S.Nigriventris and S.Contractus are unhappy, what can I do better?

[Phoenix.L]

I was sold a mix of both of these species at me LFS, I did notice the differences and questioned them but they brought their “fresh water expert” over and he talked me into it. Once I had them home out of the dim store lighting it was quite obvious that although my order had been for 6 S.Nigriventris what they actually sold me was 4 (said that was all they could get) fish total 3 of which are obviously S.Contractus.
The issue is that these fish are clearly unhappy, they hide all the time only coming out in the dark to quickly grab some food. They are currently about 2” and being housed in a 30 gallon with a handful of pygmy corys and 3 African algae eating gobys. The Ph is maintained around 6, temperature 77. I built some rock caves and there is a lot of driftwood of varying sizes and types, as well as some Amazon swords, guppy grass, and various floating plants.
What can I do better? Do they need a bigger school? Will the two different species school together if I grab a couple more of each and move to a bigger tank to accommodate, or would I have to attempt to trade one kind back to have a single species? Would some kind of small dither fish help? Try and increase the current? Plant grass? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Jools]

The fish don't sound unhappy. With these species, if they're happy you won't see them much unless in large shoals. They will come out for food and the rest of the time they will hide. You've done well finding 3 S. contractus - there are usually only a few found per 100 of the other species.

Feel free to post some pics if you'd like a second opinion on the IDs.

HTH,

Jools


PS

Synodontis nigriventris

and

Synodontis contractus

are the current correct names/spellings.

[sturiosoma]

With my experience with Synodontis is they're a cool looking, slow moving fish that you don't get to see to often, you could try removing some of the hiding spots

Jeanne

[Phoenix.L]

So if I had like 8 total would it matter that they are mixed species? I have looked around and it doesn’t seem like I can get more contractus anywhere, which tracks with what you just told me about them being less common. I will try to get pictures so you can confirm. I had originally put it up for debate on a different catfish page and that was the consensus, but I definitely like to hear your opinion also. I can order 2 more of the true upside-downs that are available now which would give me a total of 6 with 3 of each, I just wasn’t sure if they would be happy with that and school together or if I would need to have 6 of each type (which would involve getting another tank). Would 6 total be comfortable if I were to add them to a planted 55 gallon tank with some dwarf rainbow fish, cherry barbs and smudge spot corys? I have always kept plecos and corys but these are my first synodontis catfish and I want to make sure I am giving them what they like.

Thanks for the heads up on the spelling, the first one was a typo but the second one I was actually remembering incorrectly….. I am a terrible speller

[dw1305]

Hi all,

With my experience with Synodontis is they're a cool looking, slow moving fish that you don't get to see to often, you could try removing some of the hiding spots.

I'd go the other way, give them some more cover, even if you don't see them very often you'll know their happy.

Cheers Darrel

[Dave Rinaldo]

Love to see a pic of your S. contractus.

[naturalart]

I agree with dw1305, I would darken the tank overall, create some darker open areas with plants or plastic plants if you not good with real plants. I would maybe get a school of relatively calm dither fish. My 2¢

[piggy4]

Some great advice here especially about adding more cover rather than taking some away ! as for being able to see them as said you need well placed cover where they don't feel vulnerable but are visible to you, I've got a group of around 15 Aterrimus and a couple of Nigriventris and they are hiders , but I have a long piece of Beech wood which they like to hide under and occasionally they'll swim on top of it , My Aterrimus were purchased as Nigriventris and there was one among the whole group and I was given another so now I have 2 Nigriventris ! but along with the Aterrimus they prefer the shade of the wood or the security offered by some flat smooth pebbles , I mostly leave the light off which helps them to feel safer ! I think when people have Nigriventris in a group I think they probably mean a substantial one of say 25 or more specimens ?

[sturiosoma]

I don't feel your synos are unhappy just nocturnal by nature I have posted pics of my syno tank petricola,lucipinnis

top pic is broad daylight and no synos, second pic is night and synos, 3rd. pic is night and there's a petricola juvy swimming with one of the adults, they spawned without my knowing, if your looking for activity you could try guppies for dithers that's what I use, inexpensive to start a colony ,hardy, and very prolific providing an endless supply of live food, and also some non-hiding cories such as shultzi black, sychri-cool fish, cw049, anenus, duplicarius, adolfi, or knaccki, or even some glass cats this way you will always have activity and something to look at and enjoy when your synos are not out, and you may even consider dimming the lights on your tank

[Phoenix.L]

So to post an update I now have a school of 10 individuals in a heavily planted tank with some pygmy corys, habros, and Phoenix rasbora and they must like it because now I see them frequently swimming around in groups of 3 or 4. I will be upgrading the whole group to a 60 breeder in a few weeks and I am sure they will be pleased with that as well.
I would still like to get a few more, the more I get the more I see them during the day. They do hang around in pretty large schools in the wild so that makes sense.
Does anyone know where I could obtain some of the zebra kutu variant nigriventris? I have been looking for awhile and been unable to find anyone selling them.

[Phoenix.L]

Love to see a pic of your S. contractus.

As requested.
Took a minute, they do not care for having their picture taken.
Edit: I accidentally uploaded the wrong picture here. This fish is a nigriventris. Next picture is contractus.

[Phoenix.L]

When I was replying to the other post I remembered that I meant to come back here and correct my error in uploading the wrong picture last time. That was the picture next to the one I wanted, and was a nigriventris.
This one is contractus, with those adorably huge eyes.