Synodontis Eupterus.....

[keastclan]

Hi, 
I recently agreed to take a Synodontis eupterus (I think that's what it is) 6yrs old,  off a friend as they were getting rid of their fish tank. 
I have 2 questions for you. 
My neon tetras have been disappearing.... even though I was assured that it wouldn't eat them. Do you think it could be eating them??
The other thing is do you know of anyone who could take it off my hands?
 
Thanks
Julie

 

[Reeferbro]

It is possible that it could be eating them. Mine never attacked my tetras or rasboras but it dead eat any fish that were sick and dying. Maybe your neons have a disease and he is eating them when they starting getting sick? What are you feeding him and what size is tha aquarium?

 

[keastclan]

My aquarium is 180 litres, he is about 7 inches long and 6 years old according to the people getting rid of him. The neons have been happy for ages and have shown no signs of illness or disease at all. I have been putting a pinch of pellet food in after the lights are out just as I go to bed. 
Just been feeling despondent, I have had no problems at all before and all my water readings are perfect, I only took him on as a favour and now I feel stuck with him. Just want rid now...

 

[biggerfish]

sadly this is a very common thing with them, while they are mainly scavengers, as with all catfish they will eat anything, and i mean anything that fits in their mouth so if he is 7 inches long then there's a very good chance he is eating them.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

A lot of synos will opportunistically eat small fish and I would definitely put a S. euptera in that pigeon hole. Small Synodontis (nigriventris; contracta; robertsi; congica etc.) and Microsynodontis spp. are model citizens in community tanks.
 
A typical dimensioned 180l (upto 100cm long) is on the small size for a euptera, this one still has some more growing to do in theory and a 120cm+/240l tank would be preferable. Like most synos they are inactive by day, but at night they will make full use of the tank, my biggest syno (a ~22cm SL notata) zooms around the 6-footer once it thinks I have retired for the night.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I have to agree with the above. I have a Syno of about the same size and found my neons slowly disappearing, mainly overnight. Synos are quite active at night when the other fish are resting so its quite easy for them to snack on a tetra or two. 
 
The other problem you have is that not many people will take them on due to the size they get to, plus their noctural habits. I rarely see mine during the day as he's out at night when the lights are off and you can't really see him!
 
You could try your LFS who might take it off you, mine have a tank full of large fish they have on display, but they're under no obligation to do so, plus they'll have difficulty re-homing a fish like that too.