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| Pictus Catfish; *aqua-inhabitant | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 16 2006, 02:50 PM (439 Views) | |
Morrigan
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Feb 16 2006, 02:50 PM Post #1 |
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Pictus Catfish Quick Stats Scientific Name: Pimelodus pictus, Pimelodus picta, Pimelodella picta, Pimelodella pictus, Pimelodella angelicus Distribution: South America – Amazon and Orinoco River basins Size: To 8" in the wild, but usually between 4 and 5" in an aquarium Common Names: Pictus Catfish Temperature: 72 to 75 degrees pH: 6 to 7 General Characteristics An elegant, beautifully marked catfish, the Pictus is one of the most common and widely available South American catfish in the hobby. With its brilliant silver base color, large black spots and almost absurdly long maxillary barbals, it is easy to see why this fish is so popular. They are safe for community tanks, as long as the fish are larger than "Neon Tetra" size, peaceful enough to be kept with smaller cichlids and fast enough to stay out of the reach of larger, more aggressive ones. Pictus are difficult catfish to transport, owing to the large, sharp spines that form the first ray of their dorsal and pectoral fins. They can easily pierce plastic bags and any unwary fingers, so take care in handling these fish. If possible, try to get then transported in a fish box, rather than the normal plastic bag. Pictus are schooling fish, preferring to charge around their tank in a group like a little bunch of teenage hooligans. It is possible to keep them singly, but they will do far better in groups of 3 or more. Aquarium Set-up A single Pictus will require a minimum tank size of 55 gallons to give it enough space to "exercise" properly. You can keep a group of up to three in a tank that size, but larger groups will need more floor space in which to roam. Given their tendency to charge around like lunatics, their tanks should have plenty of open swimming space. They are nocturnal and will require hidey-holes for the daylight hours. Caves made from plastic pipe or terracotta pots are the most common. Sometimes these fish will occupy the same hole to sleep, but this is not always the case, so when keeping more than one, make sure there are several places they can pass the time. Substrate should be sand or fine gravel, these catfish like to dig for possible buried food and can damage their barbals on sharp gravel. Plants are a welcome addition, as these fish do like some cover. Floating plants are also welcomed, as they help diffuse the light, making your Pictus more comfortable about being out and about. Driftwood and large rocks piled up are also good additions, but make sure to keep open swimming spaces. Good filtration and regular water changes is essential, these fish are known for gorging and what goes in, must come out. Feeding Pictus Catfish are omnivorous and known to be gluttons when feeding. They will eat themselves to bursting point, then not be interested in food for up to a week at a time. Be careful that you do not overfeed as these fish tend not to know the limits of their stomachs. They are suckers for bloodworms, both fresh and frozen and this is a good food for encouraging new fish to venture out and get used to their new surroundings. Being omnivorous, they will benefit from something like the beefheart recipe, supplemented by live and frozen foods, and a good quality catfish pellet, preferably something high in protein and low on fillers. Live insects such as earthworms can be used as a treat, but make sure they are not too large. These fish will try to eat just about anything and can choke themselves on food items that are too large. Compatibility Given their small adult size, they are not suitable for tanks containing large, aggressive cichlids that will consider them food. They will do well with more medium sized, less aggressive South and Central American cichlids such as Severums, Firemouths, Oscars and similar fish. They are considered a little mad for tanks containing more peaceful cichlids, such as Angelfish, where their crazy antics can put additional stress on already silly, skitty fish. As stated earlier, they do prefer to live in groups rather than singly. They are also relatively safe for community style tanks with larger species of Tetras and Danios. These catfish are not predatory, but will happily consume any fish they can catch off guard if given the chance. They patrol their tank mainly at night when the other fish sleep. Breeding No instances of Pictus Catfish breeding in a home aquarium have been reported. Females tend towards being plumper and larger than males. It is assumed that they are egglayers as are most other Pimelodids, but I do not believe that this has been confirmed. My one experience with this catfish was not a very pleasant one. The fish I purchased was lethargic from day one, and never showed the true crazy nature this species is renowned for. However I have seen many groups of smaller juveniles at the local petshops, all acting as madly as I've heard they do. They are a nice, attractive catfish suitable for beginners looking for something to sparkle up their tank a little. |
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12:35 AM Jul 12