New to African Catfish Keeping. Any Tips/Basics?

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 09 Apr 2004, 00:05

Hello! I am new to African Catfish. I recently got a S. Multipunctatus and I already have the common variety S. Eupterus. I am thinking of moving to African Catfish since it is "off season" for Asian and South American (pl*co and pims) here in my country. There have been no new items coming in lately and the black lancer has not arrived.

Going back. I have been looking more and more at African Cats. Does anyone have notes or tips on how to keep them. Is hardness an absolute issue? I keep my Synos, so far, in a mixed tank with some pims, pl*cs and asians. Yes, the Eupterus is there as well. Will hardness present a problem with everyone? Recently I put in a large white rock with holes in them much like what I see in cichlid tanks. What are the effects on the fish?

Secondly, food. What do you suggest as food items? Will shrimp meat be beneficial for them, blood worms perhaps, regular food flakes? I have read that most, if not all, of them are omnivorous but in some South American fishes (particularly pl*cs), some will get bloated because of blocked digestive systems due to meaty food. Will these ever happen with synos?

Third, I am thinking of getting a decorus and an occilated (occelifer?) syno. Can they be housed together? WIll there be any problems?

Other tips? Thanks.

Regards,
Mike D.

Post by **Dinyar** » 09 Apr 2004, 07:07

Mike,

Welcome to African fish! An ancient proverb says that "the universe is contained in a grain of sand". If you get into African fish, you will find them just as interesting as fish from any other continent, including South America. There is of course much more to African fish than just Synodontis, but Synos are a good place to start.

In general, Synos are pretty hardy, easy to keep fish. They will tolerate more abuse in good spirits than many other genera of catfish. In retrospect, I think we were lucky to more or less accidentally start with Synos more than ten years ago, because they gave us the gratification and experience to stay with the hobby that we might not have found elsewhere. We still have many of the Synos we started with!

Synos are easy to feed. See the data accompanying some of the Syno entries in the Catelog. There are also several Synos described as Catfish of the Month, including S. multipunctatus.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that the Rift Lakes of East Africa, and Lake Tanganyika in particular, are not typical bodies of freshwater. In fact, they should be thought of as halfway between freshwater and marine habitats. Just as you would not keep marine fish with your L-numbers, it's not a good idea to keep Lake Tanganyika fish with riverine fish.

Since you have already gotten your feet (and hands) wet with one S. multipunctatus, you may want to get more of them and set them up in a separate tank. Even a 30 gal will do, although they will be more active in a larger tank. S. multipunctatus is really a schooling fish that does best in a group of >5. Moreover, the fish biodiversity of lakes like Tanganyika and Malawi surpasses that of entire continents like Europe and North America, so you will not lack for other fish to quickly fill a bigger tank up with.

Dinyar

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 09 Apr 2004, 11:01

I'll definitely second that!
Tanganyika is one heck of an addiction, and so far scientists are stumped, because it's incurable

Your future ocellifer will be fine with the eupterus, Plec's, Pims etc.

as Dinyar suggested: Tangs should be kept in a separate tank, and best lay off bogwood for such a tank, use rocks instead.

just a few namedroppings to wet your appetite for tanganyika:
Phyllonemus typus, Lophiobagrus cyclurus, Synodontis petricola & Synodontis polli. these four are easily kept and you don't need pondsized tanks to do so. Except for L cyclurus, best keep the others in small groups; they're social fish, like the multipunctatus you already got. All can be combined with multipunctatus.

For your riverine fishtank, don't just get Syno's (although they're fun). If you happen to stumble across Anaspidoglanis or Parauchenoglanis, get one. Unlike Syno's, best stick to one; they can be fiercely territorial to each other, but ignore other catfish.
Avoid the easily keepable Auchenoglanis, unless you dig a pond! wich IS a possibility in Manila; big Africans in a gardenpond would be fun.....smaller Clarias species would do great in that pond too, bigger ones do best on the dinnertable.

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 09 Apr 2004, 18:22

Sidguppy wrote:

...smaller Clarias species would do great in that pond too, bigger ones do best on the dinnertable.

I wouldn't recommend a Clarias species for ANY pond outside of an area where these fishes naturally occur in that they tend to "walk away" from the ponds they are placed in! Particularly in an area that they could colonize. IE: the Phillipines!

