# Catfish options...



## Johnny579 (Aug 22, 2014)

I'm writing this thread because I've become frustrated with an empty tank that I have. Its a 5.5 gallon glass tank that has been thoroughly cleaned, filters that are currently cycling in my mature tanks, sand for the substrate, a couple of plants, a good sized piece of mopani driftwood and some idian almond theaves. All that's left to complete it is a heater and the fish. I know this would be perfect for a betta, but my other love is catfish, especially the little guys. This is going to be a black water tank preferably as my original intentions were to set this up for pygmy or dwarf corydoras in conditions that they would most likely mate in. Well neither my big chain LFS or my more trusted local LFS could get me any of either. (This is odd because I own one pygmy Cory that was sold to me by my local LFS by mistake as an oto cat, when I asked him to order more he told me there wasn't such thing as a pygmy corys.) So my next option is otocinclus catfish, my favorite little cleanup crew. This tank would be dedicated completely to the otos and more heavily planted than I originally planned. I'll probably set it where it got a little sunlight to help encourage algae growth, of course they would be fed veggies and algae pellets. 

My next option is Asian stone catfish. These guys look really cool but I'm pretty sure I would have to scrap my blackwater tank ideas completely as they probably prefer different water parameters being asian fish. Ghost catfish are another option, again not a blackwater fish but in my top 3 of all catfish. Any other suggestions for a miniature catfish tank? Just as an after thought, are there any loaches that would be ok in this size tank?


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm not a catfish expert but what will you do when the catfish get to big for the tank? I was told cat fish need atleast a 10-15 gallon.


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## Johnny579 (Aug 22, 2014)

The fish I listed get an inch max, not all catfish get huge, some stay tiny. My largest oto is an inch, my dwarf Cory is smaller than that and stone cats barely get an inch. Ghost cats are the longest fish I listed and they basically have no body mass.


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

Interesting. Guess it is true people exaggerate on fish sizes. I was just worried about the size of your tank. I don't know any other catfish besides otos. Never even heard of Ghost cats. Hope you find the catfish you want


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## pftrex (Feb 27, 2015)

I like julii corys or emerald corys.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Asian catfish (Hara jerdoni) are not soft water fish. I think DH is 8-15 or somewhere in that range. I would think you could easily have 10 Pygmy or 7-8 Habrosus in a 5.5.

I believe the above and Hastus (spel?) Cories are the only shoals that would do well in under 10 gallons. I would be a bit concerned about 6-8 Oto as they are bigger and need specialized feeding if you don't have enough algae.

If you're not adverse to online ordering I can highly recommend www.msjinkzd.com. I actually just ordered 20 Pygmy and 15 Habrosus. Both do extremely well in my 10-12 DH.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

AccaliaJay said:


> I'm not a catfish expert but what will you do when the catfish get to big for the tank? I was told cat fish need atleast a 10-15 gallon.


They don't exaggerate. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of species of catfish in all sorts of sizes. A shoal of tiny Pygmy, at barely an inch, can live quite happily in a five gallon. Larger shoaling species cannot.

It's the "shoal" part that confuses people. Many keep shoaling catfish in pairs or singles which causes stress and shortens their lives so instead of living years they live months. I learned that the hard way. :-(


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I first thought about adding a oto with my betta in his 5 gallon but decided against it because I heard you needed to have otos in a group of atleast two or three.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Six. ;-)


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

Wow


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I just want to say, I'm very happy you didn't throw "pleco" out there with the catfish options as they need larger tanks.
I've kept otos and they seem to prefer being kept in shoals (6 or more) rather than 1-3. Definitely more active in larger groups. Shoal size groups of otos won't fit in a 5.5.
I *love *cory, really want to get my hands on some pygmy cory! But haven't owned that breed yet (can't get locally)-got false julli's in my large community tank (55g-currently in 40g due to 55 springing a leak) which are a joy to watch.
No experience or knowledge about Asian stone catfish, I've seen a few people's tank nan journals (5-7g) with them, shrimp, and some micro schooling fish getting along pretty well.


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## Synapse (May 10, 2015)

AccaliaJay said:


> Interesting. Guess it is true people exaggerate on fish sizes. I was just worried about the size of your tank. I don't know any other catfish besides otos. Never even heard of Ghost cats. Hope you find the catfish you want


Ghost cats are neat, need to be in a school of 5+, are from Thailand. I'd say they need 15+ gallons to live with a betta..
I'd like to do a 20 with 7 - 8 and a betta plus the crew, someday.


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## Johnny579 (Aug 22, 2014)

I love my one pygmy Cory currently he resides in my ten gallon and hangs out with my otos. They were my top choice from the beginning, does anyone know where I can order them online?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

www.msjinkzd.com. I just ordered 20 Pygmy and 15 Habrosus.  She quarantines before she sells so I never do. Only place I'll order except I did order some neat Otos from JDAquatics on this forum. He has Habrosus.


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