Pseudoplatystoma Fasciatum

[Elwood]

Few days ago a friend of mine gave me a wonderful

Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum

, his size is about 40cm TL. I keept him with 5 adult discus, 1

Pseudacanthicus cf_leopardus

and 10

Corydoras aeneus

. Today he got a huge belly and I miss 8 corys!! How is possible he's still alive? Corys got spines!!

[MatsP]

If it's a fairly large one, then I expect the spines aren't a problem. And at least it wasn't €100 each

CW051

...

--
Mats

[Jools]

I've seen them eat a Stingray too. The real problem is if they injure themselves. Keep and eye on the discus and what the

TSN

does at night...

Jools

[Viktor Jarikov]

Some of my cats ate other cats, e.g., my 7" Walago leerii ate a 4" wyckii. Wyckii's pectorial serrated spine punctured his tummy and was clearly visible, sticking out like a cm, for a week. But eventually, leerii digested him and the spine disappeared. He was eating all along like nothing ever happened. I was very worried.

Your new TSN is still a juvi and a glutton. He will attempt to eat your discus too - either he will kill them directly or stress of being hunted will - I'd say the probability of this happening is 90%. He will grow to over 1 meter eventually. My 60-80 cm TL TSNs hunted and killed plenty of fish even of comparable length but slimer, e.g., 1.5' Jardini arowana, 1.2' bullheads, 1.5' channel cats, 2' silver arowana, etc.. None others did, not 2'-3' RTCs, not 2'-3' RTCxTSN hybrids, not 3' channel cats, not 2' Leiarius marmoratus and pictus, only TSNs appear definitely the most predatory. All of these and 40 other big fish lived in a 40' x 6' x 3' indoor pond.

[Elwood]

The cat is came back to my friend tank.
Thank you guys!

[Viktor Jarikov]

Was this the plan all along or did missing coryes plus our info make you do it?

[Elwood]

Was this the plan all along or did missing coryes plus our info make you do it?

The plan was: keep the cat for 1 year and then put him in a bigger tank. Dead coryes and your info make me change idea.

[ElTofi]

I dreamt about keeping 2-3 Pseudoplatystoma into the "under construction" Potamotrygon tank... but I guess it's the same as with Phractocephalus... much too big, even for a 9'000 liters (2'400 gallons)...

the point is : what they will eat ? And I'm not ready to loose Potamotrygon or Cichla or others in my future population...

I'll take a chance with a trio of smaller Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (former Merodontodus)