Clarias batrachus compatibility

[kiwidu21]

Hello,
I have a 400 liters with 2 Astronotus oscellaris and 2 Ameiurus melas (the more little make 15cm, 5").
I would like to know that the Clarias and Ameiurus is compatible ?
The clarias measure 10cm (4") at the sell.

[bekateen]

@Viktor Jarikov, it seems like you may have dealt with something like this. Any advice?

Thanks, Eric

[Viktor Jarikov]

In smaller tanks like 55 gal and 240 gal, our walking catfish (small ~5", collected from a hot drying natural puddle) have been a pure nightmare to some of their own kin, and if we had other catfish in there, I believe they would be aggressive to them too. I believe the larger females (2 of them) were bothering the smallest and the weakest males (or even all males) to no end chasing them around the tank and biting them until the males were killed and eventually only the two females remained. They were sweet to each other.

In a large tank, 4500 gal, eleven walking catfish co-existed peacefully but they were much larger too, ~16", and came from our natural lake. We grew them up to ~24".

In sum, it's a gamble and unless you can separate at the sight of trouble, I'd recommend not doing it as you might get stuck in a dead end, literally and figuratively.

[kiwidu21]

Ok thanks.

So what size to tank do you advise me ? For one clarias (larger) or a pair

[Viktor Jarikov]

They don't seem to be big on swimming, so I'd probably cite the usual rule of thumb minimum tank size - 4x fish length by 2x fish length by 2x fish length. Bigger is always better. That's for one.

For a pair, as stated, it is a gamble in smaller tanks. They may live peacefully or one may harass the other until it is killed, so if I was trying this, I'd reserve an option to separate.

[Jools]

They also need an amazingly solid lid on the tank.

Jools

[kiwidu21]

thanks