Mixed Catfish School

[Guppy2010]

Hello,

I'm looking to get back into fish keeping. I've had fish (including catfish before), but would like to mix it up a bit.
I know catfish are happier in groups, but I'm wondering if I can mix species.
The types I'm looking at are:
Pictus (Polka Dot) Catfish
Glass Catfish - what I've had before
Debauwi Catfish
Cuckoo Catfish

I have room for, and would like around 6 catfish.

If it would work, I'd like:
1 pictus
2 cuckoo
2 debauwi
1 glass

Advice?

 

[fluttermoth]

The glass cat will not do well unless it has company; at least six, IME.

I haven't kept any of the others!

 

[Guppy2010]

The glass cat will not do well unless it has company; at least six, IME.

I haven't kept any of the others!

That's what I was wondering. I had 6 glass cats in my last tank. So they don't typically school with other types of catfish?

 

[fluttermoth]

No, they really do need their own kind. I think they'd probably be too shy to keep with some of your other proposed fish.

The cockatoo cats are Rift Valley, so you might want to check up on their requirements; they may need hard, alkaline water.

 

[Guppy2010]

Bummer, ok thanks for the info.

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry!

I honestly think you're better off with six cats of the same secies. It looks more natural and the fish are always happier.

 

[Guppy2010]

Haha that means I have to decide which I like best

 

[Wills]

Hi what size tank is this? If the tank is big enough for Pictus, 55gallons or larger. I dont see why you couldnt do something like

3 Pictus
3 Cuckoo
5 Debaui
5 Glass

And still have a few mid water fish or maybe some cichlids or a nice school of something? It would be a nice tank I reckon

Wills

 

[fluttermoth]

Do the cuckoos not need hard water then, Wills?

 

[Wills]

Debatable - most Cuckoos available atm are Czech bred hybrids not the pure wild strain.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Are Pictus and Cuckoo fans of moderate to strong current? Debauwi (likely to be P. buffei) and Glass (Kryptopterus minor?) certainly are and both do so much better in groups of 10+, as opposed to the traditional 6+ for a social group.

Would the nocturnal, hyper-active Pictus spook, or even kill the Debauwis at night?

You could do a lot worse than look to an African river stocking centred around catfish, there are some wonderful species out there to chose from that could work together in a community 4-footer, even better if the tank is longer...
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/search_result.php?distr_id=161&order=species&results=100