Synodontis eupterus - is he acting normal

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 11 Nov 2003, 22:15

I have read a lot of different info on the Synodontis eupterus. I have had one now for about 4 weeks. He is about 3 inches long at this point.

He is extremely shy during the day. He likes to hide in a rock formation and is typically upside down or vertical with his mouth on the rocks but he doesn't really move much during the day.

He does come to the bottom and swim around at night though to eat.

Will he ever get comfortable enough to come out with the lights on? I think they are quite impressive and would love to see him swimming around, rather than just sitting there upside down all day.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 11 Nov 2003, 22:37

This is typical behaviour, try feeding in the middle of the day to get it more accustomed.
the more hiding places the better but mine still hides 90% of the time.

Evan · Post by **Evan** » 12 Nov 2003, 05:28

mine to I wish they were just a little friendlier.

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 12 Nov 2003, 12:23

depends on tanksize, but they get a LOT more boisterous and less shy if you add another two or three; they're social creatures.

Rich2408 · Post by **Rich2408** » 12 Nov 2003, 12:42

I agree it's best to keep these at least in a trio. I have 3 in my 4' Rift Valley tank. Naturally they will frequent the caves, to get mine out I fed lightly even starved for a couple of days (does not seem to affect them, probably because they will get any cichlid eggs or fry in the tank).
Then drop some live food in. Try and get them used to daytime feeding by feeding sparingly and at a regular set time.

barbara · Post by **barbara** » 13 Nov 2003, 01:43

my eupterus also spends most of the day hanging in various places and positions...deep into the vals is where he usually hangs out, despite a few passageways and a rock corner that i built for him/her.

I was able, as the previous person mentioned, to get him to accept frozen food from my hand when i was regular in time, and he was under a ledge that i had built. sadly, the tank got a bit busy with some fry that were growing and he no longer will go to that spot (despite the tank being very lightly populated now). Also it has become almost impossible for me to get frozen food to him. He is quite large...7-8" now is my guess, and not very fat...in fact i'd say slender. I am dropping lots of pellets in for him at night and i hope he gets them but tropicals...who says they don't eat at night!!!

I suspect he has been eating fry/eggs and snails as well as whatever left over food or pellets he can find but i sure would like to be able to give him frozen again...he just could gobble it up! I'm hoping to rid the tank of all tropicals soon and add one more eupterus as there is one at the local petstore. With the two of them and plenty of hiding spots, they should be able to be fed better and pehaps become more outgoing.

Mine did move from spot to spot and still does turn around (changing position) and so on during the day but most of that seems to be in an effort to avoid any commotion that might be going on in the tank.