S. Acanthomias

Satu · Post by **Satu** » 23 Apr 2003, 11:20

Hi!
Any experience of Synodontis Acanthomias? I found only one discussion which related to this fish (from this forum), and there isÂ´nt much information in the web. IÂ´m going to have one of these giants and the present owner said, that fish is now about four years old, 30 cmÂ´s long and quite calm. Lives now with corydoras and some other syno. I have a 600 l. tank, and other fishes are much smaller than this Syno ( coryÂ´s are the smallest ones in my aquarium). So, what do you think? Some say itÂ´s a monster, some say itÂ´s ok with others. Any suggestions which Syno goes with this one? I have heard, that it should look different than Acanthomias.
-Satu

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 23 Apr 2003, 11:54

S. longirostris is the only other one I know of that gets that big, but it probably looks too similar. How about a group of three or four S. notatus? Or a big shoal of S. eupterus?

This way, if the acanthomias does prove aggressive it won't be able to single out any particular fish for harassment.

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Apr 2003, 12:28

A 600-liter tank sounds a little cramped (especially when you add other fish in there) for S. acanthomias, when you consider that it will reach about 60 cm TL when full grown.
The only reports I could find for S. acanthomias indicate that it is aggressive, but these are almost certainly based on a different species of Synodontis. The real S. acanthomias (doesn't look at all similar to S. longirostris) should not look anything like the photo in the Aqualog Photo Atlas.

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 30 Apr 2003, 13:47

Is the one in the Cat-eLog correctly identified? It seems to be the same as the one in Axelrod's Atlas.

SynoPetri · Post by **SynoPetri** » 30 Apr 2003, 13:49

Is this a real S. acanthomias?

What tanksize would, to your opinion, be enough for S. acanthomias?

Post by **Silurus** » 30 Apr 2003, 14:18

None of the pics (Cat-eLog, Burgess Atals, Georg's pic) show the real acanthomias, which is brown (and not gray) in color and has a very slender caudal peduncle. The most striking feature of S. acanthomias are the large spikes at the end of the humeral process, which makes the fish look like it has odontodes.
I think the fish would only be comfortable in tanks upwards of 1000 liters.

Post by **Dinyar** » 30 Apr 2003, 16:56

On what are you basing your descriptions of "the real acanthomias", Silurus? And what then are the species of the pix referred to (Aqualog, Catelog, Georg's, plus Baensch, etc.)?

Dinyar

Post by **Silurus** » 30 Apr 2003, 17:00

On what are you basing your descriptions of "the real acanthomias", Silurus?

The original and subsequent descriptions (and illustrations) by Boulenger.

And what then are the species of the pix referred to (Aqualog, Catelog, Georg's, plus Baensch, etc.)?

I mentioned in an earlier thread I believed these were S. courteti.

Post by **Dinyar** » 30 Apr 2003, 19:23

Silurus wrote: The original and subsequent descriptions (and illustrations) by Boulenger.

Who never ever saw a live specimen, right? And only a small handful of dead ones. And who, like all ichthyologists, made his share of mistakes.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm a bit skeptical about using text and drawings of dead fish by Boulenger to ID live aquarium fish.

Can you point to any recent photos that you believe ARE the "true" S. acanthomias?

Dinyar

Post by **Silurus** » 30 Apr 2003, 19:28

Don't have a pic, but Tom saw one in an LFS not too long ago right here in Michigan (see his post in this forum about spiky synos). Maybe he can enlighten us with a pic.
Besides, the Boulenger pictures look nothing at all like the fish in Aqualog, Burgess and Baensch et al.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » 30 Apr 2003, 20:21

Sorry no pics- don't have digital or scanner(Hell barely know how to use keyboard!). The lfs is anchorbayaquarium.com in New Baltimore, MI. The fish is gray not brown. The fish doesn't have that long low profile I've seen in young acanthomias.But now I'm confused on what is acanthomias. I also realize that maybe older ones get stockier. I have Poll's book but I can't read French. Does anyone know the French word for gray? I think brune is French for brown.

Post by **Silurus** » 30 Apr 2003, 20:25

The French for gray is gris.
Is the fish as heavily spotted as the pics in the Cat-eLog and the books mentioned? My recollection is that the real acanthomias isn't.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » 30 Apr 2003, 20:41

This fish has only a few patches of faded spots. It looks like this fish was spotted when it was younger but the spots gradually faded with age. This animal has to be 15+ years old.Gray(gris) is not mentioned anywhere in Poll's color description. But now, since the line drawing is Boulenger's and not Poll's, I'm wondering if the color description is Boulenger's as well.

Post by **Silurus** » 30 Apr 2003, 21:10

Boulenger gives the color as "greyish or brownish above, uniform or with small round blackish spots, yellowish white underneath". It seems that he had only seen preserved material of this fish.