Catfish Suggestions for a Festivum Tank

[tophat665]

Hey there, folks. My first post of note, here.
I've tried to get some feedback on this tank in generalist forums, but what is needed is a supporting cast of catfish, so your expertise is appreciated.



Currently this tank has 6 young Festivums (Mesonauta festivus) that I am trying to get a breeding pair out of. As they pair off, I will be moving them into 25 gallon breeding tanks, leaving the rest behind. This is a 55 gallon tank. Playsand substrate with some laterite mixed in. Planted with Hygrophilia and Hydrocotyle sp. as nitrate sponges. Temp is around 79 (26 C). Filtered with 2 stacks of 3 Hydrosponge 1 filters. Haven't checked the PH, but it generally settles around 6.8. GH is low (2 to 3), KH moderate to high (12-15). Lighting is a Walmart shop light (10 bucks. Can't beat it with a stick), with 2x40w T-8s at 6500K. Big hunk of driftwood dead center, 6" clay flowerpots (5 of them) scattered about. (I don't think the AGA is going to have a lot of use for this tank. )

I am looking for a cleanup crew (and yes, I will target feed for optimum health as well). Somebody to catch what falls to the bottom, and somebody to take care of any algae issues that might arise. Preferably from South America. Even better from Peru.

So, for my cleanup crew, I have been leaning toward

Corydoras trilineatus

or

Brochis splendens

(6 or so of either), though

Dianema longibarbis

,

Callichthys callichthys

, or one of the

Hoplosternum

sp. (3 or so) have crossed my mind.

For algae patrol, I was thinking whatever

Farlowella

species I could lay hands on, but the articles here warn off keeping them with cichlids (apparently a swearword here. Who knew?). On the other hand, there have been some recent articles in TFH regarding a fellow who has been keeping

Sturisoma

s with juruparis, so I am not discarding the idea out of hand. On the gripping hand, I have

Ancistrus cf_cirrhosus

, Clown Pleco (

Panaque maccus

),

Rineloricaria eigenmanni

, and Albino Ancistrus already, so I am trying not to duplicate (though down the road I want to take a crack at breeding Clown Plecos, so that's a forward thinking possibility.)

Any advice is welcome.

[Birger]

So, for my cleanup crew, I have been leaning toward Corydoras trilineatus or Bronchis splendens (6 or so of either), thoughDianema longibarbus, Callichthys callichthys, or one of the Hoplosternum sp. (3 or so) have crossed my mind.

Well given the choices you have I would do the brochis as that is one I have wanted to have.The cory would be fine as well though.
The others you have here I would suggest finding out what is available to you and then doublechecking the size it will get to, some slip in at up to 10 inches of course keeping to the smaller sizes would be better for this tank.

For algae patrol, I was thinking whatever Farlowella species I could lay hands on, but the articles here warn off keeping them with c*****ds (apparently a swearword here. Who knew?). On the other hand, there have been some recent articles in TFH regarding a fellow who has been keeping Sturisomas with juruparis, so I am not discarding the idea out of hand. On the gripping hand, I have Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus, Clown pl*co (Panaque maccus), Rineloricaria eigenmanni, and Albino Ancistrus already, so I am trying not to duplicate (though down the road I want to take a crack at breeding Clown plecos, so that's a forward thinking possibility.)

I can not answer about the Farlowella or Sturisoma but for algae patrol specifically you can not go wrong with Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus, if you want to breed the Clown plecos go with them and get it done, especially if you have a maturing group, it does not always have to be something brand new. (I do it too, bring in new fish before I have finished working with the abundance I have already.)

[Bas Pels]

yous as you intend, I have many catfish in cich lid tanks - to keep the bottom clean and to eat algae

You suggest Corydoras, or Brochis. Personally I would recomment Brochis above Corydoras, as they can withstand the higher temps you will need for breeding Mesonauta better.