In fact, I am not sure I ever recommend alien species in an outdoor pond ANYWHERE that they could colonize. I understand certain rivers in the Phillipines already have problems with introduced exotic species, Hypostomus and Tilapia are two common names mentioned.

South Florida has had problems with introduced species that either walked out or were washed out of the commercial fish farms. Clarias in particular is a problem because they are predatory (albet opportunistically). Hypostomus, Tilapia and Astronotus (Oscars) are also present in Florida waterways.

Potentially, one individual Clarias released in a Semi-tropical area could have devastating affects on local fish species. More than one could well be a disaster.

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 10 Apr 2004, 08:16

Okay. Thanks. Those all seem to be fine answers. I shall start turning my old panaque tank into an African Biotope. I shall move my pl*cs into my current pseuda tank. Same goes as well to the silver dollars and the pim. Will also take out most of the pebbles and move in some sand slowly.

Next up. What types of African fish can be used for the biotope? I'd like to go Cichlids but do not know the types. I see them often and a lot of people are into them but I don't know squat about them. Any ideas on what I can house. The pretty colorful and the more common ones will probably do --- blue, yellow, white, black with stripes or spots. The blue one with the big forehead looks interesting but they grow too big I think. Any suggestions?

Next, I have read that there are riverine synos. Can any of what I have previously suggested be riverine fish? The reason I ask is because I have been used to currents in my set-ups with South American Cats. I have massive powerhead simulating river currents. Can I still use these or will I just use one to move oxgen into the tank instead (instead of on the lower levels of the tank, probably along the middle part)?

Thanks. I am looking forward to your great suggestions.

Regards,
Mike D.

ps. btw, tank is a 75gal.

Post by **Birger** » 10 Apr 2004, 22:35

Hi, do not breakdown your river system quite yet, check out the surf fish of the rift lakes or the Catfish and rheophilic cichlids of the Congo system or maybe the forest streams of West Africa, the possibilities are many, the hard part is choosing only one.

pnoy702 · Post by **pnoy702** » 11 Apr 2004, 21:39

I understand certain rivers in the Phillipines already have problems with introduced exotic species, Hypostomus and Tilapia are two common names mentioned.

Just a joke, even though invading species that could wipe out the natural species of a habitat is a serious matter, but here it goes. Being a Filipino, I don't think they would mind the invasion of the tilapia. They can just control it's population by just fishing it, haha.

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 12 Apr 2004, 05:20

Not funny!

Hypostomus is a BIG problem in the Phillipines in that culturally, the people won't eat them. The population is reported a so thick in certain rivers that it could support a commercial harvest if only they had a market to sell the fish to. This, in a country that among the impovershed, malnutrition from lack of protien is rampant!

I believe Shane has posted on the subject. I'll search back and try to find the posts.

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 12 Apr 2004, 16:35

I think I was the author of the original post at Speak Easy section of this forum. Actually, tilapia was easier to handle in terms of eating the fish itself. To go even further, we have had some problems with clarias as well. Not as bad as the common pl*c but we have it every so often when the catfish farms around the Pinatubo, area swell because of high water level from storms. Breeding the clarias and the tilapia are food industries here. At least, we do breed them to feed the populace. Unfortunately, as of now, there is nothing we can do about the common pl*c. It still isn't funny but it is oh so true.

Okay. We are way getting out of topic here. Anyone who can still give ideas as to possible tanganyikan tankmates? Are there riverine fish in Lake Tanganyikan? Any suggestions on that as well? Thanks.

Regards,
Mike D.

Post by **Dinyar** » 12 Apr 2004, 21:05

mokmu wrote:We are way getting out of topic here. Anyone who can still give ideas as to possible tanganyikan tankmates? Are there riverine fish in Lake Tanganyikan? Any suggestions on that as well? Thanks.

Some, such as Synodontis nigromaculatus and Malapterurus electricus (latter now split). Not sure I understand the purpose of your question, though.

Dinyar

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 12 Apr 2004, 23:22

Okay. I had asked what types of African fish can go into my tanganyikan biotope. I also have a tank that is still pl*co based with large powerheads to move water on the lower levels of the tank. Birger had replied not to break apart my powerheads and to check out some african riverine fish.

