synspillum tank mates

rtague

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Hi all, setting up 125g tank with a synspillum pair, how many other large fish could I do, suggestions would be great ,filtration will be eheim 2262+ ac 110.
 

jaws7777

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Im gonna say none but lets see what others say. I think the two sysns are gonna fill out that 125 plus if they pair up you could have issues.... hahaha i gave up trying to do cichlid communities
 

xraycer

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Im gonna say none but lets see what others say. I think the two sysns are gonna fill out that 125 plus if they pair up you could have issues.... hahaha i gave up trying to do cichlid communities
+1. A 125 will actually be a bit cramped for a pair of synspilum only.
 

duanes

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I agree with the xraycer and jaws.
In nature synspillum/melanurum share waters with large shoals of Astyanax tetras, and live bearers such as swordtails and gambusia.
You may find your tank may be less chaotic and look quite interesting if your pair of cichlids were amidst shoals of smaller non-cichlid fish.
Although these are not syns, this video was taken only a few miles north of their natural waters.
At the 3 minute mark you really get to see the combination of cichlids with shoals of smaller fish.
 
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cichlidfish

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I agree with the xraycer and jaws.
In nature synspillum/melanurum share waters with large shoals of Astyanax tetras, and live bearers such as swordtails and gambusia.
You may find your tank may be less chaotic and look quite interesting if your pair of cichlids were amidst shoals of smaller non-cichlid fish.
Although these are not syns, this video was taken only a few miles north of their natural waters.
At the 3 minute mark you really get to see the combination of cichlids with shoals of smaller fish.
I agree. I nice school would look great. Syns are more vegetarian in diet, and may ignore any smaller fish. Plus they aren't exactly the fastest and if well fed they should leave anything else alone.
 

rtague

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Thank you for replies, and video duanes..That's pretty much what I was thinking.Is there a particular schooling fish you would recommend?.
 

duanes

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I prefer any of the larger natural colored swordtails, such as Xiphophorus mayae, or helleri.
Adults are too large and fast to be eaten (not that the synspillum are piscavores, but
just about any fish will take an easy protein snack).
And also prefer natural color, because it does not distract from the cichlids.
Here are X mayae


Astyanax tetras can be very nippy, and aggressive in all but the largest tanks.
 

cichlidfish

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I prefer any of the larger natural colored swordtails, such as Xiphophorus mayae, or helleri.
Adults are too large and fast to be eaten (not that the synspillum are piscavores, but
just about any fish will take an easy protein snack).
And also prefer natural color, because it does not distract from the cichlids.
Here are X mayae


Astyanax tetras can be very nippy, and aggressive in all but the largest tanks.
Really nice swordtails Duane. I have a 13" syn w/ my astyanax teras and they do nip at him, but nothing bad. One thing is never add small young cichlids with the tetras because they will get eaten. Astyanax tetras will attack a weak fish much in the way pirranah will.
 
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