JOE GREENWOOD
TROPICAL
I'm planning an African themed setup with Congo tetras as the main fish. The tank is 120x45x45cm. I wondered if you could recommend a Synodontis catfish species I might be able to keep in this set-up and also one of the African gourami species? It has two internal filters and is furnished with Anubias and Bolbitis with a fine gravel substrate and rocks. Any advice would be welcome. How many Congos should I get and what sort of sex ratio is best?
BOB REPLIES: Congo tetras, Phenacogrammus interruptus, are beautiful fish, well worthy of a tank with them as the centrepiece. I would get a group of 12, with a mixture perhaps of eight males to four females. You need a mix of sexes to see the best colours and displays among males. The problem with this is that most fish are sold as dull, juveniles which are impossible to sex and if you're unlucky—as I have been in the past—you can end up with a tank full of females. More mature fish are sometimes available with the males’ tails giving them away.
With regards to Synodontis, then there are plenty to choose from, but they can be difficult to source as they've fallen somewhat out of fashion, possibly due to the large number of hybrids that have flooded the market. If you can find them, then the pyjama catfish, Synodontis flavitaeniatus, is a great choice, and unlikely to be mixed up with hybrids. As their common name
