27 Pictus catfish

[thebiggerthebetter]

I bought them a few months ago at about 2". A very cheerful and highly energetic gang, needless to say. They are roughly 3"-3.5" now living in one of the 240 gals. May be a bit nervous for the lack of better cover but eating very well and not hiding in available places anyway, except for one pictus, so I've not been compelled to add more cover.

IIRC from Gunpowder Aquatics, they have had the best priced pictus for a while now. I was told they mix together all arrivals at their site in South America, so this I assume must be a mix of both Peruvian and Colombian variety. The former has a better spot definition and grows a bit smaller than the latter.

...

Our first several pictus from back in 2010. 120 gal grow out with 60 other fish species:

 

[kno4te]

Nice clowder!

 

[Wailua Boy]

Nice footage, they do have some very cool behaviors.

 

[fishnatics]

Damn that's awesome! I think this is the most I've seen anyone keep them. As you know by now I love Pimelodus species. Thanks for sharing.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thanks, guys!

Nice clowder!

You show-off Made me look it up:

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/07/a-group-of-cats-is-called-a-clowder/

Today I found out that the correct term for referring to a group of cats is ‘clowder’. Interestingly, there are also two other valid ways to refer to a group of cats, other than just saying “group of cats” or “cats”. Those other two terms are ‘clutter’ and ‘glaring’.

In addition to this, if one wants to refer to a group of wild cats, the correct terms are ‘dowt’ and ‘destruction’. A male cat, when neutered, is called a “gib”, when not, is called a “tom”. Female cats are known as “molly”.

The word “cat” itself derives from the Old English “catt”. Catt has its source in the Late Latin “catus”, meaning: “domestic cat”. This Late Latin word probably derives from an Afro-Asiatic word: “kaddîska”, meaning “wild cat”.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Very interesting and rather unexpected (to me) observations by celebrist -

My eight behaved like that in my 90. As soon as I put them in the 450 (heavily scaped) they split up and claimed their own territory. Bummed me out since I bought them to be a squad cruising the bottom together

post #123 https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...500-gal-13x13x4-5.603969/page-13#post-7627536

How big were they? I wonder if they were adults.

 

[celebrist]

Very interesting and rather unexpected (to me) observations by celebrist -



post #123 https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...500-gal-13x13x4-5.603969/page-13#post-7627536

How big were they? I wonder if they were adults.

i had them in the 90 for a few months (4 i think) i bought them at about 2" and put them in the 450 at around 3". so i would say sub adult. they have been in the 450 for two or three years .

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Youngsters then. Has their behavior ever changed in the 450 gal?

I think it could be too much cover? Maybe there is a right balance of cover and tank mates that would make them school together or at least not fight.

When I see them, say a dozen or so, at LFS in a small planted tank they school together or at least actively explore on their own and do not fight each other. They also look far more relaxed than mine now. No darting, no scattering around, a lot less sudden quick moves.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

In my experience adults and Columbians school less,the Colombians also get bigger(biggest I've seen is 8 in),if there are more pictus or if the tank is bigger they r more likely to school it seems.

 

[spotfin]

I have 4 in my ray tank. They are 3.5-4" long and don't school. Each one has its own territory and they don't like to share.