Pictus Catfish

[fishandsk8]

Is a 20 gallon tank ok for a pictus catfish?

 

[WILDER]

Welcome to the board.
Moved your topic to the right part of the forum. Hopefully you will get more help, and advice.

 

[fishprotector]

Quite simply, no.

Possibly for fry or short term, but the adults will grow up between 5 and 6 inches and are very active. You will need at least a 4 footer with minimum 60 gallons / 240 litres, with more preferable.

 

[onidrase]

agreed, a 4 footer is minimum, and there are reports of these guys getting upwards of 8 inches, though 6 inches is more expected. These guys are also rather territorial as they get older IME, and they're a social species, they'll shoal with one another, typically it's best to get at least 4 or so.

 

[super-MAGuire]

agreed, a 4 footer is minimum, and there are reports of these guys getting upwards of 8 inches, though 6 inches is more expected. These guys are also rather territorial as they get older IME, and they're a social species, they'll shoal with one another, typically it's best to get at least 4 or so.

How predatory are these? as in anything under 3" will be gone?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

A minimum 5-foot tank is preferrable, as Pictus are social so need a good sized group of at least six, in addition LFS do tend to misidentify a number of species in this genus and some are easily capable of exceeding 20cm SL.

 

[San O Fisher]

agreed, a 4 footer is minimum, and there are reports of these guys getting upwards of 8 inches, though 6 inches is more expected. These guys are also rather territorial as they get older IME, and they're a social species, they'll shoal with one another, typically it's best to get at least 4 or so.

How predatory are these? as in anything under 3" will be gone?

I would not label them as predatory but more opportunists. If it can fit in their mouth it will eventually be swallowed. My catfish are well fed but when I left for a weekend I came back to a few less fish. I had a syno eupterus that did the same thing. It is only a matter if time.

 

[falcon1]

They are nocturnal, so while your neons (example) are dozing it will pick them off.