Question: Synodontis Petricola in Community Tank

Mr. Namazu · Post by **Mr. Namazu** » 04 Aug 2005, 12:05

Hi. i have a synodontis petricola that's been in a community tank with several corydoras for about 3 months. For the first 2 months, my petricola seemed to be doing perfectly fine with the corys. However, recently i've noticed that my petricola started to attack and drive off the corys. Is there any particular reason why this is happening? I've already seperated my corys to another tank for safety. I'm wondering if my petricola is not suited for community tank other than their own kind?

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 05 Aug 2005, 11:11

I think he was too lonely for a long time.
this fish is a shoaler, and they can be quite playful, even nippy to each other.
Syno's are robust, so no problems there. Cory's however.....

not a good combo.
petricola's fare better in a Malawi- or Tanganyika-tank, they need the hard, alcalic water of such tanks.
although F-whatever isn't fussy and often adapts to community-tankwater, it's risky. but the best way anyway is to get a group of at least 5, then they'll tease and chase each other.

Mr. Namazu · Post by **Mr. Namazu** » 06 Aug 2005, 12:41

thanks for the suggestion!

stallion81 · Post by **stallion81** » 11 Aug 2005, 23:09

What size is the tank. IME Petricola are fine for a community if the tank is large enough. I donot beleive them to be true schoalers. With age they pretty much stay to themselves(unlike Multipunctatus). Possibly you have too many bottom feeders in a smaller tank? I also would not keep Cory's with Syno's(only USD's or Micro).

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » 12 Aug 2005, 00:42

We've got 7 dwarf Colas in our 100gal community and they stick to the same area as each oher (loose schoal) they love plaving in amongst the bogwood and i have not had any problems with cories... (3 panda and 4 Adolfi)

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 12 Aug 2005, 00:56

I donot beleive them to be true schoalers. With age they pretty much stay to themselves

Whatever you believe in, is a free choice.....

the FACTS however point at a shoaling fish wich keeps in a loose group and still keeps interacting with each other, regardless what age they are:

some observations made in about 6,5 year of observations, by watching Tanganyikan Syno's in several tanks for hours at each "session", and weeks or months on end (same animals):

-individuals of both sexes follow each other for hours on ends, even when not mating, this is counting individuals who are only a few weeks old and also animals who are at least 12 years in captivity and where imported as adults (!) and any animal in between.

-males often get more intolerant to each other with age, but try to "steal" females; there's a constant but mellow rivalry going on for the most gravid femalews and the best spawning spots. In a small tank the 'mellow' behaviour can disappear and fighting can get more fierce; sometimes the alpha male is the ONLY one who spawns and manages to keep ALL the other males from catching up and mating with a female. As a result: after several weeks of spawning, the alpha male looks "ragged" and the "beta" males look definitely more well-fed.

-on occasion an animal wanders alone for some time, but always returns to interacting with another one preferably of it's own species.
when kept with other species they are much more intolerant to the other species, or try to avoid it altogether if this other species is a belligerent territorial species (granulosus for example).
given the choice between polli, multipunctatus, "petricola sp Giant" and petricola's; they have a noticable preferrence to petricola's.
petricola and "petricola sp Giant" fight each other, but do not enjoy each others' company.
The only quite obvious example is "polli White"; the unnamed Zambian Synodontis-species wich comes from the same habitat in Zambia as the famous Synodontis cf "petricola dwarf".
interesting fact: Synodontis petricola from Burundi doesn't mingle much with this species, they tend to ignore it like they ignore multipunctatus or polli etc.
it's the 'dwarf' species that is caught together with "polli White" that often shows a remarkable tolerance; as a result, these two species do very well together, but groups should be present of both.

-"polli White" shows a more "proper" shoaling behaviour, like multipunctatus does.

-Synodontis polli has an even more 'loose structured' shoaling bond; however, this species too engages in gentle chasings and often find company of speciesmembers more preferable than other Synodontis-species.
polli and multipunctatus seem to have a "dislike" and can fight quite a bit!

stallion81 · Post by **stallion81** » 14 Aug 2005, 15:27

That statement was made IME,not just belief. My largest group of Colas was only 6 for about 1.5 years(55gal). I also stated "true" schoalers as they loosely schoal at times. I guess the statement was made in comparison to other "true" schoalers(ie Multis). When I first started keeping Synos I went to a local breeder for stock. He also dissagrees with the colas hangin out together. He has been keeping/breeding Colas/Multis for over 10 years. I guess its how you take the term "schoal". Now watching my 9 Multis+my 1 Granulosus, Thats what I call "schoaling". Sorry for not being more explanitory Sid.

Beersnob · Post by **Beersnob** » 16 Aug 2005, 02:23

I don't have a problem with the petricolas. I have them in with a 4 upside down cats, 2 longfinned Bristlenoses and my pride and joys - aspidoras (6).

I have plenty of vegetation and hiding areas including floating corkwood.

I may not have a biology degree, but it works for them..the tank is balanced in territory...no overly aggressive fish.

They're propagating so they must be happy.

Thanks,

Scott

caught1 · Post by **caught1** » 17 Aug 2005, 23:33

In my tanks to see the schoaling on a regular basis the group needs to have 10+ members.With less its a hit and miss thing and always some that are loaners,the large males will often bounce around the tank shaking head and moving everyone out of the way.