PlanetCatfish.com

I'm a bit new to the site and I hope I've posted this in the right place...

I've always loved pimelodid catfish and I've always wanted to keep a medium to large sized species. I recently got a 110 gal (416 L) tank set up. The shortest dimension of this tank is 18" (45.7 cm). I already have a Synodontis eupterus, as well as several Lake Malawi cichlids. Is there any pim that I could keep in this tank? I was thinking perhaps P. blochii or P. ornatus. I also have a 29 gal (109.7 L) grow out tank that I can keep it in until it's big enough for the main tank. I just wanted to know if this could work or if I should just keep dreaming and saving up for another tank. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you all may have.

Tank size issue aside, it will not be suitable if you maintain high pH in that 110gal.

I also think Pimelodus do best with other members of their own species.

Birger

amiidae wrote:Tank size issue aside, it will not be suitable if you maintain high pH in that 110gal.

Well, most of these fish have been acclimated to lower than typical pH. The Synodontis, for instance, used to share a tank with some pacus and a rather large oscar before I got her. I've also had a small P. blochii and two P. pictus live quite happily in similar water conditions to my current setup. (Sadly, I later lost all these fish to a nasty bacterial infection brought in by an improperly quarantined pleco... a rookie mistake I don't plan on repeating.) Anyway, I think I can strike an amiable compromise when it comes to water conditions, but I'm more concerned about aggression and tank size.

Birger wrote:I also think Pimelodus do best with other members of their own species.

Birger

Isn't it true that P. blochii tends to be a bit more solitary, though? At least, that's what I've read about them.