Pictus Cat

[Crazybob]

hey guys, i have a 75g. with 3 green terrors (2 of which are going to be taken out soon) and orange pike, and a pictus cat. the cat is just hiding under a piece of driftwood all the time and i was wondering if i were to get a cpl more if he would be more active?

 

[dthoffsett]

Probably, they prefer to be in groups.

 

[Crazybob]

cool thanks, how many should i have at least? 3? 4?

 

[Colin_T]

they are nocturnal as well so even a group of them might not spend much time out during the day. Having lots of hiding places in the tank can encourage them out.

 

[lilmolly]

How big is your orange pike and your green terror? Keeping any cichlid with a pictus can be asking for trouble. I wouldn't add more, I'd take your existing out and either put him in a tank big enough to hold him and 4 more of him, or take him back to the store. When you cichlids get big enough the pictus is going to become dinner.

Another thing to note is you your orange pike and your green terror will outgrow your current tank when they get to be adult size. The orange pike gets to be 14in and the green terror gets to be 12'' One of them will have to go or you'll have to upgrade to a 125gal later.

 

[crazyaussie]

they are nocturnal as well so even a group of them might not spend much time out during the day. Having lots of hiding places in the tank can encourage them out.

that is wrong my pictus cat swims all day then sleeps at night there better in groups but i havint got room for more than 1 but mine is fine and happy

 

[raptorrex]

they are nocturnal as well so even a group of them might not spend much time out during the day. Having lots of hiding places in the tank can encourage them out.

that is wrong my pictus cat swims all day then sleeps at night there better in groups but i havint got room for more than 1 but mine is fine and happy

i think you will find colin is right. though my pictus is around and about all day, it is far more active at night. like humans, not all fish act the same, but they do, broadly, follow their species pattern.

 

[penguin22]

My 2 pictus cats come out in the day but are very active at night. I think its very good advice to add more hiding places, your pictus should come out a bit more then.

 

[Behold]

My 2 pictus cats come out in the day but are very active at night. I think its very good advice to add more hiding places, your pictus should come out a bit more then.

My pictus is the opposite. goes hell for leather during the day and slows at night!!!

 

[Crazybob]

okay, so odd question. in my tank i have pieces of glass approx 1.5-2" thick that i got from an abandoned train station. ive been using it as hiding places, but it doesnt really create a cave like area in that its not really shaded. is this a problem, or is okay in that its an inclosed area more than a sahded area?

 

[penguin22]

I think a shaded area would be a lot better. During the day one of my pictus spends his time in a rock cave, the other in a coconut. If I were you I would add something similar, the coconuts (cut in half then propped up against one another) are great caves whilst your fish is still small enough to reside in it.