Synodontis Ocellifer

[§tudz]

Hi,

I have a Synodontis Ocellifer (as some of you already know ) but I'm not sure its eating, I have been putting King British Catfish pellets in the tank, and they have been disappearing, but there is a tiger barb, a clown loach and a birchir with him. SO I'm not sure if they are eating them when the light goes out, the fish is around 4-5" how much should I be feeding it? as its belly looks rather flat? and I have seen pictures of them and they should be bulging slightly?

What do you people feed yours?

Thanks

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

The Ocellifer like a meaty diet. Offer bloodworm if you can. Also some are just very fussy about what catfish pellets you use. My Angelicus will refuse anything but the JCB make. Most will take any but if he/she is new try to find out what they were fed beforehand and try them with that. But I have to see a syno that will refuse bloodworm! Either live or frozen will do.
Also make sure he/she feels secure. If you're not seeing him/her eat it may just be she/he only comes out at night so ensure you feed just before lights out. Has he/she got enough hiding spots? Synos love alot of hiding places even if they then only use one favourite one. I've also found that they are out alot more when they have the company of other synos (there are exceptions to this, such as the Angelicus). Once a pecking order is sorted they will sit together and play together. Obviously, again, there are exceptions to this so it cannot be guaranteed.
Best of luck with him/her.
Hugs,
P.

 

[§tudz]

Cool thanks, I have tried freeze dried, whihc the bichir takes, but its isn't interested in them, I don't have the facilities to keep live bloodworm, and not sure my mum with take kindly to forzen in the freezer.

I have been feeding my bichir with the feeze dried bloodworm, and prawns, he wolfs it all down, even over eating slighty on the prawns lol.
After he had his fill yesterday I left a few in the tank over night, but the syno' didn't eat them.
These are the first big-ish fish I've ever kept, so I'm not sure how much to feed it, as you said it prob feeds at night, how will I know how much is enough, its not like other catfish and fish which are diurnal, as you can see when they have eaten enough, and remove the excess. I guess that it is a guess game, just dont want the poor thing to starve he is prob the best looking fish I have, next to my clown loaches

I might get some frozen BM and just not tell the parents, just hid them in the bag with the prawns,
B)

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

No he won't like freeze dried. Mine won't eat that either. Live goes down a treat if you can get hold of some. And if you only buy enough for one feeding then your Mother can't get mad at you leaving red wriggly things in her house. Frozen bw is usually sold in smallish packs and wouldn't take up much room at all. Less then an ice tray even. I defrost mine by taking out as much as I need, putting it in a cup or similar and leaving it to thaw in the tank hood under the lights. The heat from the lights thaws it nicely over a few hours or less depending on the lights intensity. Mine also eat mussel sometimes and will eat sheeled peas too. They're actually rather popular with some synos. I'm guessing he may not like that as much due to his type and preferences.
It is all a bit of pot luck. So long as he isn't thin or starving then he must be eating. It can take a while to get to know what your fish do and don't like and what is and isn't good for them.
Hugs,
P.

 

[§tudz]

ok thanks, I've been looking for frozen mussels or a JAR of mussel in bryne, but they only seem to be in tins for bryne, and vinegar for Jars, and I can't find frosen ones lol. I will have to take a trip to the not-so-lfs at the end of the month and get some frozen ones I think.

you say thaw under the light of the tank, would it be a bad thing to thaw them with warm water? as thats how ?I thaw the prawns?