GlennC Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Hi all Just after ideas on what small catfish one can put in the African community tank. So, catfish of up to around 12 cm maximum for hard water. In particular, can the peppermints survive and breed in hard water? Are they any suitable L catfish? Cheers Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 IMHO Cockoo Catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus) look great in African tanks, and since they are from Lake Tanganyika they're ideally suited to the conditions. If you keep a group of them they may well be very active swimming all over the tank even in the day. We have Common Bristlenose living/breeding in our African tanks (to also help keep the algae down), I also know of at least one breeder here in Melbourne who keeps his Peppermint breeding colony in with African Cichlids - so while it may not be the ideal conditions for them - they can adapt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAL05T Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 No L series cat is "suitable" for hard water as such, the statement that they adapt is false, they do not adapt, they manage to survive and have shortened live spans from doing such. If you want a catfish that is SUITED to your water parameters look towards the synos as stated. If you keep an Albino BN is hard water for an extended period of time you will see the resulting dark patches that form, I have emailed some Loricariidae specialists from Europe and they believe it is effectivley a burning of the cells under the scales, along the lines of sun burn in us, from over exposure to harmful effects. Convicts cichlids will breed in a 3L milk bottle but it does not mean it is good for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennC Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 Thanks for the replies. I think I'll just stick with the common bristlenose and cuckoos that I already have. I did at one stage keep Costatus in my tank, but as they were hardly ever seen decided to remove them. Cheers Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link2Hell Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Glenn by African hard water what are the real water parameters in pH and hardness rather than a general statement I have kept Pepps in alkaline but low carbonate hardess just fine but not for breeding What Africans do you have in the tank Have you considered S.petricola a dwarf form of Synodontis similar to Multipunctatus or do you specifically what a Loricardae catfish for the tank Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennC Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 Hi Chris In the 30 gallon tank I have two cuckoos, as well as breeding pairs of Calvus, Brevis (Ikola sunspot), and Bristlenose. I just sold my pair of multis. I was thinking of replacing my bristlenose breeding pair for something more exotic and challenging. I'll probably try a paracyprichromis or julidochromis species (Transcriptus if I can get wild ones). On the otherhand, even considering something simple like a few electric yellows - only because they're really pretty and bring a lot of colour to the tank. Wish there was a Tanganykan equivalent. Cheers Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennC Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Should add that I would really liked to have kept an L numered catfish. Am very dissapointed. My KH is about 14 and GH around 26. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenomena Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Should add that I would really liked to have kept an L numered catfish. Am very dissapointed. My KH is about 14 and GH around 26. Try L204. L204 - Planet Catfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAL05T Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Should add that I would really liked to have kept an L numered catfish. Am very dissapointed. My KH is about 14 and GH around 26. Try L204. L204 - Planet Catfish Bloody expensive L if you can get a hold of them at all, also the harder water thing is often a seasonal occurence with flooding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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