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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?

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¢

They're supposed to be day active?! I never see them until after dark when I put just the blue lights on - with the exception being 2 of the mystuses, who beg at the glass every time they see me, regardless of time/light.

I'd rehome the shyer 2 mystus, but I have a hard time picturing anyone wanting them - and I think having several is part of why I've been able to keep them without them murdering each other - any aggression gets kind of split up rather than having one target/victim.

Are the raphs prone to stress if someone were to try to pick at them?

Hi Heck,

I'm not familiar with the Mystus, but from what I've seen in other people's tanks, the Horobagrus are active day and night. I've kept both of the Synodontis species you listed as well as the pictus cats. In general, I'd describe the pictus as day-active, and the nigriventris as more night active, although I have seen them out in day light hours when kept in a group. The eupterus I had was very active, but it was pretty small (about 4-5"), so I don't know if its behavior would carry over the same as a larger fish. Every doradid I've kept has been active at night, although I do find that they move from hiding place to hiding place during the day hours.

Personally, I'm not sure how you'd keep them, since I haven't had your Asian species before. If I were to start, I would expect the two Asian species need to be in species tanks, not in community tanks due to their large size. The synos I would put in community tanks, but IDK about the eupterus as it grows.

The pims are really neat in a group of 10 or more, but they are frantically active, so I would think they would only be suitable in tanks with other larger but gentle fish. I would say with eupterus, but I don't think the water conditions would be the same for those two. The pims might be okay with the raphs, but only if the raphs can hide in day hours and the pims get more docile at night (but IDK if they do).

Cheers,
Eric

bekateen wrote: Yesterday, 19:16 The pims might be okay with the raphs, but only if the raphs can hide in day hours and the pims get more docile at night (but IDK if they do).

My experience is pims and raphs get along great. I might even say it I recommend it.

Earlier this year, I moved my two male raphs to my 60gal with six pictus, where they stayed for a couple of months in order to give the female raphs a break.

While I'm sure the raphaels had no issue dictating what hides they were going to use, there were no injuries, scrapes, squabbles, or any other sign of problems for anyone involved.

As a matter of fact, the real interesting thing is both species became far more active and willing to be out of their hides and calm during the day, as if they were a dither for each other.

Hi Heck, when i say "Day-active" I am referring mainly to the Pims, S. eupterus, Sun cats. And it is a relative term.

I've never kept the Mystus cats, so a little surprised that they do come out during the day to beg. But the dynamic of you having 4 of them in a tank is probably encouraging that behavior; the 2 dominant cats making sure they get as much nutrition as possible. Which eludes back to the relativeness of the terms "Day-active" or (Diurnal) and Nocturnal. Many organisms will adjust their behavior depending on the environment they find themselves in. Most catfish are relatively, nocturnal. Some more so than others.
As Eric and OregonOutdoorsChris mentioned, even the Raphs and the S. negriventris will come out during the day depending on the situation/environment they are in. In addition to other factors, if you set your tanks up with plenty of shaded spots: driftwood and rock overhangs, taller and broad-leafed plants that mute the light, darker substrates, then your catfish will generally, feel more comfortable coming out during the daylight hours.

Your Raphs are probably your most "light-adverse" of the cats you mentioned. They are not impermeable, but they are built like prickly tanks partly because of their 'digging' habits. They can handle most nipping to a point. It's always best to try and cut aggression with plenty of hiding spots as you already know.