Tank Mate For A Large Cichlid?

[Raticataticus]

I am going to get a large cichlid soon. Probably a Super Green Texas, but I also like Severums too, so it could be one of those.
 
I want to have one tank mate. A catfish/bottom dweller of some sort.
 
I was considering a Bristlenose, but it seems like they have become sooo popular lately (at least where I live) and everyone is trying to breed them and make money off them. The market is over saturated with Bristlenoses and it's just really annoying. I would like something a little more unique.
 
I don't want to get anything too big, just big enough not to be eaten by the cichlid. 
 
If it matters I am probably going to get a 5' x 2' x 2' tank or something of similar dimensions. I am currently in the process of moving house so I have to wait to be able to see how much tank I can fit.

 

[techen]

L091 pleco. I have one in my 450l

 

[Raticataticus]

L091 pleco. I have one in my 450l

They are cute. Tell me, what are the deal with the L fish? Are they smaller than a common pleco?

 

[fluttermoth]

L091 pleco. I have one in my 450l

They are cute. Tell me, what are the deal with the L fish? Are they smaller than a common pleco?

Numbers are assigned to fish while they're waiting for a full scientific description. The letter denotes the family they're in. So Loricariids, for instance, are given an 'L': Corydoras are 'CW'.

The letter gives you no information about the fish, apart from the family of fish it's in.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Wills once told me that a Whiptail catfish would be suitable for living with a Severum, and they are pretty unique.

 

[snowflake311]

Bn plecos are popular for a reason they are great. Why not get a pictus cat or 2. They are very entertaining fast and get big mine is 5" and 4 or 5 years old now.

How could you say no to this face? This is my pictus cat a few years ago. He is bigger now.

 

[Raticataticus]

Bn plecos are popular for a reason they are great. Why not get a pictus cat or 2. They are very entertaining fast and get big mine is 5" and 4 or 5 years old now.

How could you say no to this face? This is my pictus cat a few years ago. He is bigger now.
 

Thanks for your suggestion. I think I have decided to get 2 pictus. They are indeed very cute.

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

I'm pretty sure you can find more friends for severums than you will for a texas.
If you're getting Pictus cats you might as well grab a raphael catfish too (for the bottom) I like the striped ones.
I'm not sure about compatibility w the texas but a green phantom L200 would look pretty sweet with them.

 

[Wills]

If you go for a Severum you will have many more options for tank mates, as well as other big cichlids. If you go with the Texas you will have less options but tank mates are still a possibility, in a 5x2x2 you will have options for both.
 
If you did a Severum, you could add a group of Geophagus in there Geophagus Winemilleri would be good or Geophagus sp. Tapajo Red Heads. As Lyra mentioned I am a big fan of whiptail catfish in south american tanks so certainly could look at some of them. An almost essentail in my opinion in south american cichlid tanks are dither fish which is a school of larger tetras to go in with the cichlids. You could look at things like Bleeding Heart Tetras or Diamond Tetras - bascially most disk shaped tetras Headstanders are a nice fish to add in tanks like this as well. Larger cories will work like the Bronze or Albino, the Emerald Brochis will work nicely as well or the larger Hoplo, I would avoid the Pictus if you go with the Geos and the Whiptails as the Pictus would be too boisterous for the tank.
 
If you went for the Texas, you would be looking to do a central american tank so fish like Salvini and Nicaraguans would be good tank mates. As would some of the Veija species things like Synspilum and Regani would be good candidates. Bay Snooks may also work, for tank mates here your looking at things like big tough plecs, hoplo catfish could work as could the pictus in this tank. Again I think dither fish would be good in this tank but this time go bigger, so the perfect options are Buenos Aires Tetras and Silver Dollars - spotty dollars are nice
 
Hope thats helped and given you a few ideas.
 
Wills

 

[star4]

Fish I have kept with Texas:
 
Other texas - had a group of 6 - all male
Severums, rotkeil and redspot
Elliotti
A. Diadema
Jack Dempsey
Convicts
 
However I did keep only male fish together with the texas. The texas are a brilliant fish, but I found the females far more aggressive than the males and much more trouble.

 

[streetwiseRob]

What about dollars they look great and pretty much fit with most long as you have the room and don't mind them grazing.

 

[streetwiseRob]

I think convicts are a great choice they are great to watch and hardy enough to stand up to most fish if needed. I have a blue Acara which is a fantastic tank mate. Dollars are great unless you have a planted aquarium.

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

convicts are awesome- as long as you have all males or all females or just one
once they pair up -fish start dying
convicts are really good parents by the time their nest is ready they like to make sure everyone in the tank but them is dead
and they will take on anything together and usually make short work of much bigger fish

 

[lydah]

I'm pretty sure you can find more friends for severums than you will for a texas.
If you're getting Pictus cats you might as well grab a raphael catfish too (for the bottom) I like the striped ones.
I'm not sure about compatibility w the texas but a green phantom L200 would look pretty sweet with them.

Raphael cats are really sluggish and reserved fish and can easily be out competed for food by pictus cats, it's not the best matchup.

However, pictus cats love company of their own kind, getting a group of them would be perfect instead of mixing them with other cats

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

Pictus swim at the top Raphael's are at the bottom scavenging there's really no competition between the two.