Brachyplatystoma juruense keeping info

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 28 Feb 2003, 01:06

Hello all, I've become more and more interested in the wonderful pims of south america, and I've been considering scratching my Xingu biotope to accomodate a juruense catfish. the residents it would have to coexist with would be 3 leopoldi stngrays, and one large scarlet pleco, as well as a sunshine down the road. Planned tank is either a 72"x36"x24", 250 gallon, small in gallons, large on surface area, or possibly a 300 gallon rubbermade stock tank. obviously the tanks will be well filtered, and most likely with a good turnover rate as well. Water changes are always heavy for my fish, so nitrate's not a terribly big worry either.

My question is, will this catfish be a reasonable choice for a tank member? Rays are currently at 8 inches, the pim would probably be 4" or so. And one other thought, at full size, I'm imagining the pim would be a discus eater, is this correct?

TiGrInUs · Post by **TiGrInUs** » 28 Feb 2003, 03:22

They are an awesome catfish, compatable with rays(if at the right sizes),3ft wide tank sounds nice. The tank would most likely be ok for awile but with rays and other fish it might get a little packed. I dont know about your plecos. Im not a pleco person as of now. Yes the Juruense would eat discus when it gets bigger. They can get up to 30". I got mine when it was 2.5" in July of 2002. He is now almost a foot long. Another option would be an M. Tigrinus. heres a pic of my Juruense...i dont have any good ones of my tigrinus.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 28 Feb 2003, 05:03

heh, I'd love a tigrinus, but I really can't justify spending $350 on one when I can get a zebra for $25. Besides, I bankrupted myself on the leopoldis.

as to the plecos, they're both fairly good tempered species, the scarlet doesn't fight with the rays, and the sunshine won't either, both will, at fully grown be over a foot, the scarlet is nearing it now, and will probably hit 16 or so inches. The rays are from 7 to 9 inches across at this point, and not particularly predatory, they've got some smaller plecos in there that they don't bother at all, which i can get rid of later if they do become targets.

STINGRAY · Post by **STINGRAY** » 01 Mar 2003, 21:35

Hi I personally would not put a Juense of that size in with your rays. I would grow him to around 8inch first then introduce to your new aquarium. I think there is a great risk of him being eaten.

PeacockBass · Post by **PeacockBass** » 03 Mar 2003, 09:25

yea the rays may mual the little juruense... if you could find a larger one it would defenatly work...

i dont think a jur is capable even at 30 inches of eating an adult 7 inch discus...

i dont think a jur will ever reach 30 inches either..

i would defentaly get a Jur.. grow him a couple of inches in a different tank then put him in with your rays..

mines around 4 inches now and has a 6 inch streamer!! nice fish.. here are pics of mine..

they are amazing fish!!