Can I put a Pictus Catfish in my South American Cichlid tank?

[Quantrill]

I am rearranging my tanks and everyone fits nicely in the new arrangements except a 4" Pictus Catfish. I have seen them in with cichlids before but I am not sure if they are a good match. Current stock is: 2 Oscars, 2 Dempseys, 2 Convicts, 1 Blue Acara and 1 Green Terror. Tank Size will be 220 (waiting for it to arrive).

Thanks

 

[cichla & saratogas]

Are all the other fish in the same size range?

 

[Quantrill]

Oscars are between 6-6.5", Dempseys are 4" the rest come in at around 3". But obviously, they are still growing.

 

[tlindsey]

Oscars are between 6-6.5", Dempseys are 4" the rest come in at around 3". But obviously, they are still growing.

You have both CA and SA Cichlids.

 

[Quantrill]

Yes there are both South and Central American Cichlids in the tank.

 

[Gourami Swami]

It's hit or miss, the Oscars will eventually be big enough to eat a full grown pictus if they really wanted to ,though most of the time they are too lazy and slow to catch a pictus. I kept pictus with a big Oscar for a while and had no problems, until the pictus was eaten by a Senegal bichir barely larger than itself (bichir choked, both died).
If it's easy to avoid, I'd avoid it. If you have nowhere for the pictus to go, it could probably work, but would always be a slight risk.

 

[CichlidMASTER_]

I personally have a pictus catfish in a tank with texas cichlid,choclate cichlid,green terror and jaguar cichlid they have lived in harmony for 4 years there is no problem with keeping these fish together

 

[Quantrill]

It's hit or miss, the Oscars will eventually be big enough to eat a full grown pictus if they really wanted to ,though most of the time they are too lazy and slow to catch a pictus. I kept pictus with a big Oscar for a while and had no problems, until the pictus was eaten by a Senegal bichir barely larger than itself (bichir choked, both died).

That is funny and kinda ironic as the other option for the Catfish is a 55-gallon tank that currently has three Senegal bichirs in it

I have a 29-gallon community tank that I think will be a bit crowded with him in it once he hits full size but after reading your post I think it might be the best overall option.

 

[Backfromthedead]

based on my experiences i would not recommend adding pictus to an oscar tank. every time i tried the pictus would be eaten or constantly being chased around. the last time i had a 7" oscar eat all 5 of my 4" pictus within a week.

 

[Jdreal21]

not sure about pictus but my 4 lined pim(almost the same thing) was fine he was actually quite aggressive chasing fish twice his size from his area at about 5-6 iches