Your experience with pictus catfish

[AtomicSunfish]

I've read that pictus catfish, which get to be around 6 inches long, need to live in big schools (6+) and a big tank (75g or more). What has been your experience with keeping them, and what are good tank mates for them?

[mynameisnobody]

I’ve always like them but have never kept them. I’d imagine they’d do best with fast moving fish. They will probably be too much for more sedate species. A 75 with a school of 6-8 would look incredible and you’d get the most natural behaviors. 

[Biotope Biologist]

They are ACTIVE. Like non stop curious fish they do well with larger boisterous fish but you can also keep them as a species only tank.

 

Greedy eaters they really really enjoy live foods but will take to catfish pellets just fine. And lastly despite their active nature they are more respectful to live plants than other catfish species so you can provide a jungle scape with lots of logs and/or rocks to explore. 
 

Also also you cannot catch them with nets their fins are like razor blades and will death roll when captured. Not ideal I use plastic cups.

[Beach Cruiser]

IME, they have deceptively large mouths & will not hesitate to snack on tankmates in the dark hours.  If i were to keep them again, it would be only with big, tough company. 

[T. Payne]

In my experience they are a fish that never stops moving. Large species of rainbows would be a good choice for tank mates.

[Chris]

They do best with large, fast moving tankmates. Preferably ones that swim in open water, not near surfaces like the cats do. 

I've had good success with keeping them in large tanks with giant Danios and larger barb species. Very active, unlikely to be stressed by the constant movement, and too big to swallow.