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Recently bought one for my SA community tank. It's in a 30 gal with 1 apistogramma, 8 pencilfish, 10 red phantoms and a bunch of rummynoses.

My first question is regarding feeding. I read that in nature they come out at night to eat insects from the surface. Is it necessary to try and replicate this or will they learn to come out during the day to eat. Will it eat most frozen foods?

Also, will it be happy as a single specimen? My LFS only had the one.

Lastly, will he become more active during the day as he acclimates? Or will he always be hiding for the most part?

Picture is of him at the store

If you put black/blood worms in the tank, it will be out at anytime of day. They go apeshit for them (Sorry mods if i cannot say that word.) They will gorge themselves on them until they look like they will explode. In the past, mine always took just about any foods, live, frozen or dry.

I am not sure how they do alone, but i know my LFS's always only get in like 1-2 at a time. I have never kept with less than 6 before. They tend to be social smushing into their hiding spots.

They are more active at night, but if you have decent surface plant cover, they can be more active during the day.

again, this is just my experience and everyones may vary. They are awesome little cats. Good luck with yours!

I have six also. When I first bought them, they were sometimes active day and night. Now they are just nocturnal. I feed mine live black worms from a surface worm cone feeder (suction cups to glass at water level). Cool fish.

Cheers, Eric

He's found a nice spot in a piece of driftwood. I fed some brine shrimp and flakes, but didn't see him eat anything. Does he need some time to adjust? Also, are blood worms their favorite food usually?

After I turned off all the lights I saw him come and swim around near the surface. I added some freeze dried plankton since it floats, but I couldn't tell if he was eating it. It's all gone this morning so I'll assume he ate some.

After seeing him, I wonder if I should be worried for my marginatus pencilfish. They're adults, about same size at the catfish, but the catfish is still growing. Should I be worried?

Freeze dried plankton might be too big for their mouths. Is it? And no, I think your pencilfish will be okay if they are as big as the oil cats. I have some golden tetras in with mine, and the oil cats never bother the tetras.

Cheers, Eric

I got some frozen bloodworms the other day and fed him last night. I think I saw him gobble some up. I fed again today but didn't see him come out.

I feed mine on live/frozen glass worm as it stays suspended in the water longer than other worm.