Having no &*##) luck with my synodontis catfishes lately...

[FINWIN]

Gone to hell quick. I lose Rex from savage attack and injury, just when he was getting big. Now my latest Syno SPIKE is a goner after taking a flying leap out of QT overnight. How he did it I'll never know, there's a lid cover on the tank. Found him dried out like bacon right next to the QT tank. My new Choco cichlid was in there with him. I wonder...he was my most active syno and probably a hybrid based on pictures I've seen on site (angelicus / eupterus).

At least CASH is doing fine, my Eupterus. He's getting big. Still in a tub with CHIP the severum.

My doe eyed Chocolate looks like a juvie longfin tiger O and eats like one. VERY calm and comes right up for pellets. He just polished off about 10 large Hikari Gold. I have a few poor quality pics as the QT tank is in dimmer lighting for stress reduction. The pectorals on this guy are spectacular.

*sigh* may go back out to the LFS...they have loads of synos and upside down cats. There was a huge featherfin (8-9) inches I would have gotten but i went with the hybrid for variation. Their upside down cats have good size. I figure the stand should arrive by the time the new arrivals are out of QT.

I don't know if SPIKE had issues or not...he acted normal the two days after purchase, an active swimmer that explored the tank.

 

[FINWIN]

Here are some foggy pics of BOBO, my new Chocolate cichlid. He's about 7" TL and 4" SL. His coloring is rather dark right now, with some vague splotches of tan over the brown. I didn't use high lighting for better quality since it seemed to bother him a bit.

 

[Rocksor]

Chocolates can be territorial to other fish when you are not in front of the tank.

 

[FINWIN]

Chocolates can be territorial to other fish when you are not in front of the tank.

I wondered about that afterward. My understanding was that chocs are mild...altho the syno kept slithering over over him and 'whiskering'. That seems to piss off cichlids, I know it did in the main tank. Difference being the space and hide spots. I'll try one more...if it happens again I'll have my answer.

BOBO sure can eat, though. Cheez, he must be channeling his inner Oscar.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Synos are not known as jumpers and it is especially strange since there was a lid (no holes or cracks?). May be a fluke.

What happened to Rex?

 

[FINWIN]

Synos are not known as jumpers and it is especially strange since there was a lid (no holes or cracks?). May be a fluke.

What happened to Rex?

I've been thinking about the lid. There was a small opening in one corner but the top is metal mesh with a frame (for terrariums). Spike was a good size but I can't figure him having the strength to 'bust out' like that. He was laying right next to the tank.

Rex was another mystery. Due to the emergency of a failing stand the 225 was emptied. I put everyone in a bathtub until I could get totes the next day. The next night I found Rex stuffed into a sponge prefilter with only his tail out. I got him loose, barely alive. Eyes were white/bloody. He had a huge red gut wound, scrubbed off skin, fins tattered and his tail section was crooked/broken. His intestine was coming out his anus. He held on for two days but was blind and on his back.

I have no proof but only my Oscar could have inflicted that kind of damage. I THINK Rex was attacked, freaked out and stuffed himself into the sponge to get away. He was stuck so tight I almost had to cut the sponge to get him out. He was getting big, too about the size of a hot dog. The only other suspect would be Boss but he couldn't bite the back spine. He did bang the syno around when feeling pissy.

 

[Fishflyer]

I am sorry. I remember reading somewhere that BP and Oscars were (conditionally) compatible with Synodontis depending on fishes' temperament and comparable size.
There are some larger Synodontis species but probably prohibitively priced and given the sometimes aggressive behavior of your fish even a larger mild mannered fish might even be attacked due to territorialism.
I have seen some realistic looking shark toys. You might get one online and cruise it around the tank.

You probably know all fish develope different hiarchies with their unique personalities.
I have found alphas in even mild species species such as the smaller rasbora's and hachet fish.

 

[krichardson]

Dried out like bacon!....sorry for your losses,kind of reminds me of the dismal luck I have had with decorus synos.Theyve all just up and died on me after a few weeks of pampering them. The last one I tried just totally vanished!

 

[Fishflyer]

My apologies for the interruption. I don't know what happened there.
The alpha fish, even with some of my mild species like to keep the rest of their troop in line.

As to your aquarium base. Aquariums your size probably going with heavy metal. Gauge such as used for Olympic weights.

Two of my larger tanks are on solid wood (old oak) cabinets.