Silurus wrote:I think the best way to be sure is to take a decent picture of the anal fin (one that is clear enough to count the rays). The anal-fin ray counts should settle the question once and for all.

I will get to working on that

I do not see distinct black margins to the anal and caudal fins characteristic of the spotted bullhead. Also, the upper and lower jaws appear to be of equal length (the upper jaw would be longer than the lower in the spotted bullhead).

Hmm could it be he needs to grow a bit more to be sure? He is ...

The location is completely off, but there have been a lot of introductions by fish and game officials over the years for sport. Where did you catch this beauty?
Amanda

I got him at my LFS, they found him in a order of ghost shrimp so the idea of him being from the south and getting in a batch of ...

Okay I tried to ID this catfish back on July 8th when I got him. He is growing like a weed! New pics and video.

Still think he is a spotted bullhead? I adore this fish. So much fun and beautiful! I just got him a 120gl tank to share with a common pleco for the rest of his life. Tons of room for him ...

I figured all along it had a "bull head" look.

I dunno though

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=1089

the markings on that seem closer....

Now if this is a native cat, and I am guessing tropical temp of 80F may be to much for this guy? He is in a 10gl with a heater ...

today I went to get some other fish and saw this little guy in the tank. They were not sure what they were (came with a order of ghost shrimp) , there were two of them. One of the employees took one home and I got the other. I want to ID it and see if I got myself a monster LOL I love catfish I ...

Im so sorry! My heartbreaks for you and to us fish lovers we understand how hard it is to lose these guys.

I hope you find another cat that is able to fill your heart with joy.

My heartbreaks reading this post. I can see you love Hunter and I would too. He is stunning. You are trying so hard and your heart is in it. That is a good fish mommy.

Im not that good at fish sickness.

The tank size issue. Are you able to give him what he needs as in a indoor pond or a larger ...

The snail's shells start to get pinholes and show signs of lack of calcium. Adding calcium for snails is pretty common.

If I add one cap full of liquid calcium a day my snails shells do not get pin holes or weaken. With out their shells get horrid.

Snails like PH 8ish, I keep my tank at 7ish. It ...

How can you reduce the Ph by adding things?

I use Neutral Regulator from Seachem and have liked the results. I mix the powder into a cup of tank water and mix it well and add it into my tank right every other PWC and my tank stays at a constant PH.

My tap water is over PH 8 and liquid rock if I ...

I forgot to ask. It seems you know about the cycle in tanks etc. How did you cycle your fish tanks? How did the 55gl cycle while the pictus were not in it? Did you have other fish in it?

Also do you have a liquid test kit for ammonia. The biggest concern I would worry about is making sure there is ...

Ohhh you have a four line pictus too? How many do you have of each?

I have 2 four-line pictus cats and 2 spotted pictus cats.

My spotted pictus are petty small they are growing slow. I dont see much diff. from when I bought them back in November.

However, my little four-line I bough just back in ...

That is a good size for them for now.... in time though as you are aware you will need that 55gl :)

I suggest lowering your PH. I use a powder neutral 7.0 and some bottled water. I am on a schedule and keep mine right at 7.0. I know people are against adding things but ya know with a PH of 8 I ...

I agree with Silurus. Before I read Silurus's post I was going to ask about PH. I keep pictus cats and have posted previously that yes many stores and sites claim they are hardy but I disagree with that.

I find they are not so hardy in the PH area. Many say steady PH is better then a PH that is ...

The pictures in the cat-elog of the four-line are pretty and show a good wide range on how their looks are different.

The adult one though... pretty but very different compared to the baby you get LOL I can see with my four-lines the way they are growing how they can end up looking like that. :)

I ...

When they go on a binge their guts look like little marbles. Mine hide so much I use to worry if they ate what I tossed in at lights out. In the morning a round tummy lets me know they ate.

yes this is normal stressing behavior and as they settle in they stop.

However, those are not hardy fish to make it through a cycle IMHO. Make sure to keep tabs on your water everyday or you may lose your fish. Plecos are pooping machines and the ammonia and nitrItes will spike before you know it ...

My pictus (proud owner of 4) love blood worms. I give them frozen and also have used freeze dried before I got the frozen. You have to soak them in a cup of tank water awhile before you put them in so they sink. My pictus cats never come to the top for food. They did when they were babies but not ...

I am going to assume it was the first one, something was wrong when I got it. Also I can not rule out the huge change in water. However from what they tell me and I know my PH range is close to there PH. My temp is higher I know that. I keep mine at 80F they keep their tanks around 78F.

My tank is ...

Well my pleco died. I was upset! He seemed so happy in there and hung out with the pictus and was eating well. I thought I did something wrong!

I had the LFS test my water and he said it was flawless just the same results I got at home. No ammonia, no nitrItes, nitrAtes at 20. My PH sits at about ...

Oh I hear ya. I talk on another forum and it seems like everyday here comes a newbie with fish passing away and a toxic tank. I was one of them.

My 10gl I did the same thing. I lost two goldfish that I intended on keeping. Since reading up on it and learning I was able to do a fishless on my 55gl ...

I do not suggest adding anything living to the tank until it is cycled. You have to look at the water in a cycle like you in a room with bad air with poisons in it. It is cruel. That is MHO.

You still have one in there and even though some people suggest pictus cats are hardy I disagree. Owning ...

Thanks for the heads up. It is done ;)

Yep you will see the process. As the ammonia is converted you will see the rise in nitrItes as the ammonia drops and the rise in nitrAtes. The nitrItes will start to drop and the nitrAtes will stay steady peaked as all those nitrItes are being converted to nitrAtes.

It gets ugly before it gets ...

Yes it is addicting. I bought a 55gl because the 10 wasnt big enough and I wanted Pictus! lol I too fell in love with the pictus. The whiskers get me and they have such personality.

Yeah I was told columbian sharks AKA black fin sharks get to 6" too and I had one of those as well and sad it died ...

I agree pictus can be in a 10gl tank but not for an exended period of time. They just get to big. These fish get around 6".

I tried to keep pictus in a 10gl and they kept dying on me. My sister has has two in a 10gl for 8mo or so now, they are starting to get to big but have done well in there with ...

I have 55gl tank and have pictus cats on the bottom. I have 4 of them and the largest right now is 5". they each have their hiding spots of fake logs and plenty of room to swim on the bottom and are very happy. The rest of my fish are tetras (white skirt and serpae) as the bottom if for the pictus ...

I agree with what the other posters have said. I own pictus (4 total / 2 spotted and 2 four line) and I feel at times I do not have enough room in a 55gl. The hiding places take up A LOT of room. I have had to be very creative to make sure they have enough floor space in there as well as hiding ...

I am not looking to start a spat. I am still newer to this hobby and would like to put this up in the air.

5 spotted pictus cats that grow to 6" = 30" of fish on the bottom of a 29gl tank? Also since they hide and need places to hide for 5 pictus, where would the room be for them to move in there ...