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i want a botom feeder for my 30 gallon, i dont want it to be an egg eater, what about a pictus? we have the small ones, they are silver with spots, i have wanted 1 for quite a while

Not only do they get too big for 30g tanks, but they also devour eggs with great gusto. Nearly any fish will eat eggs, so try going with something like Otocinclus species of plecos.

i heard the ones at walmart only get 5-6 in
but now i have another problem, i want to breed lamprologus multifasciatus or neolamprologus brevis

Trust me. Pictus grow too large for a shellie breeding tank. Don't go with plecos/ottos, either. Not only with they not cooperate with the high PH needs of the tangs, they're also egg eating machines. The shellies, if breeding, will probably end up killing the ottos, anyways. You could try some upsies, although they will likely eat the eggs, too. It's hard to keep anything with breeding shellies.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-08-11 21:07][/span]

Besides, the shellies themselves are bottom fish - they may not cling to the substrate like a cory will, but if you're looking to fill out the tank, something for the top would be a better choice. However, my personal recommendation is to go with just Multis and let them create a real colony - what a great tank that'd be!

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

i have decided on the multi and decided to get 2 for my 10 or 20 gallon to do as what u said, creat their own colony, so i guess i will get the pictus for the 30, i will look for a new home if they do end up getting too big, it will probly eventualy be housed with a rainbow shark my boyfriend got 1 for his 10 gallon kind of hard to talk him out of somethings. will they be able to live with albino corys? i want to get a school for the 2 or them, they deserve it

With a maximum size of 11 inches coupled with the fact that they appreciate company, pics aren't really that great a choice for a cory tank or a 30 gallon, for that matter.

ic looked it up and it sayed the pics will be fine alone or in a group of 6, i am not getting 6 i am getting 1, probly

There are a few reasons why Pictus are no good:
1)They get too big as they can reach 1ft long and more if kept in the right conditions

2)They need to be kept in a school of 3 to be happy, 1 on its own will survive but will live a miserable life

3)They eat small fish and may eat your Multis which you don`t want

4)They are scavengers and will eat the Multis eggs if they get the chance so you won`t be able to breed them

5)It would be cruel to keep 1 in a 30g tank

1)They get too big as they can reach 1ft long and more if kept in the right conditions

according tohttp://fish.orbust.net/pictuscatfish.html
they grow 5 inches
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2)They need to be kept in a school of 3 to be happy, 1 on its own will survive but will live a miserable life

according to there "They are more active by day when kept as a small group." not misserable alone
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3)They eat small fish and may eat your Multis which you don`t want

according to me "i have decided on the multi and decided to get 2 for my 10 or 20 gallon to do as what u said, creat their own colony, so i guess i will get the pictus for the 30,"
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4)They are scavengers and will eat the Multis eggs if they get the chance so you won`t be able to breed them

same as above
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5)It would be cruel to keep 1 in a 30g tank

ah, 5in+30g=cruel? dont see how that adds up
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i am not trying to creat an arguement but u dont seem to be listening to what i say

[span class="edited"][Edited by fishyhelper288 2004-08-12 16:16][/span]

Because they don`t reach 5ins, they can reach 12inches. Your getting all your info off sites and they don`t have proof, they do reach sizes of 12inches for certain and 12inches is cruel ina 30g as they wouldn`t have adequate swimming space, sorry but you are now asking for advice and coz you ain`t getting the advice you want to here are stropping about it.

i am ashamed to admit it but i think u are right, i am dancing around the truth, i guess i will stick the the shark i will be rescueing, thanks for staying with me untill my brain kicked in