Regarding the alternatives you mentioned, Dianema are quite fragile, thus not will suited to be combined with all but the most tender cich lids. Hoplosternum and Megalichthys are well suited for this combi. However, these are among the catfish which enjoy swimming the most - they are not such bottom dwellers as other catfish - at least, mine were

Callichthys callichthys is a specie hard to get - in europe, at least. I would envy you if you could get them

Another alternative for the bottom would be a small species of Doridae - such as Agamystis pectifrons (or is it Platydoras pectifrons now?)

For algae control, Sturiosoma are goodalgae eaters, but they like some current in the water, which mesonauta do not appriciate. Ancistrus af sirrhosus would be a better idea. As Panaque eat wood, not algae as first choise, they might fulfill another puropse in your tank, but not the algae control

Regarding your tank, I also had Mesonauta myself, and they were quite easily spooked. Therefore, and to get a nicer looking tank, I would suggest covering the back and sides of your tank with datrk paper or so - in order to provide the fishes a quieter, less frighting place

Further, the idea of remouving a formed pair into a 25 gollon tank (thus, assuming US gallons, less then 1000 liters) is not a good one.

Firstly, new formed pairs of cich lids only recognise each other before a certain background - which will be missing in another tank - after netting them, the pair is reduced to just a male and a female
Secondly, a 100 l tank is just too small for these fishes - even if you only keep 2
Thirdly, the fishes pair up, and afte breeding, they will return to their school again.

You current 55 gallon - 200 L or so - tank is also rather small, remember, your fishes look like they are 5 cm - 2 inches, but will dobble their size within a year. Twice the length, thice the width, twice the height, thus 8 times the bodymass.

Mine were kept in a 4 meter (13 feet) tank, and they showed they could do a lot of swimming

Last remark: As one could expect, your Mesonauta are all grouped together under the cover they can find. These cich lids do not dig, and therefroe a more planted tank is very good possible - for which the fishes will thank you

[apistomaster]

I was very interested until I saw the size of the planned tanks. At least double size your tanks and you will be in business.

I would rely on Ancistrus cf cirrhosus as the primary algae eaters and some Sturisoma aureum. Sturisoma are all purpose scour every surface for food fish so they do everything. You don't even need Callicthyiidae spp. If you want to see natural Mesonauta brood care I wouldn't add any other catfish except something like Banjo Catfish and some of the Rhinoloricaria spp. These spp won't threaten Mesonauta spawns. The Bushy Nose and even Sturisoma may try to invade Mesonauta nests, Hopefully, the Cichlids will manage to drive them away enough.

The Mesonauta aquarium has been one of my as of yet still planned in the future projects. I enjoyed the young specimens I stocked but modern shops don't seem to carry them often. My love of Discus has always caused me to postpone my Mesonata project.
I hope you can move them to large enough tanks soon enough to prevent any stunting from overcrowding so you may enjoy them in their full glory as large adults.

[tophat665]

Thanks for all the good input.

With regard to the tank size - I agree that a 55 is small for a half dozen festivums. I'm using it to grow them out and get a pair. Since it seems to me that moving the pair is not a good option, howzabout removing the unpaired ones? I have another 55 that I could house a 2nd pair in, and a 33 (tall) that I could house the remaining two (temporarily - I assume that, of six, I am lucky if I get one pair, two would be a lot to hope for, and three is probably out of the question. They'll end up getting auctioned at PVAS or possibly CCA.)

For the catfish suggestions, many thanks. If this tank goes down to a single pair, I'll go with a school of Bronchis (B. splendens - I know that B. britskii gets out of control huge (for a coriid)) and I know a fellow who has a stable breeding population of B. splendens. Bright emerald. Same color as a greenbottle fly. Gorgeous fish. He brings a bag of 5 or so to auction every other month or so.

The more I think about it, the more I think I will go with 3 Clown plecos for the algae. Yes, I know that they are primarily wood eaters, but I have never had so much as a single speck of algae on the glass in any tank that my current one has inhabited. I think they get a bad rap because they stay out of sight when the lights are on, but they come out and clean up when it's dark.

I'll hit the back and one side of the tank with a black leaf bag. My computer is in the same room, so when I am typing I can look to my left and see down the length of the tank, so I want to leave that end open.

Again, great input. Many thanks.