Catfish-Only Tank Stocking?

[Narelle]

Update - New Plans

In a discussion in a recent thread of mine, it was brought to my attention that I had overlooked some key differences in water preferences for some of the fish I'd planned to keep in this setup. So now I'm almost completely revising this plan.

I still definitely want to keep 14 or so

Hyalobagrus flavus

and 8 - 12

Kryptopterus vitreolus

(unless I come across another discrepancy and these two aren't compatible either). They both make my top 10 Catfish Wish List, with H. flavus at #2, so I'm really dying to keep these cats. (The list is here, if anyone is interested.)

Now I need to find some other compatible species to go with them. I'd like to house at least one more type of cat to occupy more of the substrate level of the tank, as my understanding is still that both these species are more mid-water fish.

I'm not opposed to fish with similar needs from different locations, but I am playing around with the idea of a bit of a biotope. I know these two species aren't found in the same waterways, but I'd rather let one species deviate and keep the fish I want than limit myself more than I already have. I'd prefer to center the tank around H. flavus, if I'm getting that specific. (As a side note, if anyone is familiar with the native plants from the areas these fish are native to, please let me know. I am looking at keeping one riparian species sticking out of the tank as well.)

Fish I'm looking into more are

Mystus carcio

(as suggested above) and

Pseudomystus funebris

. Unfortunately, though, I can't seem to find either of these species available anywhere, so it may not matter at all how compatible they are. A possibly more compatible and easily accessible option would be

Mystus bimaculatus

- would they be a good fit? (I need to read more about them.)

So of course I turn to the experts! Is anyone familiar with some peaceful little southeast asian blackwater catfish that would suit a 55g Catfish-Only planted tank and are even remotely available in the trade? Or, if that's much too specific (as it's looking to be with how much I'm struggling to find any other options), just other compatible blackwater cats that would be comfortable in this kind of setup?

[racoll]

Hi Narelle,

I think the Hyalobagrus and the Kryptopterus will go well together. What is your water hardness like? I think both of these species are reasonably adaptable, but I would not risk keeping them in "liquid concrete" type water.

I would be nervous that largeish Mystus might be a bit too boisterous for the more timid Hyalobagrus and the Kryptopterus (although the tank is a large one).

Actually, I think the idea of the banjo cats is a really good one (either of the genera you propose), as these are very docile fishes.

The P. funebris would be a nice choice too, but getting hold of these may not be easy, although they are traded.

[Narelle]

My water is definitely in the "liquid concrete" category (pH 8 point something? Didn't have my gh/kh tests when I last tested tap, but I know the TDS is surprisingly low.), but I certainly wouldn't be using straight tap for this tank. It'd be an RO/tap mixture with driftwood, peat, and IAL. The fish would not be going into the tank until I had stable conditions that suited them, and water changes would only be with prepared, matching water. I definitely would not expect these fish to survive my tap.

I'm still not so sure about the overlap with the Pterobunocephalus sp. I was looking at....K. vitreolus, according to the Cat-E-Log, tends to like it a bit cooler. I know you don't like my taking the given temperatures quite so literally, but K. vitreolus has a max 78.8 and the Pterobunocephalus has a min 77. Still not much overlap. Not so sure I'd feel comfortable with that, as much as I'd love to keep these fish.

I will still consider B. coracoideus though...its really just a matter of whether or not I'm breaking the "biotope" if I include one. If that's the only non-asian species, I might be inclined to skip it it, but if it turns into a mixed tank again, as previously planned, I'd likely include it. (Or if that's the only other compatible fish I can find...)

I really would love to keep Pseudomystus funebris. I LOVE bagrids and that's another cat that's pretty high on my list. Unfortunately, the only mention of them having been sold online in the US in the past that I can seem to find was through Wetspot, but the pictures look like they're the same fish they're now offering as "Pseudomystus aff. stenomus". I'm guessing it was incorrectly IDed originally and has since been reassessed?

Other fish from other locations I was looking into were

Ancistrus dolichopterus

(a pair),

Otocinclus vittatus

(though I'm not sold, I was hoping if I got another shoal it'd be a smaller one and I'd prefer to keep otos in larger groups), and

Microglanis iheringi

(High on my wishlist, but it's looking like these might also be more whitewater fish? Is that correct?).

[racoll]

I know you don't like my taking the given temperatures quite so literally, but K. vitreolus has a max 78.8 and the Pterobunocephalus has a min 77. Still not much overlap.

I see no plausible reason why K. vitreolus is listed as being so low. They are from slow moving lowland waters, so temps should be higher than this. Therefore, I suspect that the CLOG is wrong. But as always, I am happy to be corrected if someone has more accurate information regarding the species.