Synodontis Multipunctatus and Clown Loaches?

manoa · Post by **manoa** » 16 Jun 2004, 04:28

Hi. I have a 70+ gallon corner tank. From what I remember, I think the footprint area is a little bigger than the footprint for a standard 55-gallon. I am thinking of placing my 5 clown loaches and 4 synodontis multipunctatus in there. The loaches range from about 4" to about 2". The synodontis are about 1.5" to 2". Since both types of fish live on the bottom, I was wondering if they would get along. I will also be adding 5 frontosas that are currently about 1.5" to 2". The tank will have a sand bottom, some rock structures and a couple caves. Does anyone have experience with clown loaches and synodontis multipunctatus together? Any general comments on this setup? Thank you for any input.

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 16 Jun 2004, 10:42

aloha

I would strongly suggest that you dont place these species in one tank. If you check habitats for the Synos/Frontosas and compare to the requirements of the Botia youll see what i mean. Theres just no possible way of making a good compromise for both groups. For this reason you wont find a lot of serious fishkeepers that will have experiences with this combo.

manoa · Post by **manoa** » 16 Jun 2004, 12:32

Hi. Thanks for the reply. Do you mean the water parameters? All the fishes are living in the same water straight from the tap. Right now the synos and frontosas are in one tank and the clown loaches are in another tank. I do not add anything to the water so it seems that they are both acclimated to the same type of water. I am exploring options to free up a tank or two. Could you give me more details about the differing requirements that you speak of? I don't do anything special for either tank that the fishes are in now. Mahalo for the response.

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 16 Jun 2004, 13:22

Have you checked this? http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/mo ... t/95_f.php

paul_southend2k · Post by **paul_southend2k** » 19 Jun 2004, 19:19

I had two Synodontis cf. petricola`dwarf` with two clown loaches and they got along fine, i have takend the Synodontis out now into one of my other tanks but im still confused as to why the above Synodontis wouldnt get along with clown loaches!

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 19 Jun 2004, 23:24

im still confused as to why the above Synodontis wouldnt get along with clown loaches

Check the water parameters for the african rift lake and then compare them to a sumatranian River and youll know why they dont fit.

flyfish25 · Post by **flyfish25** » 20 Jun 2004, 02:45

It is easy to get caught up in tweaking your water to make it just right. A little malawi buffer here, a little tang buffer there, pH up, pH down, a few more dollars here and a few more dollars there. In the end, often you will find that tank raised fish will ofthen do just fine together.

If you have a healthy tank, give it a try. I have seen plenty of people with Malawi/Tangs tanks and very nice robust clown loaches. They will be fine with synos.

Graeme · Post by **Graeme** » 20 Jun 2004, 07:26

Personally i wouldn't mix them! Totally different needs! The word PH for starters and endings!

G.

manoa · Post by **manoa** » 20 Jun 2004, 10:44

Thanks for all the responses. I am aware that the native waters that the synodontis and clown loaches come from varies greatly. I know that the synodontis were bred and raised in aquariums here. The clown loaches have been living in one of my tanks for between 1.5 to 2.5 years. So don't you think that the water parameters would be a non-issue. I have never added anything to adjust the water in any of my tanks. I would assume they would be fine as long as neither type of fish is aggressive towards the other. Don't you think that is true? Any signs of aggression with my combination of fish? Thanks for all the input.

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 20 Jun 2004, 11:43

if you like both species, why not get a bunch of nice riverine Syno's?
then you'll be homefree with the waterparameters.

angelicus for example; of a size with the Clowns as well.

paul_southend2k · Post by **paul_southend2k** » 20 Jun 2004, 20:34

So don't you think that the water parameters would be a non-issue. I have never added anything to adjust the water in any of my tanks. I would assume they would be fine as long as neither type of fish is aggressive towards the other. Don't you think that is true? Any signs of aggression with my combination of fish? Thanks for all the input.

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I agree manoa all my fish have different water parameters but as they have been tank breed i dont see any reason as to why u cant mix different 'needs' of fish!

I cant see any reason for the Clown loach or Synodontis to be aggressive to each other so there is no reason u cant put them together, when i had mine together they actually played with each other..

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 21 Jun 2004, 03:03

The clown loaches have been living in one of my tanks for between 1.5 to 2.5 years.

Dont you think a couple of hundredthousand years in a river/lake matters more? Since the fish adapted to this in a looooong period of time in their habitats.

Imho if you make a nice tang tank, you dont "spoil" the look with asian loaches in there...