What to get

[Newguy]

Hi, I am very experienced with fish keeping, I have a 45 gallon reef, a 14 gallon nano reef, 45 gallon gymnogeophagus norte breeding group, busy 33 gallon freshwater planted rescue community, 33 gallon rescue tank empty, 20 gallon rescue tank with firemouth cichlid, 20 gallon rescue tank empty, 15 gallon rescue tank empty, 10 gallon fry tank and a 2.5 gallon nano planted tank with snowball shrimp and endler's poecilia.
I am also a moderator for a local fish geek forum.
Anyway, I have been intrigued by catfish for a long time and I wanted some opinions from some cat pros.
I am looking for something that likes to swim around the tank, not just hang out on the bottom.
Also, size is an issue, would be living in a 75 to start so not too big.
Color is not very important, as long as it is lively and has the traditional catfish whiskers.


Scott

[Birger]

Hi and welcome to PC.

I am guessing you got your gymnogeophagus norte here http://cichlaholic.com/lists.html

If you did, look up the Hassar sp. currently available which is most likely this

Hassar orestis

or very similar...that would be a good choice with the attributes you described and something that is not always available.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 13&t=26112

What also will be in this tank?

Birger

[L number Banana]

Yea, another Canadian. Welcome to Planet Catfish!

Birger's suggestion of

Hassar orestis

is wonderful. There's also all the sharky-shaped, spotted whiskery guys that stay small but are active. Like

Synodontis multipunctata

or the upside-down cats,

Synodontis nigriventris

, midwater and interesting. So much for those empty tanks..


Nice link, Birger, I could spend a fortune. I saw L200 for $34, is that somewhat cheap or is that realistic? I always assumed they would cost a bundle. Any idea what the bumble bee or MICROGLANIS POECILUS is? Can't find these two names together in the Cat-eLog. Old name maybe?

[MatsP]

L200 for $34 is definitely not expensive, but it may not be "bargain basement" price either - depends on the size. If they are fairly big (4+"), then it's a GOOD price. If they are 2-3" then it's not bad, but not great either.

--
Mats

[Birger]

Nice link, Birger, I could spend a fortune. I saw L200 for $34, is that somewhat cheap or is that realistic? I always assumed they would cost a bundle.

that is not too bad for around here...quite often retails for double and of course depends on size....he is really really great to deal with IMO and ships all over...gets some interesing stuff at times.

Any idea what the bumble bee or MICROGLANIS POECILUS is? Can't find these two names together in the Cat-eLog. Old name maybe?

It is similar to or even quite often end up being

Microglanis iheringi

http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/micro ... eringi.htm

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/species ... p?id=47761
There are quite a few more species of Microglanis than what is in the Cat-eLog currently, interesting little guys but just can't always have everything.


Birger

[L number Banana]

Birger:

he is really really great to deal with IMO and ships all over...gets some interesing stuff at times.

Say goodbye to tax money...
Thank god I don't have a pyramid shaped aquarium with more floor space - he has banjo-cats too.
Any other lovely Canadian links like that one?

Hey Scott, what region are you from? Near any nice shops?

[L number Banana]

MatsP:

L200 for $34 is definitely not expensive, but it may not be "bargain basement" price either - depends on the size. If they are fairly big (4+"), then it's a GOOD price. If they are 2-3" then it's not bad, but not great either.

It says 2.75" so I guess it's fair market price. Thanks.

[Newguy]

Hi and welcome to PC. Thank Birger, glad to be expanding my horizons. lol

I am guessing you got your gymnogeophagus norte here http://cichlaholic.com/lists.html You are correct, done a bit of business with Spence. Quality fish for sure

If you did, look up the Hassar sp. currently available which is most likely this

Hassar orestis

or very similar...that would be a good choice with the attributes you described and something that is not always available. I have adopted a pictus cat and I am in love and already looking for companionship. He has a 45 gallon barebottom to himself right now.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 13&t=26112

What also will be in this tank? Just the cats I think. The Nortes need solitude for spawning.

Birger

Yea, another Canadian. Welcome to Planet Catfish! Yeah!!!! Go Canucks, Go!!

