Central American catfish?

[DinoManDraves]

I have a 90 gallon right now. It will be running a 40 gallon sump with a trickle filter. When it's finished, it will hold-
1. 1 Pair, Firemouth cichlids
2. 1 pair, Nicaragua cichlids
3. 1 Cutter cichlid
4. 2 female Honduran Red Points
5. 6 Swordtails
6. 12 Diamond Tetras
7. 2 bristlenose plecos


I know I want to add another pleco, but I haven't decided which one yet.

Anyways, as you can see, all these fish are native to Central America (Not sure about the plecos though. The diamonds have a very limited range in CA too). I've tried all my books, all of the internet sources I could think of, and I asked other forums.

What would be a good candidate for this tank? I guess if I have to settle for SA catfish, would two Pictus catfish work well? I'm looking for something that doesn't hide all day (I realize that's a tough thing not to have with catfish, haha)

Thanks so much for your help.

[Silurus]

Your list doesn't actually consist of Central American fish. For instance, bristlenoses are not native to most of that part of the world (except far south in the Central American isthmus...plus you are unlikely to get any Central American bristlenoses easily available in the aquarium trade), nor are diamond tetras.

With the swordtails and tetras, it becomes difficult to add much in the way of CA cats, since the most common in this part of the world are species of

Rhamdia

, which will definitely consider smaller fish as meals.

It might be a better idea to forgo the whole idea of geographical restriction and add more plecos. Pictus cats might work, but you'd need more than two (at least 4–5), plus they're not such a great idea if you have small fish in the same tank.

[DinoManDraves]

Thanks for your help. Diamond tetras actually do have a population in Lake Nicaragua, so they are technically CA, but it's a very limited distribution.

I was aware of the plecos. It was just something I needed to violate.

I'll settle for some SA Catfish. At least there I have lots of options.

[kizno1]

I would be wary of what catfish you add because if all them pairs decide to breed you could have some real problems. Something like a

Megalechis thoracata

might be a good choose because the armour the fish shouldnt be able to do them any really harm before they swim off.

[Norman]

Hi,

Loricariid catfishes are spread on just 2 countries of middle america.
There are 3 species of loricariid catfish in Costa Rica (including a properbly undescribed Ancistrus species), and a plenty of different species in Panama.
But unfortunately by the lack of commercial exports from this region you wouldn't get a change buying any of this species. I think this will be the same with other catfish families.
So if you want to keep species from middle america, you have to go to Panama or even Costa Rica and try to catch them on your own.

best regards
Norman

[Bas Pels]

Norman is right - but I think he did not know Costa Rica has banned the export of life animals - unles they were bred in CR. Customs are said to look into this actively.

As breeding catfish is, still, not easily done, changes of ever receiving CR catfish will be very small indeed.

I don't know about Panama - as far as I know export has not been banned - but I could be wrong

[Shane]

Thanks for your help. Diamond tetras actually do have a population in Lake Nicaragua, so they are technically CA, but it's a very limited distribution.

Diamond tetras, Moenkhausia pittieri are restricted to three small basins in northern Venezuela, Lake Valencia basin, some tributaries of the Rio Tuy system, and the population I located in the Rio Guapo in 2000. If there are any in Lake Nicaragua they are not native.

I agree with HH (Silurus). The fish you have are from North, Central, and South America so you might as well not restrict your choices of catfishes and shoot for a nice community tank.

If you are really keen on a proper biotope setup, I would recommend a book like the beautiful "Freshwater Fish Biotopes in Mexico" http://www.freshwater-biotopes.org/webs ... .asp?pid=6
-Shane

[DinoManDraves]

Thanks guys. Yeah, some one on another forum thought he heard somewhere that diamond tetras had a population in Lake Nicaragua. He must have been mistaken.

I'll just do SA cats. Fortunately, there is plenty of species to pick from.

[sidguppy]

you got a number of conflicting cichlids in there...

first off: Firemouths are Mexican or at least only from the northern parts of Central America
they don't have the same requirements that fish from the southern parts (Panama, Nicaragua) have.

Cutter cichlid, I'll take this is Cryptoheros cutteri?
a lone cutteri can become a real terror to fish like the Kwi Kwi

if it's a male the chances are fairly large it can try to hybridise with the female Convicts (Honduran red = Amantitlania nigrofasciata aka Convict). there's another nasty fish that can and does harm Callichthyd catfish

Something like a Megalechis thoracata might be a good choose because the armour the fish shouldnt be able to do them any really harm before they swim off.

wrong

very very wrong

I have seen more dismantled and ripped up Callichthyds in Central American or Malawian cichlid tanks than any other catfish.
the reason is: they don't have the attitude!
the same goes for Doradids and Auchenipterids.

that armour is to protect it from large fish eating animals; large catfishes, birds, fish like the bigger Pike cichlids or Cichla etc.
it does NOT protect the fish from being ripped to shreds by notorious finpickers like Cryptoheros species.......

there is a reason that catdishes like Rhamdia, Synodontis, Ancistrus etc do much better than Kwi Kwi's or similar; they have the attitude and agility or the spiny armor to match the cichlids nasty tendencies to pick out eyes, tear up fins etc

a Hoplo in a Central American tank with Convicts and cutteri's doesn't stand a chance.

[Bas Pels]

you got a number of conflicting c*****ds in there...

first off: Firemouths are Mexican or at least only from the northern parts of Central America
they don't have the same requirements that fish from the southern parts (Panama, Nicaragua) have.

The facts are correct - where they come from - but I disagree with the conclusion: for both species of cich lids ~26 C would be perfect