synodontis and mbunas

[rrcoolj]

Hey guy, I wan't to add synos for my 55 gallon mbuna tank but I don't want Synodontis multipunctatus or Synodontis petricola because they are way to pricey!!! I was wondering if I could add Synodontis nigrita A.K.A the lace catfish. WOuld this be ok? I plan to have 15-18 mbunas.

I also wanted to know If I should add one before or after the mbunas?

 

[TheFanatic]

Hey guy, I wan't to add synos for my 55 gallon mbuna tank but I don't want Synodontis multipunctatus or Synodontis petricola because they are way to pricey!!! I was wondering if I could add Synodontis nigrita A.K.A the lace catfish. WOuld this be ok? I plan to have 15-18 mbunas.

I also wanted to know If I should add one before or after the mbunas?

Should be just fine. And it won't matter when you add them. Synos are pretty tough.

There are lots of other synos that are not to pricy besides this one. Multipunks and Angelicus are real spendy but Petricolor aren't all that bad that I have seen. What about Flavitnateus, Brichardi, Decorus, Eupterus, Alberti etc?

 

[gomezladdams]

I have 2 eupterus in my 125g mbuna tank. really good looking cats
2 nigrita in the 65g with the saulosi, shy but pretty cats
the 8 petricola share a 75g tank with the baby mpimbwe fronts, super active cats never stop moving.

 

[Ash]

I would think it should be ok, dont see why it would be a problem. I had mine with them before I got rid of my mbuna tank. I have one in my 150 with a mix of tang's and two peacocks and they get along =]

 

[ikevi]

They will live. Wont be as happy as if they were in other tanks. Fins will be nipped, they likely wont get as much food as they want since the mbuna really do try to get it all. But they work. (Mine ended up hiding a ton more till I moved him with my discus, now he "hides" in plain sight at least.)

 

[TheFanatic]

They will live. Wont be as happy as if they were in other tanks. Fins will be nipped, they likely wont get as much food as they want since the mbuna really do try to get it all. But they work. (Mine ended up hiding a ton more till I moved him with my discus, now he "hides" in plain sight at least.)

I disagree. They will not just "live" they will thrive....

 

[rrcoolj]

yeah I herd syos are pretty tough...but wan't sure that's why I asked

 

[ikevi]

That is fine if you disagree. I am just stating My experience with Synodontis in two different mature mbuna tank. In other words their whiskers were always half there full size, there fins never grew out and there stomach was never plump unless I overfed the tank like mad. (I didn't take really any pictures of them while they were in the tanks since they were so scitish plus they didn't look that great.)

But this is one when I had plumped him up.

Notice the dorsal fin is suppose to be much longer, and his whiskers are small compared to what they should be...

And then after I put him in with my Discus you can see at least what his whiskers should have been like.

And here is just when his dorsal fin started growing back. (Now it reaches all the way to his tail.)

So did he live in a tank with mbuna. Yes, two different ones for over a year in total. Is he a much happier fish now. You bet. Other people have other stories. But honestly I just keep mbuna with mbunas now.

 

[rrcoolj]

that's cool. It would make sense he would be happier with much nicer fish.

 

[TheFanatic]

I've had different experience with Synos and Mbuna...