Birger's suggestion of

Hassar orestis

is wonderful. There's also all the sharky-shaped, spotted whiskery guys that stay small but are active. Like

Synodontis multipunctata

or the upside-down cats,

Synodontis nigriventris

, midwater and interesting. So much for those empty tanks.. Yeah, I don't think they will be empty for very long. Very nice cat pics guys. I am a total newb to catfish so go easy


Nice link, Birger, I could spend a fortune. I saw L200 for $34, is that somewhat cheap or is that realistic? I always assumed they would cost a bundle. Any idea what the bumble bee or MICROGLANIS POECILUS is? Can't find these two names together in the Cat-eLog. Old name maybe?

Birger:

he is really really great to deal with IMO and ships all over...gets some interesing stuff at times.

Say goodbye to tax money...
Thank god I don't have a pyramid shaped aquarium with more floor space - he has banjo-cats too.
Any other lovely Canadian links like that one?

Hey Scott, what region are you from? Near any nice shops? I am on Vancouver Island, a few decent shops and cheap shipping from the mainland. Cool exotics shipped in cheap too.

Well, Thanks for the input people.
I have settled on this Pictus I have. I have been doing some research and I as usual have been getting conflicting info.
The tank Ph is currently 6.8 and the temp is 75 F. I also added 1 rounded tblsp aquarium salt per 10 gallons.
If any of these parameters is astray please, let me know.
I would love some more input on possible tankmates, should I go species only or do they fair well with others?
Cheers,
Scott

[L number Banana]

Yea, another Canadian. Welcome to Planet Catfish! Yeah!!!! Go Canucks, Go!!

For the only time of the year, television is wonderful right now!!!! My Leafs suck and will always suck, so Go, Canucks, Go!!!

I'm relatively new to catfish as well, so I'm a little confused about the salt? Was that mentioned somewhere? I thought that most catfish don't require salt but hey, I've been wrong before!

Oh and look up your fish on Youtube, if you're not addicted now, you will be

Hope it's nice on Vancouver I. Have only been to Naniamo and it's like a slice out of time - beautiful! Natural stone 'hot tubs' on the beach without hot springs - awesome. Salmon caught four feet from the BBQ - heavenly!

I am a total newb to catfish so go easy

Don't worry, I've asked the world's dumbest questions here already and everyone was rather courteous considering how silly some of my ideas are Everyone one here is kind of like the way we wish the world was, varied and nice. Okay, Sidguppy's kind of firey sometimes but don't tell him I said so.

[Birger]

The tank Ph is currently 6.8 and the temp is 75 F. I also added 1 rounded tblsp aquarium salt per 10 gallons.
If any of these parameters is astray please, let me know.
I would love some more input on possible tankmates, should I go species only or do they fair well with others?

salt is not needed with these

Pictus love company of their own kind, I would have a small group ...at least five to really bring them out,they are great, a group of these cruising around is a nice sight, combine this with a schoal of 2 to 3 inch tetras. Could throw in a (easy to keep but lovable)

Ancistrus cf_cirrhosus

or a pair and you will be hooked.

Birger

and yes..Go Canucks!!!

[Newguy]

Salt is not needed but, it doesn't hurt does it?

[MatsP]

Salt is not needed but, it doesn't hurt does it?

It may not exactly hurt, but it's really only a few fish that you should keep with in salty water. Most others are best kept in regular fresh-water. Fish-shops like to sell salt. It is useful as a medication, but you don't take head-ache pills every day "just in case", do you?

--
Mats

[CanadaPleco]

Any other lovely Canadian links like that one?

Yep, my site, http://www.canadapleco.com Theres a bunch of us pleco addicts over there, been going for a few years now.

Spencer is great at cichloholic, I also have a group of Notre's from him. Neat fish.

Rich

[L number Banana]

Yep, my site, http://www.canadapleco.com Theres a bunch of us pl*co addicts over there, been going for a few years now.

Already a member but different screen name, Iron Madtom, it's an awesome site - I spend more time reading than posting
Good cory info too!