Cuckoo Catfish

[yabadaba]

Guys, I added 4 Synodontis multipunctatus to my mbuna tank yesterday and within a few minutes they all hid themselves away underneath the rocks. It's a 5 x 2 tank and now has 24 mbuna, plus the 4 synos. Most of the mbuna are around 1.5" and so are the Syno's.

Just a little concerned about making sure the Synos get any food as everything I put in the tank gets rushed almost immediately by the mbuna. This evening I fed the fish some frozen mysis and whilst they were still eating I tried target feeding the catfish by pushing a couple of algae wafers under the rocks where I know they are (I can shine a torch under there and see them ), but seconds later there emerged a cloud of sand as a mass of mbuna descended upon the wafers.

You think these syno's will be okay...surviving on scraps? Also, is it pretty normal for them to hide themselves away so much?

Here's the current stocking list:

Metriaclima estherae (Red/Blue Zebra) x3
Metriaclima callainos (Cobalt Zebra) x3
Labidochromis sp. “Perlmutt” x3
Labidochromis sp. “Hongi” x4
Labidochromis caeruleus (Yellow Lab) x4
Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty) x3
Melanochromis joanjohnsonae (Exasperatus) x4
Synodontis multipunctatus (Cuckoo) x4

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Yes, it's normal, so don't panic. Mine live with other syno species and the Malawi's are still the quickest to any food. I do two feeds into my Malawi tank 5 days a week. One early evening solely for the malawi's really and then a second aimed at the catfish when I'm shutting down the house for the night so they get complete peace and quiet and total dark. The evening feed is spirulina flake or/and pellet. The night feed is catfish pellets and algae wafers generally. I've used this methods for approx 4 years and not had any syno die from malnutrition.
Plus, give them time to settle. You've only just added them so they're bound to still be finding their way for a few days yet. I've known catfish or plecs to sulk indefinitely when moved.
P.