HELP WHAT IS HE

THEBOOS · Post by **THEBOOS** » 04 Apr 2007, 20:54

BOUGHT A SECOND HAND TANK WITH A NUMBER OF CATFISH
BUT I HAVENT GOT A CLUE WHAT HE IS HE HAS WHITE EYES [img]<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/ ... 280037.JPG'>
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Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 04 Apr 2007, 21:10

Does it look like these,

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 04 Apr 2007, 21:51

Whatever Syno it may be, it's not supposed to have white eyes. Either it's a very old specimen (perhaps you could check) or the eyes were "mechanically" damaged or it may even be infected by something. How does it behave?

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 04 Apr 2007, 22:13

Looks like a blind Synodontis eupterus to me.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 05 Apr 2007, 04:54

I saw an ink blot. Is there a catfish in the photo?

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 07 Apr 2007, 18:40

Yes, but at an awkward angle, and the photo is very big.
Here is a cleaned-up, scaled-down, and flipped version:
http://mikes-machine.mine.nu/temp/cat_n ... delete.jpg

(to the original poster: I'll remove this image in 48 hours, or immediately if you so request)

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 07 Apr 2007, 19:52

I see,says the blindman. Never would have guessed on my own. It does look blind or like my Heckel Discus eyes do when I take photos with my little viewfinder Digital and get bad flash bounce effects.
To look at most of my photos they would appear to be blind as well.

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 07 Apr 2007, 21:25

Well, there is no EXIF info in the picture, but my guess is that photo was taken without flash.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 07 Apr 2007, 22:01

I was only to mocking my own photography.
My results are not up to professional standards.
I only have an Olympus SP-320 which was $300 when I bought it.

I think that would only pay for about one third of the cost of a Nikon Macro.
My best friend specializes in portraiture of insects and has all Nikon equipment.
So when I really need good photos he brings his stuff over. He has the slaved flashes and special dual flashes that are detachable.
All of it is well outside my budget but it sure is nice to call upon him. He also keeps fish so he is used to photographing them.

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 08 Apr 2007, 00:18

Well... I have an Nikon D80 with a good macro lens and slave flash, and yes, that's pretty much an optimal set-up, and yes, it's expensive - I think it cost me $1800.
However, you can get pretty far with a compact camera provided it has a macro mode (and most do).

I still use my old Nikon Coolpix 4500 compact when I can't be bothered to lug my enormous & heavy D80 monster around, and the results are often acceptable:
http://mikes-machine.mine.nu/temp/pillbug_DSCN9597.jpg
http://mikes-machine.mine.nu/specimens/ ... CN4372.jpg

And I'm not at all a skilled photographer. The key is really to take lots of photos - a few will turn out good.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 08 Apr 2007, 02:31

Mike,
Good photos, especially like the pillbug.
I get a few good photos and I have and use the macro feature.
The problem I described is unique to the Heckels.
All other discus eyes look normal in my photos.
Heckels have dark eyes compared to other discus and reflect the flash like no other fish I have photographed.

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 08 Apr 2007, 18:30

Reflective retina isn't all that common in freshwater fish (I've seen it in a handful species, notably neon tetra), but is the norm among marine fish.
Presumably it's an adaptation to deep or (in the case of discus and neon tetra) murky water. I do not know if Synodontis has reflective retina.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 09 Apr 2007, 15:11

That is exactly what I think is going on with the Heckels, that is, I think the Heckel Discus have special adaptations including vision for the very blackwater they live in.
If I said this on the discus forum I would be deluged with reponses to the contrary, demanding proof and all manners of controversy over such a statement.. Apparently all discus keepers are experts.

Me, I just began with and started raising discus from wild fish in 1969. I have some theories is all.