Pictus lumpy stomachs

[CSmaniac]

I got two 2-inch pictus the other day to throw in my 30 gallon tank. My tank now consists of 2 small convicts, 1 small pleco, 2 pictus, and 1 giant danio (I originally bought 3 danios, but the convicts weren't too receptive to them when I first put them in).

After I fed them this morning the pictus seemed to have slowed down, and their stomachs seem to be lumpy. Am I overfeeding them? I have flakes, cichlid pellets, sinking catfish pellets, and frozen shrimp brine. How much would you guys reccomend I put in my tank everyday? There is also a lot of algea in my tank so my pleco should be fine.

 

[digital_run]

Hi CSmaniac

First off...welcome to the forum. When feeding pictus they should have bellys that look like they swallowed a marble. You should try and feed them like this 2-3 times a week. Pictus are much more comfortable when in groups but due to the size of your tank and other fish you currently have, your probably at your limit. When kept in pairs there might be signs of aggression because of limited territory and lack of a "society". What kind of pleco do you have?...Some can grow to over 12 inches and produce a massive amount of waste. Make sure there are LOTS of hiding places and cover as you have mainly bottom level fish. If you have any question feel free to ask

These links might help a bit
Pictus
Convicts

 

[CSmaniac]

Thanks for your response digital, I believe I have a spotted pleco. I'm surprised they would produce a lot of waste. He doesn't do anything!! He sits there all day!! Lazy pleco. Anyway, how fast do the pictus and pleco grow? I don't think my tank is currently at its limit because all of my fish are very very small, but im reluctant to put any more pictus in if they are going to get really big really fast.
I see pictures online of people with like 10 pictus in a tank. Even if they have a 100 gallon tank, what do they do with these fish when they are a foot long? .

The pictus don't chew do they? I put in a sinking catfish pellet, and he swallowed it whole. I can see it jutting out of his stomach. I guess I'll break it up into smaller pieces for now on.