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my friend just dropped off his pitcus cat, b/c it was getting to big even though it is only 3 inchs long, where can he go: i have three options:
a large tank with 2 sun cats, I.D shark, large but peaceful clown knife,
a 20G with livebearers and gouramie, and krib,
a 50G with rainbows,dwarf gourami,guppy,clown loach.

my guess would be in the clown knife tank, he should get along with the sun cats.

I think if it was me I would place it in the 50 gallon.

Jim

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

I would put it in the clown knife tank. It would go munch munch munch in the 50 gallon and goodbye a lot of fish!The 20 is much to small for a pictus cat.

I think Labrakitty has the right idea here Pictus have a veruy open mind in what they consider to be food in with the knife fish I say

Last edited by hollywood at 29-Apr-2005 17:48

Once again, I have to ask the question, WHICH Pictus?

Is it the bright silver and black Pimelodus pictus, which Mongabay cites as reaching a possible 8 inches in this page, though most people say 5 inches is nearer the mark? If so, I don't anticipate major problems provided you don't put the catfish in with fishes it can swallow, because it doesn't take much temtpation to make one of these catfishes start snacking upon fellow inmates if they are the right size.

However, there is a second "Pictus cat", namely Leiarus pictus, which I originally encountered by the old taxonomic name of Sciades pictus. This is usually known as a 'Sailfin Pictus Cat' upon account of the tall dorsal of the juvenile, but is sometimes simply referred to (particularly among fellow Big Pim keepers) as a 'Pictus cat'. This fellow is a juggernaut that reaches two feet with ease. This page by Sean Evans (which covers his own specimen in detail) gives you an idea what this beast is like.

Just thought I'd issue my obligatory disambiguation warning.


Last edited by Calilasseia at 29-Apr-2005 18:11

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

They will feast heartily on guppies in the fifty gallon. How large is the sun cat tank?

i would go with the clown knife tank

my clown knife is every peaceful, and has been with me for about 6 years with out eatting live fish, but the sun cats my guess would be 4.5-5 inches in size, but the pitcus cat is 3.5 - 4 in size.

I vote for taking the pictus to the lfs. I'm sure they prefer to be in groups.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Pictus cats are actually solitary fish, but they tolorate being kept in groups. But I agree with you, Lindy, that the fish should be taken to the LFS because none of BettaChris's setups are ideal for this species.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Agreed. Only whence being introduced to an entirely new tank will pictus shoal; which is how they are often seen in the LFS, hence their schooling reputation. Once settled in, they occupy ther own little nooks within the tank, and will actually chase off conspecifics.