So I ask if for any other tanganyikan tankmate suggestion for my syno tank. Also I ask if there are tanganyikan riverine fish at all?

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 13 Apr 2004, 13:02

The whole idea about Tanganyika is, that it is a lake, not a river; hence the different fauna and biotopes.....

the very few fish that share both the lake and the surrounding rivers, are non-specialists.
usually those fish are big, less suitable for fishtanks anmd rarely imported.....

A few include Malapterurus spp (wich is a 1 fish tank-species, if there's ever one!);
Auchenoglanis occidentalis wich gets REALLY big (it's easy to keep, but will outgrow most tanks);
Heterobranchus longifilis, wich reaches 2 meters and dwarfs any other African catfish (AFAIK this is THE biggest African catfish);
a few of the larger Chrysichthys spp, wich are rare in the trade, and reach lengths between 1,5 - 3 feet too.

about the only riverine catfish that dwells the lake too that stays "small", is the already mentioned Synodontis nigromaculatus.
It reaches about 7-9" in length, and it's an extremely territorial fish, one of the most agressive Syno's, comparable to angelicus, schall, obesus and filamentosus. And nigro's aren't that common in the trade either.

I strongly suggest you go either riverine or Tanganyika, NOT both......

As NON catfish (species that are both Tanganyikan and non endemic), the problem of "not getting imported" and "too big" is even worse; Polypterus ornatipinnis might very well be the only suitable fish from there that dwells in both lake (surrounding swamps, not truly the lake) and rivers, and gets imported as well. It's a very nice looking Bichir, and one of the smallest, only about 1'2", or 35 cm or so....

others include several Barbus species that get really huge (2-3 feet), one tiny killi that stays very small (Aplocheilichthys pumilus, 4 cm), a few quite rare characins, Labeo variegatus (a fierce algae eater that reaches 8-10") and the biggest and most dangerous characin on earth: the Goliath Tigerfish; Hydrocynus goliath.

do not handfeed me.....

Post by **Rusty** » 13 Apr 2004, 13:18

As for characin with the most impressive set of teath, Hydrolycus would have to take the cake:

But I digress...

Rusty

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 13 Apr 2004, 16:45

Thanks Sid! Finally I understand. I have been confused about the whole tanganyikan lake issue. Hence the questions. I kept on asking since I do know that the lake in question was in fact a lake and not a river. Since I did not know anything about the african lakes I got confused with one post about the lake having riverine fish. I shall move my rapids set up for the time being. Thanks again.

Regards,
Mike D.

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 13 Apr 2004, 18:33

It's just to avoid a truckload of nasty difficulties.....

keeping Tanganyikan catfishes is simple, especially the smaller species.
the same goes for many mediumsmall riverine cats, be they asian/African?SouthAmerican.

the problems come calling when you try all at the same time in one tank.....and I've been there, tried it, doesn't work.
My cousin (who is more stubborn, headstrong and impulsive than me; YES that's possible...) tried much bolder combi's and hence I know that for example:
Gagata doesn't do well in a warm 27'C set up with lots of bogwood, Ompok, Dorads, Hoplo's etc.
Lophiobagrus cyclurus doesn't like to be in a 75G with a ton of wood, Auchenipterids and peat in the substrate
Tatia/Centromochlus and Glyptothorax make bad tankmates; despite their easygoing manner, temperature requirements are too different
Despite what David Sands says in his tetra-pressbooks (see booksection on this site), neither Synodontis petricola nor S multipunctatus like soft, yellow water....
South American (and many Asian or West African too) catfishes definitely get creamed in a Rifttank...

*

etc

*you really don't want to see another Hoplo, Cory, Dorad, Giraffenose, Auchenipterid or Pangasius dying in a Malawi-tank; fins ripped off, skin breeding, whiskers destroyed, eyes picked out....you'll get the picture.

Post by **Dinyar** » 13 Apr 2004, 19:23

Rusty wrote:As for characin with the most impressive set of teath, Hydrolycus would have to take the cake:
Rusty

I've heard of milkfish, but I didn't know fish have teaths! (That's definitely one meaty, beaty, big and bouncy beast you have there.)

Dinyar