Free - Fully grown Synodontis Eupterus - Pick Up Only, 34479

[naputnam]

Hello there I am new to this forum...I primarily post on Aquaria Central under the username platytudes.

I have decided it's time to rehome my Synodontis eupterus. He has lived his whole life (I've had him for 6 years, since he was 2") in a 55 gallon tank and I feel he has outgrown it, however I don't have room for a bigger aquarium at this time.

He has always been babied, fed a well balanced diet - from Hikari to Ken's fish and Omega One sinking pellets to live blackworms and frozen bloodworms - and kept with peaceful fish. As a result, he has always been extremely mild mannered and perfectly peaceful, even allowing me to pick him up with my hand when it was time to break down his tank for moving or a teardown. He has coexisted with fish as small as rummnynose tetras and cherry barbs and never bothered them - which I know is not the norm for this species at all. The only fish who ever ruffled his feathers was a bristlenose pleco, who was interested in the same caves and driftwood crevices as he was. He is currently living in a community tank with tiger barbs, swordtails, tetras and danios.

I would love to have this fellow find a wonderful new home, someone who would feed him well and not keep him with aggressive fish. I haven't been able to take a good shot of him, which is why I don't have a picture posted, but first I'd like to see if there is any interest in such a common (relatively speaking) catfish.

Please let me know if you live in Central Florida (I live in Ocala) and you'd be interested in giving a 6" Synodontis eupterus a tank to stay in! Thank you so much.

Nicole Putnam

[Viktor Jarikov]

Hi Nicole, beautiful post. I'd be happy to put him in one of my 240 gal and you'd be able to always come to visit him. For donating him, I'd give you a free visit or a couple (I am opening a Public Aquarium in Naples, FL in March).

The problem is that I pass through/near Ocala only occasionally. Maybe once in several months. Not sure if you can wait that long and with such uncertainty. So, if you find a nice new home for him locally, please, go ahead with your adoption then.

Alternatively, I visit Tampa/St Pete once a month. Just was there yesterday. That's closer. Or perhaps you take/plan to take a trip south and can swing by my place.

Best wishes!

Viktor

[naputnam]

Thanks, Viktor! Wow, a 240 gallon tank would be a huge upgrade. I bet he would think he was back in the wild

I had considered shipping him, but figured it would be difficult with the cold weather upon us...and since he is so large, I don't know if his [feather]fins would get damaged in shipping. I wonder if I got oxygen from my LFS and used Ammo-Lock to ship, if he would be ok? Walmart sells cheap handwarmers, I bet for such a short trip they would work as heat packs.

If no one else replies, I'd be happy to look into it...Priority Mail should work as express for a 4 hour distance, I think.

Thanks so much for your reply, especially considering I am a first time poster here!

Nicole

[Viktor Jarikov]

6" TL (total length I presume) is not large by my standards. I've received plenty of foot-long, robust-bodied fishes before by mail. The problem is the sharp spines.

I do not think it is worth your money to ship a fish that'd be ~$25 as a trade-in in an average US LFS (an LFS would give you ~$8 for him) but if you are so inclined, it is quite doable and done every day.

The weather is perfect for sending him now - not too hot and not cold. It can get cold on an airplane any season of the year. I'd just use a small styrofoam box/cooler.

If his fins get damaged, they will grow back. Yes, oxygen+Ammo-Lock+heavy-duty, doubled bags should work fine. I've never used handwarmers, so I do not know what temp they would cause - you can do a dry run - use perhaps 1/2 gal of his tank water, double bag, put in the cooler and stick the handwarmer in there - check the temp every 12 h.

With oxygen, not air, he should be ok in that bag for up to 48 h.

I do not think my reply would differ in any case. But you are one of the most pleasant newbies that have come here. So, welcome.

[lucretius]

Hi Victor

Wow 12" eupterus. I only got mine up to 7" in over 10 years.
Please show us pictures of your monster foot long Synodontis eupterus

[Viktor Jarikov]

Hi Lucretius, if my memory serves, I said they can get up to a foot TL but the biggest I've ever seen was ~11" TL and my personal biggest one was ~10". I lost all 7 euptera in my move to FL, sorry to say.