New catfish colony

[Goodroad]

Hello. New here but have been a hobbyist for decades. But first time with a colony of synodontis. 6 angelicus, 3 scribbled hybrid, 2 gold nigrita. Sharing a75 gallon tank with a small group of demasoni. All cats are 2 to 2.5 inches.

Hoping to add more variety. I have only identified one consistent importer from west Africa ( west coast). Another importer ( east coast). Not many enthusiastic collectors of African imports today. I wish we had more. The Asian breeders have mastered the creation and mass production of colored hybrids and has gotten hobbyists crazy over them. Not me, I’m old school.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Cool. Is your goal to raise them all together and have them inhabit one tank? It'd be an interesting community if they could learn to live together peacefully. Visuals would be nice too.

[bekateen]

Sounds like a great start. Yes more African catfish keepers please!
Cheers, Eric

[Fishmandavew]

Good luck trying to raise 6 Angelicus together in a 75. These will get 8” and if mine is anything to go by, won’t get on in a confined space. Although your Nigrita could be worse still.
Keep us informed how it goes.

[Birger]

I agree completely with the previous post.It is too crowded and will result in stunted fish.

[Goodroad]

Thanks for all the comments
Yes .. I have all of them in that smallish tank
I already separated 5 decorous and 1 tiny angelicus

Stunted....
So synodontis cats get stunted too?
I begin to notice the small ones don’t get to eat as much...
Is there anything more sad than just to keep them alive even tho they are stunted??

[Goodroad]

How can I post videos?

[bekateen]

To post videos? Only via YouTube.

Cheers, Eric

[Viktor Jarikov]

...So synodontis cats get stunted too?
I begin to notice the small ones don’t get to eat as much...

I'm not sure if it'd be useful but you could find a collection of links on stunting in this thread, mid page, currently last post, and few others: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36395&hilit=stunting

Is there anything more sad than just to keep them alive even tho they are stunted??

In general, it can always be worse, they say. It's individual. I've kept and keep fish, which I assume are likely stunted (albeit it is not the only possible reason), some of them for 10+ years, and can't say I have been particularly sad about it.

[Goodroad]

Viktor..
I am also not happy about the prospect.
This was not my intention at all.
I have kept syno cats before, but didn’t bother to research enough, I made another beginner mistake.
Even after many years in the hobby...

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am not sure I am following. What is the problem with the current state? Help me see it, please.

How many synodontis are we talking and what's their current size, under 3"? I assume they are all in the 75 gal?

"6 angelicus, 3 scribbled hybrid, 2 gold nigrita"
"5 decorous and 1 tiny angelicus"

They cannot be stunted yet, nor any time soon. If you are that worried about not being able to house them properly in the future, you can return them or rehome them, no?

[Goodroad]

No problem, yet. I’m thinking about when it can become a problem.
I forgot how I can post a picture..
So I can show you

[Goodroad]

Picture. Syno community.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am not sure you saw my syno colonies of the past. If not here they are: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30939&hilit=120+gal