"Rich Conley" wrote in message
...


I usually keep only 1 Pictus at a time, because of their eventual
size.
I currently have 2 in a 120g with cichlids. Initially they did not
tolerate each other's company graciously, but have now grown more
tolerant. IME, Pictus are solitary catfish, and are at the extreme
of
what I'd call an aquarium-suitable fish. One IMHO would be plenty
for a
75g, 3 would be 'two' much ;~)

NetMax

Have you heard something I havent...I thought 4.5" was max size for
them....

There is some variation in size reports, (though not as bad as ID sharks
;~). Pictus can get larger than the usual 4 to 5" often mentioned.
Perhaps the difference is whether it's the Peruvian or the Columbian
sub-species. I take web info with some scepticism, but here is a
sampling I found.

4.3"
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Spec...&genusname=Pim
elodus&speciesname=pictus
4.3"
http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles...melodus+pictus

4.8" http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...lodu/276_f.htm

5" http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/pictus.htm

6"
http://www.aquariacentral.com/specie...efault&ID=0134
&view_records=1

8-9"
http://species.fishindex.com/species...pictus_catfish.
html

10" http://www.users.bigpond.com/rjeb/pictus.html

I have a couple which are 4" and 4.5" now, and they haven't given any
indication that their very rapid growth rate will be slowing anytime
soon. They are in a 120g cichlid tank so they are *cough* well fed.
Previously I've had Pictus (then the were Angelica Pimoladella) in
smaller tanks, and they typically reached about 3-3.5", so ymmv.

NetMax