Can I get a pictus catfish?

[phillippa42]

Hi,

I have quite a bit of room in my tank and was thinking of getting a pictus.

Firstly I have some sterbai cory, 3 of which are small - are they likely to get eaten by a pictus.

Secondly I was also thinking of getting 6 tiger barbs in a while - I know they're fin nippers, but would they nip at the barbs of a pictus?

I've read conflicting things on different websites about whether you can have one, or need 3 - is it best to have 3?

thanks

 

[andywg]

Pictus are - if not strictly a schooling - a very gregarious species and you will not see their best if you have just one or two. I would say three is a bare minimum.

And I mean a bare minimum. I have 4 and the moment I feel I can I will look to add extras.

Depending on the size and temprament of your pictus depends on the Cories' chances. General advice is don't keep anything less than 3 inches with a pictus. That doesn't mean they won't eat anything bigger (nor that they definately will eat something smaller) but it is a useful guide for when planning tank mates. Max size of a Pictus in an aquarium will be about 6 inches.

I would be surprised if the barbs went for the pictus' barbels. Plus, so long as you get a larger school (at least 6+) then the Tiger's nipping tendancies are reduced somewhat due to them being able to spend time pestering each other. That doesn't mean it will stop necessarilly, just that it will be reduced.

HIH

Andy

P.S. CFC's guide to pictus in the fish index is a lot better than I can write. I advise you check it out.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=41743

 

[phillippa42]

Thanks Andy for the info and link.

Think I'll leave the pictus for now, maybe when the corys are fully grown I'll get one. Some of them are only an inch now and I don't want to risk them.