for my 75 gal tank i will have a warmouth and i want a bullhead cat, I have narrowed it down between 3 species

snail bullhead (Ameiurus brunneus)
flat bullhead (Ameiurus platycephalus)
spotted bullhead (Ameiurus serracanthus)

I have a source for snail and flat bullheads but i think that the spotted bullhead does not grow as large which makes it more attractive to me for this tank, if i can get my hands on one.

from what i have read:

all these bullheads top out at about 10" - 11"
they are not picky as to what they eat (pellets, worms, crickets, shrimp, Gambusia, etc.)
their needs as to water are typical ( will adjust to declorinated tap water)
they are moderatly aggressive (eat anything that will fit in their mouth, but typicaly
non-harrasing)
they do root at gravel and eat plants
fairly active fish

I have never kept a bullhead before and I do not want to get one and find out that my set up will not work because of some unforseen reason. I am sure that some of you have had 1st hand experence with one if not all of these species, and would appreciate insight to my above deductions.

tank specs:
75 gal
eheim 2028 canister filter
air stone (surface adjutation keeps that "skin" from forming)
pea gravel substrate
low light (55 watt fixture)
non-planted - (i will have some floating plants)
drift wood and rock structures in tank (anchored to ceramic tiles under gravel)
non-heated (68-76) F (depending on the season)

fish:
Warmouth
Bullhead


thanks guys

I have to say, if you can get it, I'd go with the spotted. I don't know where you will get them though. I think they have some type of protection status in FL, but I could be mistaken. We looked for them once when we were down in their range and never saw one.

I have had the flat bullheads and spotted bullheads in the past. I actually had a pair of flat bullheads spawn in a 150 with other fish and was unable to get the eggs before they were eaten. Anyways I would say as long as the bullhead and warmouth were similar sized you should be fine. You probably could put a couple bullheads in a 75 as long as you have multiple hiding places. After they spawned once and the female became plump again I moved them to a 55 with a single pvc pipe and the male killed the female the first night. So I learned the hard way they each need their own hiding place. In this 150 there were actually 4 bullheads living together just fine but they each had their own place to hide and always returned to "their own spot" not one of the others homes. This was the 2 flats one spotted and a much larger yellow bullhead. There were also several other fish and including a warmouth in the tank. I beleive a friend of mine still has the male flat bullhead, so it has been captive since it was 1" and it would now be about 6 years old and last I saw it it was about 10". Here is a pic of him and the spotted which unfortunately jumped out of a 40 gallon tank shortly after I graduated college and it had to move or be left at the school. It too seemed to be done growing after about 3 years and was around 8". I can tell you I caught the spotted along with about 20 others that I didn't keep fishing at night at the suwannee river state park in northern florida in march.




hmmm I don't know if they are protected but I can tell you the guy fishing next to me would certainly have been in trouble if they were he kept a whole bunch of them on a stringer I think they were dinner, the largest one he caught was about 10 or 11".

Get one of each!

I did not find much info on FL spotted bullhead regulations. Gathering them with a seine may be illegal, depending on how they define "catfish".

well this is only a 75 gal tank and i would think that a full grown warmouth (10-11") and a bullhead (10-11") would pretty much max out the bio-capasity of that tank.

gona start work on the stand next weekend.

I have a rock bass, warmouth and a flat bullhead in my 75 gallon.

One thing you want to have is a 'hiding place' for your bullhead or bullheads.

well this is only a 75 gal tank and i would think that a full grown warmouth (10-11") and a bullhead (10-11") would pretty much max out the bio-capasity of that tank.

gona start work on the stand next weekend.

I would suspect that you can put a couple of more fish in there. You probably will not get maximum growth in an aquarium, and you will need to spread the agression out. (I am assuming the warmouth will be "king of the tank".)

yeah,

I am probably going to stick a shadow bass in there, and perhaps 2-3 common shiners, if they become lunch so be it.

I like the spotted. Stays smaller than the rest of the bullheads and plus he is cool looking.

spotted is my 1st choice, if i can get one.