PlanetCatfish.com

One question for experienced crystal eye catfish keepers:

Dozens on-line sources claim that this fish is one of the most "belicose" cat in aquarium, and can only be kept alone. However, I did spot one adult (over 50 centimeters) sharing a 7-feet tank with some large cichlids, an Asian arowana and a giant gourami.

Does anybody have more successful stories to share (what are the tanks mates, the size of the tank)?

In my own 6-feet tank (600 litters), I have a baby Wickii with a sub-adult giant gourami, a pair of adult two oscars and a common pleco. I really wish to see them all enjoy a peaceful long life (I'm willing to double the size of tank in the future).

Songlin from Beijing, China

I certainly wouldn't count on it working. Things might be okay for awhile, but as the fish grows it will become more and more aggressive.

When i was in the trade we had a 9" one in a 6x2x2 foot tank with large clarias, tinfoils, plecs, a clarotes laticeps, oscars & large syno schall - no problems. One day the lil bugger bit me though & it hurt a fair bit.
After it had been sold for a while the owner came in to say that it had killed a couple of tankmates, considerably larger than itself When one of it's former buddies, a big plec was sold, upon removal from the tank we could see a bite mark that had healed - obviously from the wykii.

Lynwood fish house in Surrey, many years ago, had a big one in a big tank (8 foot?). When they needed to get into the tank (cleaning, re-connect filter pipes etc) it was a 2 man job - one to do the job & another to ward off the cat with a pair of aquarium tongs as he would always go for the "intruder"

What i'm trying to say is that aggression increases with age/size. Also it is possible to create harmony between a wykii & other fish, but how long for is another question.......i think you've always got to be aware of what might happen.....

Hi Both,

Thank you so much for your reply with solid cases.

I will be prepared for what will happen and will seriously consider having a tank for this little demon only.

It is only less than 18 centimeters (7") now. Will share its photos with you when it grows larger.

Songlin

Hello,

I've had 4 wyckii's and believe I still might have 3.

The first one (male) could never be kept with any other fish. He grew big very fast and lived out his life in a 180 by himself.
The 2nd was bought at the same time and a lot slower growing and not as nasty. I could keep Plecos in with it and had it first in a 90 then a 180. When my largest tank (www.monsterfishkeepers.com go to article section look for 50,000 gallon tank) was built I put it in it and never had a problem with other fish. I found it hid in caves among the rocks (I have 28,000 lbs of lava rock alone in the tank.). Because it was reclusive I would go months and sometimes years without seeing it. I have not seen it for a couple of years. My 3rd is in my second biggest tank (www.monsterfishkeepers.com go to article section and look for 15,000 gallon tank ) and not vicious at all ( It's about 22" long tl). My 4th is about 14" long and very nasty. I had a 16" boulangerchromis microleptis in with it for 2 years and one day it beat him up (did not kill him). The 4th is in a 180 by himself now.

Some people say Hemibagrus wykii is in the adult stadium the most agressive catfish in the world. But I think it is a qúestion of the caracter. Everybody is individual and some are living longtime with their fish mates and nothing happens, and suddenly somebody is dead by attacked of him.