Syno. eupterus - my experience's

Saratoga · Post by **Saratoga** » 17 Oct 2007, 11:42

Hello Everyone......
Ive always been a huge catfish fan from day 1.
Every single one of them.
Syno. bugatti was my first eye opening encounter by coincidence more than choice, it came with a tank purchase.... but not till years later I really got into them... and again now in the past 6-7yrs.
Syno. eupterus has been avail here in Aust for a while now but is not on the legal import list.
I got thesehttp://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/fi ... erfins.jpg little fella's prolly 5-6yrs ago. The largest male is closer to 13inch's apposed to the claimed 9-10inch max size. (not in pic, sorry).
These fish are an amazing schoal of 14 fish, 5M + 9F.
Like most of their family they are non parental egg scatterers.
My observations have found that the female (when ripe) chooses a male, who then quickly takes control of the whole schoal even if he is not the Alfa male during non-breeding.
The 1st time I noticed 2 fish hanging at one end with the male chasing everything away... huge tinfoil barbs included.
(In hindsight & over time experience)...On average the courtship may have lasted 3-4 days before...... One night I was awoken @3.30am by the nightmareish sounds of crashing glass.. "An intruder" was my 1st thought... then 30 secs later when consciousness was closer it happened again and I knew it was fish tank lids being rattled. My 1st spawn of Syno. eupterus was being devoured before my eyes in a shark feeding frenzie.... this continued for 2hrs till dawn.
WOW I thought.
Now when ripe & male selected... I remove them to private quarters where Ive since made a special grate that suspends 3inchs above the bottom of my breeding tank, eggs are non-boyant and fall to the bottom, though they are semi adherant and some remain on side glass walls. Parents are removed after spawning ( it has taken upto 6days after being moved but usually within 3days).
One single 8-9inch super ripe female has produced 2000 eggs, give or take a couple score.
These fish are very much a social interacting fish, amoungst them selves that is.
An absolutely magnificent species.

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 17 Oct 2007, 13:55

Welcome to Planet catfish

Wow, that's really interesting- have you thought about trying to capture in photos or a video?

Saratoga · Post by **Saratoga** » 17 Oct 2007, 14:29

I havnt had a camera for years and pic are from a barrowed dodgy 35mm. Fish have been in a community tank for 1yr now so.. no unfortunately.
I have recently moved a couple times then purchased a house and now fish room plans are underway.
These are close to top of the list again.
A decent camera is on the list as well

Post by **Birger** » 18 Oct 2007, 00:40

it has taken upto 6days after being moved but usually within 3days).

Is this the time it takes for the eggs to hatch or for the fish to spawn?
Also you don't say if you are able to raise the young or not?

Good job... by the way

owi · Post by **owi** » 18 Oct 2007, 02:47

congratulation...
even if the egg not hatch it is quite achievement...
and if the egg hatch and you got 2000 new syno.eupterus that would be fantastic

(but disaster for your budget-this gluttony ^%@%#!

)
I only have 5 so far so maybe ill buy some more...

btw, did the gravel in aqua importance for them to lay egg ? so far my synodontish aquarium is totally clear based (just wood) so if it laid eggs I could cleary see... should I add gravel to my aqua too ?
thx in advance

your jealous friend

Saratoga · Post by **Saratoga** » 18 Oct 2007, 08:59

All 14 parents are housed in a 6x2x2 community tank, 4000 litre/hour powerhead driven under gravel filter... then the ripe female and her choosen male are moved into a bare bottom breeding tank with sponge filter & suspended grate, it has taken between 3 - 6 days for them to settle down again and then spawn.
Yes, I have raised 4 spawns in past 2 1/2yrs. Ive sold them to wholesalers @3.5cm, total sold from 4 spawns approx 3000 fish.
I have rarely owned a camera, like mobile phones - I break or loose them... so I never bothered replacing the last one and as I have Parkinsons I never get good pics anyway. **I now hear echo's of "Get a tripod"**

I promise to get a camera on the next spawning!
EDIT: Egg incubation time is very short @25-26 degrees celcius, 48-56 hours only. I have not tried at higher or lower temps.

owi · Post by **owi** » 21 Oct 2007, 04:02

ooohhh... shifu....

how big ur house if ur aqua 6x2m ?

how do you know which syno to move to breeding aqua ?

how do you capture syno from such huge aqua ?

and it seems syno dont eat their eggs ?

sorry for so many question

Alan · Post by **Alan** » 21 Oct 2007, 11:34

owi wrote:how big ur house if ur aqua 6x2m ?

It's more likely to be 6 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet (1.83m x 61cm x 61cm) than metres, I would have thought!

Smilingpiranha · Post by **Smilingpiranha** » 01 Nov 2007, 20:47

I would also say its a 6ftx2ftx2ft
and as the starter mentioned he/she...
moves the pair to a seperate tank with a grate, so the eggs fall through and can't be eaten

tomr · Post by **tomr** » 03 Nov 2007, 18:08

I have been considering using this grate technique to get more abundant S. multipuntatus yeilds.does anyone know if it will work?

Saratoga · Post by **Saratoga** » 15 Nov 2007, 10:08

Your multi's are breeding without a host?

Syno_Eupterus. · Post by **Syno_Eupterus.** » 15 Nov 2007, 19:43

So it's a 180 gal...Bit bigger then mine are living in. I'm using a 150 gal.