# crazy catfish



## ridler3d (Jun 19, 2012)

Ok all, I've got a 20 gallon long tank with:
4 gold barbs
4tiger barbs
2 acei cichlids

I tried 2 silver tipped sharks, one swam erratically for 2 days then died, the other was fine for almost a week, he then started swimming around like he was searching for something and died 2 days later. later I found out they were brackish (petstupid didn't tell me that).

Then A couple days ago I added 2 pictus catfish. One immediately swam into a conch shell and dissappeared...forever...crap. The remaining pictus is my concern. Since I put him in there he's been swimming around like crazy just like the silver tipped and im worried he's going to be a goner.

anybody have some insight?


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

they are probably scared. Pictus and silver tips both prefer to shoal a min of 3 is always reccomended. With your size tank i wouldnt reccomend them simpyl because your tank is small i got 6 tiger barbs, 3 pictus, 1 rainbow shark, and two gouramis in a 50g and they are loving it all swim calmly(until food is introduced)


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## Maine_Fish (Apr 7, 2012)

ridler3d said:


> Ok all, I've got a 20 gallon long tank with:
> 4 gold barbs
> 4tiger barbs
> 2 acei cichlids
> ...


In my opinion, a 20 gallon is way too small for silver tips or pictus. I'm not very familiar with silver tips, but pictus should be in a group of at least 3...and I wouldn't put them in anything smaller than 55 gallons. 

As a general rule (there are exceptions), I wouldn't rely on what the employees at the big box pet stores tell you about fish. I visit several on a weekly basis, and I'm repeatedly amazed at the amount of bad advice I overhear them giving customers. Just a couple weeks ago, I watched as an excited family spend hundreds of dollars (with guidance from an employee) on a complete 55 gallon setup. Then, they proceeded (with the approval of the employee) to purchase a good 20-30 fish...with the intention of immediately throwing them in the tank when they got home and set it up...without cycling it. I came very close to giving them my cell number and saying "give me a call when your fish start dying." 

Before purchasing ANY fish, make sure you know what their specific needs are. In most cases, 5-10 minutes on google will tell you more than the average pet store employee (again...there are exceptions).


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

couple of things i see wrong......i agree with maine...silvertips get too big for a 20...actually so do the pictus...
why put a conch shell in a tank with no shell dwellers ? bad idea i'm afraid....
i do believe that acei are rift lake cichlids..why are they in with barbs ? water parameter needs are different...
i would suggest you do a bit of research when you see a fish that you like before you buy it..will save you a considerable amount of grief and money..


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## ridler3d (Jun 19, 2012)

I forgot to mention I am currently cycling a 55 gal to transfer all of these little guys. so that isn't an issue.

Thx for the advice on having 3 or more pictus, I didn't think about that he might be freaking out because his buddy disappeared in the conch shell ha, (which I have in the tank because it looks really cool in my fish tank coffee table ) 

And from what I found on google Acei cichlids and tiger barbs mix okay...am I mistaken?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yep...mistaken you are....they are not good tankmates.....
but.....here is what i tell folks....
it is your tank..your money..your time ...your energy....you can put anything you want in it...together or apart...because in the end it all falls upon your shoulders....


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