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I have a 75cmx30cmx35cm 30 gallon cycled grow out tank while I save for my 75 gallon

I have one 3.5 inch Petricola (possible lucipinis I’m aware that’s a possibility but I don’t mind)

I adopted a smaller 2 inch ‘petricola’ ? from a friend as a give away, its 100% not a Petricola it’s very dark all over with dark spots,

They DID NOT get on I have had to separate them before they hurt each other and this morning I’m going to give the hybrid? To my LFS

This now has me worried if I get another true Petricola / lucipins the exact same thing will happen,

I’m reading conflicting advice online on one hand I’ve read they are territorial on the other that they should preferably be kept in groups of 3/4

I’d really like 3/4 while I wait for my larger tank

It was the hybrid that was harassing the larger Petricola but I’m still worried

Would acquiring some juveniles be a solution?

Will they get on better if they are raised together?

Or is a grow out 30 gal just not enough space for them to get along?

I have nothing else in the tank

Many thanks

Hi Ryan and welcome to the Planet!

Synodontis cohab is often an unpredictable or poorly predictable gamble. Sounds like the other syno of your friend's is a hybrid (but would need decent photos to ID) and these are often more aggressive than not toward other synodontis catfish.

The tank set up can help if both can have hides and well defined territories. The more furniture and plants, real or fake, you have, the better the chances of them finding a way to stay out of each other's faces.

I've kept 20 different synos but never a petri/luci, so I hope someone who know these guys will chime in soon. But there is no reason to believe that what has transpired between your two current synos would occur for any syno pair.

Finally, in general, 2 is a riskier number for a long term successful co-hab or (semi)aggressive fish, which is your case.

Much luck to you in growing in the hobby and getting the 75 gal and far beyond and welcome again. Please, post photos of your current tank and fish, if you will, as it is always both fun and helpful for you because people will give you better advice with some visuals.

Thank you so much Unless anyone else chimes in in the next few days warning me off I will potentially purchase 3 smaller juvenile Petris/Lucis then to leave my big boy to be king of his rock castle and the smaller ones can stake out their own smaller crevices to call their own and they will grow together and hopefully be buddies I’m attaching a photo: the mystery Syno
My grow out tank (ignore the platys they are gone now they were just helping me with the cycle) I’ve also since added some weighted down Anubis will update the photo soon
Also I’ve attached a photo of my Petri being chased by the mystery

Your mystery fish is a hybrid of Synodontis granulosus.

Thank you Dave for the identification

Attached is my current grow out tank set Up for some syno Petris and soon a pair of juvenile (1.5 inch) blood parrots

Synodontis granulosus are known to be some of the most aggressive synos toward other synos, so the proposed ID appears to be in line with the aggressive behavior you see from this fish.

Well I’m so happy with all the info and advice thanks guys look forward to being part of this community

Yes. I think you need a colony .. or a community of a varieties of Synos to achieve serenity.... they will pick on each other ... period.

To be honest the larger group the better with petricola and lucipinnis, your rocks are perfect I would add more leaving a nice stretch of sand along the front.
Blood parrots would be a bad choice with these as there are many good choices in the rift lakes.

I have the same granulosus hybrid and he too is a nightmare. 5 feather fins get on fine, even a huge (9”) Angelicus gets on fine but the 5” granulosus hybrid thinks any and every tank is his so he’s in the snakehead tank.no one told him he’s only 5”. Better luck without him and with a larger group