What Other Catfish Will Be Ok

[gems2209]

i have a talking catfish who is a right cutie, put i never get to see him are there any other catfish i can add to my tank with him, my tank is 4ft long only 1ft wide. I would like something that i will be able to see more of Any ideas?? my catfish is the only bottom dweller i have.

 

[darknirvana217]

What else is in the tank? I've heard horror stories from these guys, and how they will eat pretty much anything, one also scaled an oscar, and consumed all of its tankmates.

 

[toddnbecka]

If you don't have a pic, you at least need to be a bit more specific than "talking catfish". There are many catfish that "talk", though most commonly Doradids are called "talking" catfish. Spotted and striped raphaels are the most common members of the family, though there are others occaisonally available. How large is the fish?

 

[gems2209]

If you don't have a pic, you at least need to be a bit more specific than "talking catfish". There are many catfish that "talk", though most commonly Doradids are called "talking" catfish. Spotted and striped raphaels are the most common members of the family, though there are others occaisonally available. How large is the fish?

thankyou for your reply, i cant get a picture of him as i never see him, only on water change day then he is darting around. Sorry for not being more specific he is a striped raphael and at the moment he is around 10cm.

What else is in the tank? I've heard horror stories from these guys, and how they will eat pretty much anything, one also scaled an oscar, and consumed all of its tankmates.

oh dear, well he hasnt done anything yet, in there with him are 13 almost fully grow tiger barbs, was thinking on getting some silver dollars too. Oh yeah and there are some striped danios that moved from my old tank, do you think he will eat these.

 

[darknirvana217]

Is he black with white spots, or does he have black and white stripe? Those seem to be the most easy to find talking catfish. He won't he the silverd dollars and probably not the tiger barbs, but he will most likely end up eating the danios when he gets bigger.

 

[gems2209]

Is he black with white spots, or does he have black and white stripe? Those seem to be the most easy to find talking catfish. He won't he the silverd dollars and probably not the tiger barbs, but he will most likely end up eating the danios when he gets bigger.

He is striped,but he is actualy black and a light orange stripe. I will rehome the danios with my sister then, any idea of what other catfish will be able to go with him, my tank is 4ft long and 1ft wide.
thanks

 

[darknirvana217]

Other doradidae liek a spotetd raphael,( you have a strpied raphael), hoplos, plecos, synondontis, or a group of pictus catfish. Your best bet is to visit planetcatifsh.com and just look at some other species that get about the same size. The ones I listed were just kind of general, but there is certainly several other species that could go in your tank.

 

[toddnbecka]

Personally I like Synodontis catfish, less predatory in general and a bit more visible. S. nigriventris, aka common upside down catfish, are fairly easy to find and probably the least expensive. They are a social, schooling fish, best kept in a group. As with any schooling fish, the more the merrier (more active/visible). The corydoras are also quite popular; they are also social critters, best kept in groups. All of these fish are smaller, none likely to exceed 8-9cm.
The larger species of Synodontis are less inclined to be social, but sevral can be kept in a 4' tank provided they each have a suitable territory. Properly cared for, they can live more than 20 years, though spawning is most unlikely (with a few exceptions).

 

[gems2209]

thankyou both for your help, i just wanted to mack sure which ones would suit. Im going to read up on those you have named and see what suits me best, like to know what in doing with them. Once again thankyou.

 

[invader]

I would like to touch on one of the species darknirvana stated. Hoplos are great fish will a lot of personality and they are always visible. After they get used to you, they will even eat food out of your hand. They are probably one of the most low maintinence of catfish, as well, eating most anything. They get about the same size as the "talking" cat, but aren't predatory at all.

As you can see, I would highly suggest these cats for your tank.

 

[Davo86]

I would also get at least one more raphael cat, you will find that the more you have the more likely you are to see them, I originally had just the one and never saw it, now i have 3 and see them all feeding every evening.
I also have a few Bristlenose, a synodontis eupterus and a pim cat with them

 

[prankster705]

I have 2 striped talking cats (platydoras costatus) and they're anything but predatory lol... sure they eat like pigs, but far from aggressive in fact they submit themselves to a peckoltia pleco and vietnamese loaches lol... Having a densely planted tank helps with getting to see them and lust for food overcomes all their other senses (they eat from my hand (as long as it's near the bottom))... I doubt one of them would be fast enough to catch a danio, and they never swim to the surface in my experience

As mentioned - hoplo cats (megaletchys thoracata) are preety nice cats as well, loads of personality and great attitude, can take a lot of beating as well.