Catfish beaten up

[Bertie]

Yesterday I bought a synodontis ocellifer and already have a synodontis eupterus. I went to check on them today and the synodontis ocellifer was all beaten up and was barely moving. I put him in a different tank but he won't be able to stay in there for long, a couple days at most. Should I take him back or do you have any other suggestions. They were fighting over territories all day yesterday. There are many hiding places in the tank but the eupterus thought they were all his. Any suggestions?

 

[Gourami Swami]

When introducing a fish to a tank that a similar species has claimed as it's own, the best thing to do is change as much as possible about the layout. Complete re-scape is optimal, or at least changing the major landmarks/hiding places around. Even this may not be enough in some cases. What size tank is this, and what size are the fish?

 

[Bertie]

Its a 5' 80 gallon and when I introduced him I changed the whole scape, the catfish are adult size

 

[Gourami Swami]

I would say if you changed the whole scape in a 5' tank and your euruptus still beat this new guy so badly, that he has an alpha personality and will probably have to be the only synodontus (or similar-looking species) in the tank

 

[Bertie]

I think that the ocellifer will have to go, shame but I don't wanna get rid of the euruptus, he is one of my favoruites

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I have found synodontis are best in groups in large tanks or solo.
Two is a bad number.I would rehome one or have a group of a smaller species like nigriventis.