What are the bigger catfish? Help me pick a good one

[Milet]

Hey all.

I don't know anything about any catfish. But I just wanted to know what sort of catfish would match my requirements (or close enough):

1. Relatively good at cleaning up food leftovers.

2. Grow quite big - or have defence against predators eg. spines

3. Tend to leave plants alone (not essential)

4. Is not a pleco.

Thanks heaps

[Afrikan]

What predatory fish do you have? And how large do you want the catfish to be?

There are some rather nice Synodontis out there that are great cleaners and Chocolate Talking Cats are excellent also.

[Milet]

Havnt really picked the tankmates yet. But if i keep the clown knifefish then it would be that, along with suitable tankmates as in http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/clown-knife-tankmates-vt22063.html but if i do not keep it then im not sure what sort of fish i will have. Just fish that grow big :-?

[Afrikan]

Chocolate Talking Cats would be good... 8)

[Milet]

Thats what most people have reccomended

Cheers

Are they good in groups to?

[snookie]

A nice size Mystus 8)

[Afrikan]

Hmmm yes and no... I keep Chocs, however, I have read information stating that they can be VERY territorial. In battle they spike each other and sadly this can also result in other fish getting spiked if they get in the way of a catfish dispute... If you have a well caved up tank, with heaps of hidey spots they should be fine, but I definately would only keep two max together if you are having other fish in the tank. And go from there. They are great hoovers, mine are shockers :lol:

Yeah a nice sized Mystus would go nicely to... 8) Synos do a much better job of clean up tho as they actually sift over the substrate.

[cichlid7]

what about pictus catfish??

[mr pleco]

what about port hoplos? great cleaneruppers ,decent size non aggresive but cant be eaten either

[Afrikan]

Ports can be eaten.. I remember a case of a Dat eating a hoplo

[HaNs]

I have hoplos with my oscar, dat and bichir. They do a good job of cleaning and are very active

[markoshark]

hoplos are kickass.

Featherfin syno should be ok,

Pictus catfish?

[snookie]

there was a nice Shovelnose for sale a while ago down c/church way .

[Afrikan]

:lol: :lol: snookie.. Now that's one predatory fish

[Bluetom]

I just brought a hoplo and a choc talking fish tonight. From what I've heard they're both pretty cool. I wouldn't say hoplos would be very good at defending themselves though, seem pretty friendly to me

[ilah]

I wouldnt think hoplos would be a good choice.

I once saw a tank in a pet shop with dats and hoplos for sale in the same tank. One of the dats had half swallowed a hoplo ( i say half as the hoplos pectoral spines had pierced and were stuck clean through either side of the dats face ) and i have no idea how they would have got it out without seriously injuring one of them

So to be ont the safe side make sure the cat is way too big to fit in its mouth

[Afrikan]

Yeap I agree ilah, I would think there would be better alternatives to hoplos.. well when it comes to Dats anyway 8) Know of a Dat that had the same experience.

[ilah]

Yeah not cool aye Afrikan,

stupid thing is to, is that its so easily avoided.

With bigger fish like ya knives and things they can and do look even more impressive by themselves coz they have nothing else to fight with which causes damage and scarring, and then there is definately no chance of other fish getting stuck in gaping mouths.

Also found they are calmer aswell without little fish (especially catfish) darting around their tank

but hey its your tank do what you like the look of and what works for you

Big synos are rad and are great for cleaning up messy scraps from knives

[sharn]

With regards to the big syno would the hemisyno membranaceus do the job size wise? A foot long one of them is a big fish, my little 15cm fella is already quite tall.