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Hi, Just asking for some advise about the Gold Nugget Pleco. I would like to purchase one from my LFS, however I already have a Lepoard Pleco in the Malawi tank I am planning to introducing one to. Please could you let me know on your thoughts on compatibiliy in his enviroment and wether the two will get ontogether.

Thanks

This says to do it with care.

IMO wild caught L-numbers and related Ancistrinae (as well as other wildcaught Loricariids) do NOT belong in Rift setups.
The waterparameters are all wrong (as in; opposite! hard instead of soft, alcali instead of acidic and often too hot), the company often too boisterous or downright aggressive.

Most of those fancy Lnumbers aren't good algae eaters, but need wood or need a more proteinbased dinner with crustaceans like shrimps, molluscs and such. This food is appreciated by the African cichlids as well and these will outcompete the Lnumbers on sheer speed, mobility and assertivity.

I've seen far too many Cactus-, Goldnugget-, Snowball-, Clown- and etc- "pleco's" die in Riftsetups......

Get a captive bred Bristlenose species instead, and/or some Rift Synodontis. Well worth the money and well capable of co-existing with the Rift dwellers from any Lake (Tanganyika, Malawi, Victoria).

In moderate African riverine setups -those have waterparameters akin to South America- with medium to small cichlids, such as Jewels (Hemichromis), Kribs (Pelvicachromis), Buffaloheads (Steatocranus) etc the Loricariids do much better.

My two Eurocents.

Ugghhh!!! No chance am I going to risk the life of any fish! Ill go with the Rift Synodontis instead! Thanks for the sound advise

How about Port-hoplos?

How about Port-hoplos?

Nope. Same problem.

Yup.
And port-Hoplo's (I assume this is Dianema spp) miss something more, wich the Loricariids at least have (most Ancistrinae anyway); sufficient aggression.

Big Callichthydae (Hoplo's, Megalechis, Dianema) are among THE fishes (along with Dorads, Auchenipterids, Banjo-cats, peaceful Pims and riverine Claroteids) wich I have seen more often than any others (including wild Pleco's) teared up and dying in a wide arrange of cichlid-setups...

ok thanks Im going to LFS today to get a Rift Synodontis

you'll enjoy them BIGTIME!
Check out the African catfish section for various posts about these cats by me, Dinyar and loads of others.

btw there are more cats than just Syno's very suitable for your tank, not in the least because they co-evolved with those Riftlake cichlids and are used to both them and the alcaline hard waterparameters.
Check 'em out on both forum & planetcatfish (CotM, catelog, etc)
-Lophiobagrus cyclurus
-L brevispinus
-Phyllonemus typus (might be a bit too peaceful for certain Malawian Mbuna, but can be used with moderate Malawian Haps, Utaka, Yellow Labs, Peacocks etc)
-Auchenoglanis occidentalis (big tank, it's a big 'un)

have fun scrounging data

Hi Been to LFS with the name in mind looked around and saw a Synodontis soloni. I just had to get the Syndontis Soloni as it was like love at first sight! I intend to add more catfish into my Malawi Cichlid setup, and sometime in the future move the Lepoard Sailfin to my tropical tank.

He'll probably be OK, but a leeeeeettle research wouldn't have hurt; because it's a riverine Syno.....

wich means he will need similar waterconditions as Pleco's and other South American catfishes....

All in all, Syno's are quite flexible in their demands, but still!

Furthermore, S. soloni are fast-water synos in the ilk of S. brichardi and the like, and therefore, do better with a strong current which your rift lake cichlids may not like.

HH,
I should have spelled it out, naming all usable Tang and Malawi syno's here? (although those have been posted a zillion times on the forum already)

I feel a bit responsible here

NO WAY I thought you'd RUN off to the store THAT fast; Leepirie!!

no need to feel responsible!

Ps. I do have a strong current in the Malawi Set up. the Cichlids do great with the strong current!

Good for you.
but still read this:
Synodontis multipunctatus, S cf multipunctatus Goldeneye, S petricola, S "petricola dwarf", S polli, S "polli White" or "polli Zambia" (= the same fish), S tanganicae, S dhonti, S granulosus, S nigromaculatus, and of course S njassee wich should be #1 for any Malawi tank.


Synodontis njassee from Lake Malawi

The new Syndontis Soloni is a very shy little cretin!!

He is great to watch when he is out of the cave that he has claimed as his own! and seems fearless of the Cichlids when he is out!

Although I know myself I should perhaps have waited and done more research. However up to now he seems fine.

I feel a bit responsible here

SG_Eurystomus please do not hold yourself responsible for me mistaking the Syndontis Soloni for a rift Syndontis.