Remember that a well cared for tank with a few happy and healthy fish is much more apealling than a small tank crowded with cramped fish.

Thanks,

Nick
 

Daniel_MoY

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Sep 20, 2007
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Well Mostly I think I want the Pictus Cats as the centerpiece of my tank.

So if I get 6 pictus cats. from what I was reading they like to play with each other.

what would go well with them.
 

Sploke

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Oct 20, 2005
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Some small to med sized SA cichlids would work, like convicts, severums, uaru, or angels.
 
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