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I was a bit unsure about starting this thread as there is a similar one about a 29g. But i didn't really want to but in on thier thread.

so my question. I have an empty 33g and i would like to know a few catfish that are nocturnal and that could live happily for 2 years in a 33g. (i plan to upgrade to a 100g in a couple of years ).

Would a rapheal catfish be ok? i had one before but i lost him due to a problem with my heater when i was on holiday.

You might wonder why i want a nocturnal catfish. 2 reasons really
1. I'm currently deciding weather to house 2 1 1/2 red bellied piranhas and if i do i will need a catfish that will stay in his cave daytime and come out to play when the RBP's are asleep.
2. I have a moonlight blue actinic light which i have been told is invisible to some or most catfish.

so whatever you can think of i'm well open to suggestions

Hmmm...I know raphaels are notorious for their 'battle-tnak' armour that they possess, but against piranhas? I think piranhas would still eat it and chew their way thru its armour....maybe the large pictus cats like...i think theres one called Pim? not too sure abt the exact name, common or scientific, but check with the other guys...alli know its a larger relative of the common pictus catfish...and grows way larger than a raphael...(abt 30-40cm)

I'm no expert, but I don't think even a nocturnal catfish would be necessarily safe with piranha's.

Many fish not only hunt by sight, but also by motion and smell, so it may not do any good that the fish only come out at night

Last edited by OldTimer at 14-Mar-2005 21:00

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

I agree - piranhas require specific care, and i don't think there'd be any 'aquaria' catfish suitable for a piranha tank. Having said that though, considering piranhas originate from the amazon, I'm highly sure that there are some catfish that aren't bothered by them, but then again, these catfish tend to grow rather huge, are solitary, highly predatory, and totally unsuitable as an aquaria fish.

I can see you're point. From an article i read on Piranha fury's website they stated that no fish is 100% safe with pirahnas but there are some exeptions. And the safest one they mentioned (n my oppinion) was a nocyurnal catfish.

The plan was to make him a cave that only his slender body could fit in. SO if the pirahnas did decide to have a midnight snack he could retreat to safety.

I think a pictus might not be such a good idea. My friend had one and it used to swim everywhere. I was hoping for something that stays in the bottom strata most of the time.

The only one would be a raphael. The striped version gets bigger than the spotted. But as you say, they are pirahnas. So it would be at your own risk.

In my opinion a spotted Raphael would be fine. Your tank parameters would be within their natural habitat, and your aggressize fish cannot eat them per say but they can damage most notably the section of skin at the top of the back between fins, but even then they will not get that chance. Make a large cave that is easily accessible. Make sure your heater is far enough from the side of the tank that the raphael does not try to wedge there during the day. and when you introduce the raphael, use your hands. Their spines easily get caught in nets anyways. I usually introduce the raphael into the cave so they immediately know where it is. position your cave so that you can see inside of it duering the daytime, pretty important for knowing the condition of your raphael. Since you plan on two years the only suitable one would be the spotted raphael, the striped one would far outgrow that tank.

Koi

Empty chairs at empty tables, the room silent, forlorn.

that sounds close to my cave idea. Exept i'm not sure how big to make the entrance. On one hand you could say it needs to be large so the rapheal can find it quickly and not have to struggle. But on the other hand the pirahnas i am getting are only 2" . So i my questions are:

1. If the pirahnas were to take charge would they corner it in his own cave ( i know i wouldn't )
2. Should i buy a adult spotted rapheal - would he put up a better fight???

I had an idea about having the cave as a large piping tube covered by gravel - so it appears just to be an entrance. But have it so if you look through the side of the tank you could see straight in to the cave?? This way i can check on the rapheal but have a small entrance that the piranhas wouldn't try and get in?

Another idea i had about feeding him his sinking pellets was to have a thinner clear pipe going straight down into his cave that i could just pop the pellet into. - you may think this is a bit ellaborate but i thought that after the piranhas get used to food coming from the top even at night when they hear me open the hood they would wake up feeling peckish.

I don't really want to confine him to a cave. But has anyone else had pirahnas and catfish together? From watching my old rapheal at night all he wanted to do was have a little cruise around the bottom of the tank.

From what i have read about thier attacking skills they do ambush some fish but usually end up unsuccesful.

Either way i think it's 'at my own risk' but if you can keep a pleco in with them surely a amroured nocturnal catfish would be safer.

thanks in advance

I don't know if anybody said this yet, but piranhas tend to ignore fish (mainly catfish) that were in there before them, but attack ones that come in afterwards. This isn't always the case, but it's your best bet.

good thinking