Featherfin Catfish Help?

[wthursdayy]

I'm brand new to this forum.
I need a little help and advice for a featherfin catfish. First of all, I didn't personally buy him myself.. So I had no idea what he was. A family member had him in a ten gallon that they didn't keep very well. So, I "saved" him I guess you could say. He was tiny when I first added him to my tank, but he's huge now. Yesterday, I finally figured out what he was.
He enjoys living in my 46 gallon as he pretty much has the place to himself other than a group of small tetras and a pleco. He's not shy at all.
He does chase the pleco around a bit when he thinks I'm not looking.
Can anyone give advice on caring for and the best food for him? If I added more tetras, would he potentially eat them?
I've researched a bit about him, but I'd like help from someone who has experience.
Thanks.

 

[Sophie]

Mine was a pain in the backside. In my 260L he terrorized everything, was just like a kid with ADHD. Far from what I wanted in a "peaceful community environment". He ate everything from flake to bloodworm to algae pellets and yes, constantly fought with my full grown male Bristlenose over the 'prime' hiding spot even when he was added after the BN and when there were plenty more caves for him!
 
I guess they're a bit like marmite, love them or hate them!

 

[KirkyArcher]

I bought two about 8 months back both were exactly the same size at the time but one of them grew incredibly fast being almost 3" longer than the other, although he was "big" he wasn't aggressive in any way at all, he was just clumsy and boisterous and knocked a few fish about at feeding time, I gave him to a LFS who have kept him in the shop display tank, the other Featherfin is quite timid and peaceful   

 

[ali12345]

Mine were kept in a tank with cardinals and no problems. Not sure if it was because they grew up with them though.

 

[greenmumma141]

My Mum has one in her 6ft tank. He's huge, but very lazy and doesn't do much, and seems to be very peaceful.  He's well fed with Hikari sinking pellets. Here's a bit of info: http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/spotsynodontus.php

 

[crash274]

Mine is close to 10" at 7 years old, Anything smaller then 2" is food to him. He'll eat anything but loves shrimp pellets, blackworms, alge wafers. I know to worry about stunted growth and stress with larger fish, but really he doesn't stop growing even in the 29gal. Give them a hiding spot, like the fake log I have, and they're happy. He tried to eat one of my clown loaches once, got a pierced lip from its gill knifes and never messed with them again.
 
My opinion: Best all around beginner preditor fish, can't kill em if you tried. Their unique markings and fins are beautiful. Once up to size nothing will mess with them more then once, like oscars or other highly aggresive fish. My brother got his twin in a 150gal with oscars and other preditors and they are the same size.

 

[Agent14]

Oh my god I love mine too! He is in my 72g with Mbuna cichlids. I got all the cichlids pretty young(all at about 1inch) and This is the best addition and maybe the only non cichlid I could put in that tank. I know they can be aggressive in nature but thats why I like him... He doesn't let the mean as hell Mbunas bully him and he doesn't bother them. I have actually noticed my feather fin on multiple occasions stop a territory battle between my two most dominant males in the tank. He slapped them in the face with his tail.. when that didn't work a swift turn around and jolt towards them and the fight was over. Love love love that pretty feather fin.
 
Honestly mine eats any and everything I put in my tank. Cichlid pellets both herbivore and omnivore ones. Even munches on their zucchini .. loves the prawns I give my haps. 

 

[greenmumma141]

Does everyone else's hang vertically and upside down and sideways too I've found my mum's in some pretty weird positions lol  They're pretty cool fish

 

[crash274]

Yeah, they do that...lol
 
The "swim up-side down feeding off the top" trick is memorizing to me too...

 

[jimmyjam923]

They are very entertaining when they come out. I quite often leave the tank lights off and just room lights on and mine will come out and swim all around. When hes real hungry he will come out with the lights on even. Mine is oretty aggressive and is clearly the tank boss, goes where he wants when he wants.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk