Synodontis eupterus and the planted tank

[substratesifter]

First: many thanks for your beautiful database! You are the site that helped me identify my beloved catfish a few years ago when I took them in and had no idea what I was dealing with.

So, a few years ago, I read a description of the Featherfin Squeaker claiming that they "like plants and would never harm them." Half of that statement is certainly true!

I have two of these lovely fish and a single Pimelodus blochii housed together in a 180 gallon tank. Ordinarily, I would not have chosen this scenario, but they all came to me a few years ago housed in said tank with far too many other (highly inappropriate and later redistributed) fish. The male squeaker is good friends with Mr. Pimelodus. They like to share a cave and play chase. So...now I have a huge tank with three large catfish in it. Happily, they are active and social.

I am a firm believer in planted tanks. Accordingly, I've tried various plants in the 180 over time. Despite the Amazonian interloper, I wanted to do an African theme for my beloved squeakers. So I gave them some crinum calamistratum, bolbitis heudelotii, anubias, and nymphaea zenkerii to enjoy. Things started off well, but the crinum kept coming unrooted (which it hates). At first, I thought the fish were just bowling it over in their usual bumbling adventures. Then I discovered they were actively chewing the tips off it. Then they started severing the lovely lily pads the nymphaea zenkerii had produced. Then they started in on the anubias. The bolbitis disappeared altogether.

Currently, the 180 gallon is down to three scraggly anubias plants and some water lettuce they chewed most of the roots away from. This is only made possible by me feeding red lettuce to the monsters once a day in addition to their usual pellets and algae wafers. They charmingly tear it out of my hands when I offer it at the surface.

Now I have a small plant hospital tank staffed by Amano shrimp. It houses the remains of the crinum and the lilies. They are recovering well, but I suspect they will be eaten almost immediately if they return to the squeaker zone.

Does anyone else keep squeakers that view all plants as salad? I love my upside-down friends, but I'd like to provide an environment with all the benefits plants provide...and perhaps maintain some plants that don't have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome to the Planet! Great first post. Sorry I can't help you because I don't keep plants in my tanks but I've heard every tank differs and what you are observing with your eupterus is probably not ubiquitous.

I also wonder (on very little grounds) if something is lacking in their diet that they go so earnestly for your plants. It is known that when synodontis, especially known for eupterus, don't get enough green in their diet, they develop lateral line erosion and other related illnesses.

Although I've never given my eupterus any veggies. They seem to be content with catfish farm pellets and every now and then they may take thawed bait fish, cut in small pieces.

[substratesifter]

Thank you for your response!

I, too, have wondered at times whether they're trying to compensate for something dietary. I do feed them a pretty mixed diet of sinking pellets intended for catfish and loaches (which I also keep, elsewhere), algae wafers, and fresh/frozen vegetables. They particularly love peas and lettuce (watching them chase peas through the tank is hilarious). Occasionally they get frozen bloodworms.

I've certainly never seen any health issues, although I have read about lateral line erosion (largely on this site, I think!). Every now and then, one of the two will suffer minor white scratches after they get particularly rambunctious around the driftwood, but the marks always disappear within a few days.

So...hmm. Perhaps they're just naughty? Or bored?

[Peixes]

Mine eats cucumber, but anubias and microsorum are safe.
When in quarentine, he chewed a water hyacinth!

I will try to give him peas and lettuce.

[substratesifter]

Many months later, I thought you might be amused to see what the solution to my problem was. Basically, I stopped weighting down some of my more buoyant driftwood pieces, and the two Squeakers immediately took to hanging underneath the floating wood and thereafter left the plants alone. I do occasionally throw duckweed in because they like it as a snack, but they are no longer sawing off bits of larger plants, and I have a massive lily flourishing in there now. I'm so glad I finally understood what they were trying to tell me. ;)

[Viktor Jarikov]

Great news. And a very peculiar piece of info for anyone to learn. Thank you.

It'd be nice to see some visuals ;)