Pictus Cat

[David]

I want to get a pictus cat for my community aquarium, see my sig for what's in there now. Any info on keeping them? How big they get, appropriate tankmates, aggression levels, preferred foods, etc?

 

[samthefishman]

What would life be without CFC
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=41743
all the info is in there.
Basics, Eats anything that fits in its mouth, LOVES things like bloodworms, like to be in groups of 3 or more (must be if u want a happy fish) and they grow to bout 6"

I just noticed you had oto's, as they would love them for dinner
Even if you did have LOTS of hiding spots, Pictus are Excellent hunters.

 

[Dwarfs]

They like to be kept in threes, and when they get big, you could wake up to a missing betta or platy, and some fat happy pictus

 

[noclueman]

What's the biggest fish you have seen a 6" pictus eat?

Just curious because I have a pictus living with some smaller fish (2.5-3").

The pictus is still only about 3 inches, but he'll be growing.

 

[digital_run]

They will attempt to eat anything that will fit in their mouth......Ive seen my 4" pictus try to eat a 3" Keyhole cichlid.

 

[noclueman]

That's kind of scary. So when he gets to be 6" he'll probably try to eat the 4" gouramis?

I'm guessing the tetra's don't stand a chance (max size 2.75")

 

[digital_run]

Maybe not gouramis...but i wouldnt have anything under 3" with a full grown pictus.

 

[noclueman]

So what kind of algae eaters should I get for my tank if I already have a pictus cat?

I had him in a 10 gallon tank with 3 oto's but he was still small. That's why I got the 55 gallon, so he could have more space.

 

[samthefishman]

get some bristlenose plec's

 

[samthefishman]

Digital run, How big are your pictus now? and how big did you buy them at? also when did you buy them? what did you feed them?
may seem abit stupid but i wanna know how fast they grow.

 

[Oddball]

1) large armoured algae eaters
2) noctournal predators are pictus (mmmm a Yoda moment sorry) they pick off sleeping tetras, trust me i fed mine neons and watched them with a torch......
3) keep fish the same size and larger
4) the biggest ive seen em eat was 5" khuli loach mmmmmmmmmm spaghetti

 

[digital_run]

Mybiggest pictus right now is probably just under 5" ... the smallest 3-3.5" . I've had them for close to a year now...when i got them they were all under 3". I've noticed that some have grown quite quickly while a few have been slower. I feed them Frozen bloodworm / live bloodworm / sinking carnivore pellets / And fry that i get from my breeding convicts.

 

[noclueman]

I can't find any info on a large armoured algae eaters.

did a search on this board and on google....do you know of any sites with more info on them?

I found this on the bristlenose cat
http/www.fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fi...?FC=26&nl=&nt=1
Would one of these keep a 55 gallon tank clean?

Thanks.

 

[CFC]

Any of the medium/large loricarid species would make a good algea eating tankmate for Pimelodus pictus.

 

[Oddball]

Try the farlowella twig and related strains, bristle nose and normal pleco varieties. At a push a large chineese algae eating loach but these are prone to trying to rasp the protective mucus off the side of other fish