catfish help...

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shw104

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Mar 19, 2005
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Hello,

I need some pointers with catfish. I have a 30 gallon, planted, community tank that has been set-up and stable for 7+ years. I have had fairly good luck with all my fish except cat-fish. I can’t seem to keep any alive more than a few months. Does anyone have any pointers or best practices? I’d like to add a couple albino cat’s or something similar. I did have a plecostomus that grew quite large that died after 3 years. I fed him algae wafers that he’d eat but that catfish rarely if ever ate from them.

Should I be feeding them separately than the flake fish food I’m using for my community tank? If so, what? Is there anything else that seems to help these guys along?

Thanks!!
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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What kind of catfish? Cories? Plecostomus? Channel cat?

Yes, sinking foods should be provided, since flake food often doesn't make it to the bottom, and while they will clean and help keep a substrate stirred up, they still need good food to eat. What type of sinking food will depend on the fish...bristlenose plecos are herbivores, but commons (which get WAY too big for a 30) need a meatier diet as they mature. Some of the smaller hypancistrus species are meat eaters as well. Cories tend to be omnivores.

What happens to the ones you've tried? Any changes in appearance? Behavior? What else is in the tank?
 

FishFanMan

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Jun 13, 2013
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Interesting, as one of our cories died today after 3 months too.
 

shw104

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Mar 19, 2005
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Cories, albino catfish... My guess is they aren't finding enough food. They seem to last 2-3 months. Tank is a community tank. Mostly tetras, zebras, etc.






What kind of catfish? Cories? Plecostomus? Channel cat?

Yes, sinking foods should be provided, since flake food often doesn't make it to the bottom, and while they will clean and help keep a substrate stirred up, they still need good food to eat. What type of sinking food will depend on the fish...bristlenose plecos are herbivores, but commons (which get WAY too big for a 30) need a meatier diet as they mature. Some of the smaller hypancistrus species are meat eaters as well. Cories tend to be omnivores.

What happens to the ones you've tried? Any changes in appearance? Behavior? What else is in the tank?
 

Narwhal72

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Aug 13, 2009
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Also have to remember that you want to keep a soft or fine substrate for cories to do well. Large gravel or rocks isn't the best for them as it damages their barbels. Pool filter sand or play sand is one of the best substrates for cories.

Providing food that sinks to the bottom so they can find is essential. I feed mine sinking pellets but also live blackworms twice a week which is one of the best foods for cories and other fish.

Andy
 

thacarter546

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Apr 9, 2012
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Pick a species first then concentrate on their requirements. In a 30 your pretty much stuck with what they posted above Cories or a bushy nose pleco. Maybe a small species of sydontis. If you go with the cories get 3-4 feed them shrimp pellets and algae wafers alternating. That seemed to be what worked out best for me. I have a few albino bristlenose at the moment, I bought some juveniles to raise because I want a male to breed with my adult female hopefully. She has a burrow dug out and I allow green algae to grow around it which she cleans up every few days. I also supplement her diet with algae wafers and the occasional cichlid pellet. Fresh veggies are hard for me to feed because they will get ripped apart by my cichlids and end up all over the tank.

If you go with a small species of sydontis make sure that there is nothing in the tank that fits into its mouth. Sinking cichlid pellets and shrimp pellets work well, but they will eat whatever fits in their mouth.

With any catfish species an adequate hiding spot is necessary. Make sure it is big enough to avoid territory issues. If you have multiples make sure they are large enough to house your catfish population. I have several terracotta pots in my tank for caves. I break the bottom out and use them. Even though there are several dwellings my two eclipse cats and one sydontis eupterus all hang out in a 1.5 gallon strawberry pot together. The adult bristlenose dug a cave underneath the same pot. So adequate sized dwellings are a must.

If you do not have enough hiding places most cats get stressed out and do not live very long.

Most cats are also nocturnal so keeping a strict day/night schedule helps and feeding the cats their food right at lights off helps.
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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I think many people with "planted" tanks think they don't need to vacuum when doing water changes. But I, as a big fan of bottom feeders, don't want my fish sticking their faces into "mulm" , poo & detritus, a major cause of worn or missing barbels (whiskers), I vac lightly over the substrate surface. Another possibility is poor stock from lfs...do you quarantine? Drip acclimate? If at all possible buy from a local breeder, they'll be more used to your water & usually healthier than mass bred fish.
 
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