How hardy are Pyjama Catfish?

[tintin]

I'm currently waiting to transfer my fish from a 20 litre tank to a 60 litre. I plan to put the first fish in this Saturday having had the tank running for about 10 days.

First to be going in are my two guppies. The hardiest fish I have. I would also like to put in my small pyjama catfish (Syndonis) as I think he'll be a lot happier in the new tank - a lot more places to hide.

KNowing that the tank will still be cycling for the next few weeks, will my catfish be able to cope as well as the guppies or should I hold off as I plan to with the others?

Speaking of which, what kind of gap should I allow in putting the other fish in assuking that the guppies show no signs of stress? A week? Two weeks?

Any help much appreciated.

TT.

 

[CFC]

Catfish should always be the last fish added to a new tank, since they are scaleless they suffer from the effects of ammonia and nitite far worse than hardier scaled fish, also the barbels are very sensative to any nitrogen pollution (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and in extreem case can rot off completely usually killing the fish.

Also catfish of the Synodontis family should not be mixed with small fish such as guppies which will be seen as overnight snacks, unless of course you intend them to be feeders, as with nearly all catfish species apart from corys and plecs any tankmates should be at least 3".

 

[tintin]

Flipping hell.

Well thanks for the info. I'll keep him where he is for now then and keep testing the water in the new tank until its ready.

I had no idea that he would go for the guppies!! They've been happily living in the tank together for at least a month now. He is a bit of a grouch though. Spends most of his time standing up vertically behind a plant pot. If any of the other fish come near him he tends to flap a bit and chase them off. He's never actually gone for them though. In fact, one of the red phantoms sometimes sits by him for company.

Maybe he's just lazy. Or a vegetarian.

TT.