Catfish Tetris??

[Heck]

Due to several reasons (misinformation, overzealousness), I have the following fish:

4 mystus leucophasis (~9")
2 horabagrus brachysoma (~9")
2 synodontis eupterus (~6")
6 synodontis nigriventris (~2")
2 pimelodis pictus (~4")
2 platydoras armatulus (~4")

(I had another pictus, another eupterus, and a lone red tailed black shark, but lost them to a heater misadventure recently - huge bummer since that Eupterus was my favorite and I know I shouldn't have just 2 pictus).

All fish were purchased as babies in 2024, mostly in the spring but one Eupterus in December), so they'd be 12-18 months old now. I'm hoping they're nearing their adult sizes but can't be confident yet.

Right now the m leucophasis and h brachysoma are in a 125 gallon, and everyone else is in a 55g.

I have a 29g that I'm just using to grow out some plants (and as emergency backup).

The m leucophasis are pretty mean, as is apparently typical, but they haven't killed each other or anyone else (the Eupterus and RTBS who died recently were in with them). I think having a LOT of hides has helped me keep the peace.

I've thought about putting the bigger/bossier Eupterus in with them, but he's still small and I worry he might be bullied badly. But right now he's bullying the pictuses - not harming them, just scaring the hell out of them. And he's rude to the smaller Eupterus (my current favorite fish) - again, not hurting her, just being a jerk.

I feel like I should get another pictus or 3, but there's simply no room in the 55 unless I rearrange.

Rehoming the raphaels and/or the h brachysoma is an option, but so far I've had no takers and would prefer to place them myself over trading in at the LFS.

The stocked tanks have sufficient filtration, I think - the 125 has a canister filter for 120g and an HOB for 75, the 55 has HOBs for 75 and 30, and the 29 has an HOB for 30. Obviously I can add filtration.

Can anyone help me tetris my fish into the appropriate tanks, managing aggression, minimizing overstocking, and allowing me to get the pictuses some buddies?

[naturalart]

Hi Heck, you have a bunch of 'day-active' cats. Maybe splitting them up may reduce the aggressive interactions.

Personally, I'm partial to Synodontis, so unless you're really stuck on the Mystus, I would get rid of them and move both the S. eupterus to the 125g They want top out at a larger size and you'll be able to keep a wider variety of fish with them. And when they have enough room S. eupterus is really a social catfish imho (some would say otherwise). I'd watch the interaction between the Sun cats and the S. eupterus, but the Sun cats should stay out of the featherfins way.

Then you can add another pim to your school in the 55g.

I'd keep the S. negriventris either in the 55g or 29g with lots of hidy holes.

The Platydoras can go anywhere, as they are like nocturnal cactus's. My 2¢