# Cats and Plecs



## Dirt Diggler (Jun 26, 2013)

For a mbuna tank, which of the smaller cats and plecs have the smallest bio-footprint?


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## rift lake (Nov 8, 2012)

I have 2 pygmy synodontis, the stay around 3 in


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## Dirt Diggler (Jun 26, 2013)

rift lake said:


> I have 2 pygmy synodontis, the stay around 3 in


Low bioload?


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

The synodontis catfish are the most suitable for a Malawi tank with the pygmys having the lowest bioload.


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## graybot (Apr 24, 2011)

Synodontis petricola are beautiful and hardy. They have a leopard pattern and striking white whiskers and accents on their fins. I added 3 juvies (maybe 1" long) to my all-male mbuna tank about a year ago and they are now 3" and growing, never a single injury in a very aggressive tank. They do a great job at cleaning up extra food. Usually they hide in the rockwork, but they come out and join the frenzy at feeding time.


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## graybot (Apr 24, 2011)

In a mbuna tank you shouldn't have huge bio load concerns, as its essential to be very over-filtered in the first place. The petricolas reach about 4" total, so less bioload than any of your cichlids.


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## Dirt Diggler (Jun 26, 2013)

graybot said:


> In a mbuna tank you shouldn't have huge bio load concerns, as its essential to be very over-filtered in the first place. The petricolas reach about 4" total, so less bioload than any of your cichlids.


Awesome. Now I just gotta get some!


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