Hello all, I'm looking for some general care information on slender madtoms. I need some specifics on water conditions and what-not, which I have yet been able to find. I'm thinking about setting up an 80gal Missouri-River Biotope within the next few months; thus giving my mum's madtom a better home than her tropical community tank. He has to 'compete' with her small swam of Corydoras and clown plecos for bottom feeding rights...However he has learned to swim upside down at the surface to take flake food now

If anyone could tell me the preferred ph level of these fish, temperature range, full grown size, and if they are gregarious or not... I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a bundle in advance.

I've got a pair of these that are thriving with water that has a pH in the mid 8's. My water temperature is regularly in the low to mid 70's*F. They are very aggressive feeders and come out regularly during feeding time. When not feeding though, they prefer to hide under and around rocks that are situated in current. The rocks break the current, but they prefer those rocks in current to ones that are situated out of current. They are easily fed on pretty much anything they can fit in their mouths. Mine are eating flake food, shrimp pellets, frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and chopped up earthworms. They are both around 3" or so right now. The Inland Fishes of Mississippi states that they are usually less than 3.5" long full grown. Maximum size stretches between 5.5" and 6". Hope this helps.

-Nate

Edited by NateTessler13, 07 March 2008 - 03:09 PM.

Thanks mate, I appreciate it...Pretty much the same conditions I keep mine in, however my ph ranges from 7.4-7.9.