Upside down catfish in a 20 gallon

[josh7, posts: 17]

I am restarting my 20 gallon high 24x14x12 are the dimensions. I was wondering if I could keep 3 upside down cats the smaller type syndontis nigriventures with 6 bleeding heart tetras In this tank.

[Birger]

I think you could...what I recommend is rethink the bleeding heart tetras (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma) go with smaller tetras, maybe eight...or even better find a small african characin to go with the syno's.

Birger

[josh7, posts: 17]

Okay thanks I will look for a different tetra species.

[racoll, posts: 4494]

Some of the small, gentle barb species would work well too.

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

In response to the OP, yes, those fish in those amounts will work fine in your tank.

[Richard B, posts: 6338]

Agree with everything posted so far - just make sure they are definately Nigriventris and not tiny nigrita or euptera as some have found.

[josh7, posts: 17]

Thanks for all the feedback also do these catfish require live plants or can you use large leaf fake plants

[MatsP]

Thanks for all the feedback also do these catfish require live plants or can you use large leaf fake plants

I'm pretty certain the fish don't really mind. As a human, I find most of the fake plants don't look real enough...

--
Mats

[N0body Of The Goat, posts: 157]

Thanks for all the feedback also do these catfish require live plants or can you use large leaf fake plants

They love large open plan caves under bogwood to communally roost during the daytime. I've yet to try this myself, but apparently if you use stainless screws and suckers to securely attach some bogwood or cork to the sidea of the tank, the nigriventris are suppose to be more likely to be viewable (as they will use the underside of the platforms while feeling secure).

As for numbers, I reckon you could do 8 long term in a 20g, if they are true nigriventris or the smaller contracta (rather than nigrita that sometimes get mislabelled). They are highly social fish, I still have 12 in a 48x12x15 after sadly losing one in my recent Ich tradegy.

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

20 gallon high 24x14x12 are the dimensions

Actually, a 20 gal high is 24"x12"x16". A 15 gal is 24"x12"x12". Therefore, you must have a 17.5 gal aquarium. Either that or you incorrectly measured the height. Now back to stocking your tank.

[josh7, posts: 17]

Sorry I put in the wrong dimensions it is a 24x12x16 but I just want 3 or 4 cats also can these catfish live with Bolivian rams. I was looking at a final stocking of 3 or 4 upside down catfish 1 Bolivian ram and 7 schooling fish nit sure what yet.

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

The ram should be okay with the synos and schooling fish, but YMMV. Personally speaking, with a 20gal high, if you have to have the synos, I would decide between a shoal of tetras/rasboras/small barbs or a small group of rams. I'm not big on keeping just one individual of a species when I can keep a small group and potentially have them spawn. Be aware that spawning cichlids of any variety can become quite territorial and there is more potential for problems with the synos. If you stick with the schooling fish, you will most likely observe very little interaction between the synos and them.