Dwarf Synodontis Microsynodontis batesii

[CatoeSc]

Anybody keep these guys in a community? What are your general thoughts on them? Ease of keeping? Behavior, etc.?

[Birger]

Dwarf Synodontis Microsynodontis batesii

To start with this is a case of mixed up names from the distributer or in this case combination of names.

There is a

Microsynodontis batesii

There also is a

Synodontis batesii

And for some reason what has been coming in as Microsynodontis batessi is actually

Microsynodontis polli

or even the undescribed one from Nigeria

Microsynodontis sp(1)

I have yet to see Microsynodontis batessi actually show up, not saying it can not happen but late history shows otherwise.

Anybody keep these guys in a community? What are your general thoughts on them? Ease of keeping? Behavior, etc.?

If they are the Microsynodontis they are fairly hardy...just what it says, a small Synodontis, to see them at their best I do not recommend keeping them with boisterous fish or greedy fish, make sure the others are fairly peaceful like Microctenopoma,small african barbs or some Killifish. They could have a hard time with cichlids and when not doing well you will lose them one by one. They love to hide and you will not see them much at first except at feeding time when they zip around and dive back into cover. They can be hard on each other as they mature and need a variety of hidey holes or again they will start to go one by one.

Birger

[CatoeSc]

Thanks for the info. This is a pic of what I'm seeing in the LFS. I have mollys, long finned danios and SAEs along with 2 Nerites and 2 Assassins. I also have 1 angelfish and plant to get 1 or 2 more as i know these guys need company. The mollys are still relatively small and will be getting moved to another tank soon.You think they would be okay with this bunch?

[unblinded]

I'm curious as to the cost on these. The picture you posted is Synodontis granulosus.

[CatoeSc]

I looked at several different fish that day, so i could be wrong, but i believe they're about $15.00 each- why?

[CatoeSc]

Right now they aren't an inch long.

[unblinded]

Synodontis granulosa go for 200+$. I know what you mean when you say you've been looking at a lot of pics of synos, I've been there. If you find 15$ granulosa, be wary, but if they're genuine, buy all you can house.

[CatoeSc]

Are there similar looking fish that it could be? Why are they so expensive?

[Birger]

I am guessing but maybe you saw 1 inch

Synodontis grandiops

similar body shape and it is very possible to see at 1 inch at this price.

Birger

[unblinded]

Are there similar looking fish that it could be? Why are they so expensive?

I agree with Birger, young grandiops or multipunctatus look like a little like granulosa. Granulosa are so expensive because most of the available fish are wild caught. Only Neil Hardy has been confirmed to have bred them in captivity in the UK.

[Richard B]

& apart from just being mostly wild caught, wild individuals are solitary deep water fish that are very hard to obtain from the lake

[CatoeSc]

Well, I got me a couple. Based on the info I could find and the LFS, they seemed to be a pretty good fit. I'd take a pic, but they are still very small and I only get an occasional glimpse. They seem to be doing okay so far.

[Birger]

they seemed to be a pretty good fit.

To what...may I ask?

Birger

[CatoeSc]

Sorry. I have a planted 40g breeder heavily over filtered (for 100 gal). It's a community, not a logical one, but it is a community.

I have 2 angels that are still young, 4 SAEs, 6 Molly's, and 7 Longfin blue danios. I also have several otos.

I have 1 female Apisto remaining from what has to be my most epic, and expensive, fail to date. I basically lost 6 in a matter of a month and I'm not sure why.

I had experimented with clown loaches b/c I knew I could re-home them easily. I had to let them go but needed bottom feeders. I like cory's, but wanted something different. These dwarf synodontis seemed to fit the bill.

I plan to re-home the livebearers when I can. Ultimately, I would like to just have the angels, a school of ember tetras, some dwarf Synodontis and maybe a pair of dwarf cichlids, preferably apistos (but I have homework to do on them). I'm sure I will continue to have some otos cleaning up, too. Ideally, I will be able to let go of the SAEs, too. They don't really fit in and take up too much space for a "utility player." I'm hoping Nerites will prove to be effective.

Almost forgot, I have 2 nerite snails and 2 assassin snails.

[unblinded]

Synodontis multipunctata/grandiops love to eat snails. Once they get big enough, they'll make snacks of your snails.

[CatoeSc]

That's good to know. Hopefully they will help with these trumpet snails that have taken up residence.