How to determinate minimale tank for catfish ?

[kiwidu21]

Hello,

I have as project to build a fishroom for catfishes. But, some catfish don't have a minimale volume tank in the forum.
So, when it is about to species poorly maintened, how to determine the minimale volume of the tank ?
I have read that for the species not very active, we can use this rule: 4x lenght of fish for the tank lenght, 2x fish lenght for the width tank and 2x fish lenght for the height tank.

What do you think ?
How do you make for the gregarious species ?

[Viktor Jarikov]

The rule you are citing is the well known rule of thumb for the minimum tank size.

I have a thread on the topic with more info: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36395&hilit=rule

If you specify the exact species, I would give you my personal take on their minimum quarters for whatever it'd be worth.

[Bas Pels]

For catfish this rule is often used - for quiet catfish. I would not use it for active ones, such as Pangasius.

Among cichlid keepers the rule is often 8 L * 2L *2L because these are much more active, and much mnore agressive. Still for very agressive species such as Parachromis dovii I would suggest 10 L. The problem is, a big male can reach 70 cm (arond 28 inches) or more, resulting in a very large tank requiered.

I know of someone, who keeps small cichlids, who advocates 20 L* 5 L footprint. For a 10 cm fish, the tank should be 200 * 50 cm - easily done.

[kiwidu21]

ok here is a list:
Microsynodontis batesii
Microsynodontis lamberti
microsynodontis polli
akysis longifilis
akysis pictus
akysis portellus
akysis vespa -> 30 liters ?
bunocephalus coracoideus
pseudobunocephalus amazonicus
pseudobunocephalus quadriradiatus
duringlanis altae
duringlanis perugiae
duringlanis romani
tatia aulopygia
tatia dunni
tatia intermedia
tatia musaica
tatia orca
liosomadoras oncinus
liosomadoras morrowi
mystus bimaculatus
mystus gulio
mystus leucophasis
mystus nanus
mystus nigriceps
mystus tengara
mystus vittatus
mystus wolfii
pseudomystus funebris
pseudomystus siamensis
hyalobagrus flavus
hyalobagrus ornatus
aspidoras spilotus
corydoras hastatus
corydoras pygmaeus
corydoras bilineatus
corydoras nanus
corydoras napoensis
corydoras sodalis
corydoras sterbai
corydoras nattereri
corydoras paleatus
corydoras aeneus
corydoras julii
corydoras trilineatus
corydoras leucomelas
corydoras panda
corydoras habrosus
clarias batrachus
phyllonemus brichardi
phyllonemus filinemus
phyllonemus typus
lophiobagrus cyclurus
agamyxis pectinifrons
platydoras armatulus
tenellus ternetzi
tenellus leporhinus
brachyrhamdia imitator
brachyrhamdia meesi
brachyrhamdia rambarrani
ameiurus melas
ameiurus nebulosus
ameiurus serracanthus
farlowella acus
otocinclus affinis
otocinclus cocama
otocinclus vittatus
peckoltia compta L134
sturisomatichtys aureus
rineloricaria lanceolata
hypancistrus zebra L046
hypancistrus L201
hypancistrus L133
synodontis alberti
synodontis batesii
synodontis brichardi
synodontis eupterus
synodontis granulosus
synodontis lucipinnis
synodontis nigrita
synodontis petricola
synodontis schoutedeni
pimelodus blochii
pimelodus pictus
pimelodus ornatus
phractocephalus hemioliopterus
neosilurus ater
microglanis iheringi
kryptopterus cryptopterus
silurus glanis
pterocryptis anomala
hara filamentosus
hara hara
hara horai
hara jerdoni
hara minusculus
gagata cenia
homaloptera confuzona
gastromyzon (scitulus)
misgurnus anguillaucaudatus
pangio (oblonga)
pseudogastromyzon (fasciatus)
sewellia (lineolata)

For Corydoras, I think take a 30 liters tank for little species (<4cm), 60 liters tank for medium species (4<lenght<6) and 90 liters for others species (>6cm). What do you think ? The height were important for corydoras ?
For the loaches, if they are a idea ....

[Viktor Jarikov]

I've never kept almost any of these, I can only tell you my personal take on the ones I kept, what size tanks I'd use at a minimum to house these as adults:

Microsynodontis batesii
Microsynodontis lamberti
microsynodontis polli
akysis longifilis
akysis pictus
akysis portellus
akysis vespa -> 30 liters ?
bunocephalus coracoideus
pseudobunocephalus amazonicus
pseudobunocephalus quadriradiatus
duringlanis altae
duringlanis perugiae
duringlanis romani
tatia aulopygia
tatia dunni
tatia intermedia
tatia musaica 20 gal
tatia orca
liosomadoras oncinus 50 gal
liosomadoras morrowi 50 gal
mystus bimaculatus 100 gal
mystus gulio
mystus leucophasis 100 gal
mystus nanus
mystus nigriceps
mystus tengara
mystus vittatus 100 gal
mystus wolfii
pseudomystus funebris
pseudomystus siamensis 100 gal
hyalobagrus flavus
hyalobagrus ornatus
aspidoras spilotus
corydoras hastatus
corydoras pygmaeus
corydoras bilineatus
corydoras nanus
corydoras napoensis
corydoras sodalis
corydoras sterbai
corydoras nattereri
corydoras paleatus
corydoras aeneus
corydoras julii
corydoras trilineatus
corydoras leucomelas
corydoras panda
corydoras habrosus
clarias batrachus 500 gal
phyllonemus brichardi
phyllonemus filinemus
phyllonemus typus
lophiobagrus cyclurus
agamyxis pectinifrons
platydoras armatulus 50 gal
tenellus ternetzi
tenellus leporhinus
brachyrhamdia imitator
brachyrhamdia meesi
brachyrhamdia rambarrani
ameiurus melas 200 gal
ameiurus nebulosus 200 gal
ameiurus serracanthus 200 gal
farlowella acus
otocinclus affinis
otocinclus cocama
otocinclus vittatus
peckoltia compta L134
sturisomatichtys aureus
rineloricaria lanceolata
hypancistrus zebra L046
hypancistrus L201
hypancistrus L133
synodontis alberti 100 gal
synodontis batesii
synodontis brichardi
synodontis eupterus 100 gal
synodontis granulosus
synodontis lucipinnis 50 gal
synodontis nigrita
synodontis petricola
synodontis schoutedeni
pimelodus blochii 500 gal
pimelodus pictus 50 gal
pimelodus ornatus 100 gal
phractocephalus hemioliopterus 5000 gal
neosilurus ater
microglanis iheringi
kryptopterus cryptopterus
silurus glanis 50,000 gal
pterocryptis anomala
hara filamentosus
hara hara
hara horai
hara jerdoni
hara minusculus
gagata cenia
homaloptera confuzona
gastromyzon (scitulus)
misgurnus anguillaucaudatus
pangio (oblonga)
pseudogastromyzon (fasciatus)
sewellia (lineolata)

For all catfish footprint is far more important than the depth.

[Bas Pels]

As my smallest tank is 225 liters, I never worry about sizes for small fish.

[kiwidu21]

Thanks for this volume.

@Bas Pels: I love medium and big catfish so a Ameiurus melas in 225 liters, this is small for this.