The REAL bully?

[Never2Bknown]

I had four cichlids (a Powder Blue, Malawi Golden, Yellow Lab, and a Bumblebee) all in a twenty gallon. Because this will most definitely not be enough room once they are full grown (they are only about 2 1/2 inches now) I just put my two more mild-mannered cichlids into another twenty gallon along with three kuhli loaches, and, because he was getting bit up by my more aggressive cichlids (the Powder Blue and the Malawi Golden), my 3 inch synodontis catfish. Up until now, this catfish has been very placid and peaceful, and would never hurt anything worse than an algae tablet. Now, he's chasing around my Bumblebee and Yellow Lab all over the aquarium as if he was going chomp their tails off !!! Either this a weird catfish, or nobody ever told me that those synodontis cats could be so mean!!! What the heck is going on here, anyway?!!

 

[Nina7777]

yes they can be extremely agreesive and in such a small tank there is no place for the yellow lab to hide. By bumblebee what do you mean? if its an auratus then do not keep it with the yellow lab as it will kill it.

IMO you need at least a 40 gallon tank for those fish to live peacefully and comfortably.

 

[Never2Bknown]

NO, the bumblebee is not an Auratus, it is a Crabro...it gets chased sometimes by the yellow lab rather than the other way around.

Anyway...

I have to have a forty gallon for two cichlids that only get up to four inches? Last I heard, a twenty was good enough for two... (I hate conflicting info!!!) I might end up putting that Synodontis back with other two more aggressive cichlids if this keeps up. I knew that fish often behave differently in different surroundings, but I didn't expect him to change THAT much! Used to be I was worried about the catfish because he's already gotten half his dorsal fin chewed off in the other tank. I think he's starting to settle down a bit more as it is...keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Nina7777]

NO, the bumblebee is not an Auratus, it is a Crabro...it gets chased sometimes by the yellow lab rather than the other way around.

Anyway...

I have to have a forty gallon for two cichlids that only get up to four inches? Last I heard, a twenty was good enough for two... (I hate conflicting info!!!) I might end up putting that Synodontis back with other two more aggressive cichlids if this keeps up. I knew that fish often behave differently in different surroundings, but I didn't expect him to change THAT much! Used to be I was worried about the catfish because he's already gotten half his dorsal fin chewed off in the other tank. I think he's starting to settle down a bit more as it is...keep your fingers crossed!

you need at least a 30 gallon because they are mbuna's and they need different requirements. Plus it is not good to keep just 2. In mbuna aquariums it is better to overstock with better filtration rather than understock. This is due to aggression problems.

 

[ryan]

Which Synodontis species is it? How was it before you removed the fish? Are there plenty of caves and hiding places?

 

[semper fi]

welcome to the world of fish keeping. everyone's experience with fish is different.

mbuna are best kept in overstocked tanks to lower aggression. also, the majority of species are best kept in groups at a minimum of 4, 3 females per each male. some species can be sexed by color variations. unfortunately the ones you listed have no variations between the sexes. you would have to vent the fish to determine the sex.

pseudotropheus crabro, bumblebee cichlid, is best kept with the more aggressive of the cichlids. it could be that you have a juvienile p. crabro. i found this fish to be more on the wimpy side til it matured.

not being a smarty, but are you sure that you have a lab and not a color morph zebra? zebras do have a yellow morph and if so it is more aggressive than the labs, which are more peaceful fish. the zebra will be all yellow, while the lab will have a black stripe on the dorsal fin. the males have a thicker stripe while the females have a thinner stripe.

if you answer ryan questions, he can help you out with the catfish.

if you do have a yellow lab, they are best kept on their own or with less aggressive fish. in a 40 you could set up a nice community of mbuna. i would try to get groups of atleast 4, the more females the better, per species.

hth

 

[Never2Bknown]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

First four fish are two too many for a twenty gallon, than I need a forty gallon for two, and now two are not enough!!! Forgive me for becoming rather frustrated. And YES, it is a yellow lab and not a morph; it has the black stripe, I think its a male. All I know about the synodontis is that it's the type that doesn't swim upside-down (I also have three of those) and yes, there are tons of hiding spots. I just made them a new rock cave with aquarium sealant and pebbles the other day, and they're loving it.

As it is, I have three twenty gallons and one five gallon all stuffed into my bedroom (which is not large). Two of the twenties are for cichlids, the five is for my guppies, and the other twenty is occupied by two large and incredibly, mind-blowingly STUPID green frogs. I also have an unoccupied five for a quarantine tank.
I cannot afford a forty gallon; I'm having some financial trouble with two twenties as it is (I'm still high school here, I don't have a day job other than mowing lawns and baby-sitting); I need to have at least four cichlids to a tank. WHAT DO I DO?!! Am I just gonna have to get rid of them? I'm incredibly confused here. Please help.

 

[semper fi]

i am sorry that you feel so frustrated. it can be.

if the fish are okay the way that they are. leave well enough alone. understocking the tank is not bad. in the future you might want to increase the groups though. don't have to run out and buy more fish now.

if they are being aggressive, you can lower the temp of the tank slowly. i suggest about 2 degrees every three days. the lower temps lowers the metabolism of the fish which causes it to move about more slowly. target fish would also help. target fish are basically fish that give the others something to chase. put some plants in the tank. hunger is also a factor in aggression. who wants to chase after a fish on a full belly? plus plants will help out with nitrates. not suggesting you have a problem mind you.

can you post a pic of the catfish to help out to identify it?

 

[ryan]

There are quite a few other Synodontis species, is a picture possible for IDs as semper suggested.

 

[Never2Bknown]

Okay... WIll try. It might take me a while, though... The only camera to use is my mom's $400 digital, so I think I might just let her push the buttons. That way she won't be able to kill me if it breaks.

 

[Never2Bknown]

I'm workin' on it... She's gotta give in soon...
Maybe I can convince her to take the pictures?
I dunno.

But I'm working on it!!!