Pls ID black-spotted catfish - behavior question too

[nstewart]

Hi,

I have two of these guys in my 55 gallon tank. They share it with 5 zebra danios, 8 neon tetras, 6 serpea tetras, and 4 raspboras. I was told they are an Upside-Down Catfish and the do swim upside down most of the time. Ethel, pictured here, is about six - six 1/2 inches long and likes to play dead a lot.

But lately she's started swimming repetitive laps around the tank for hours at a time. Could this be a sign of stress, or is it normal behavior for this fish.

Thanks for any help!

Noreen

(Click on the picture for a larger image)

[andywoolloo]

they look kind of like eupterus's but at the same time a bit different, maybe a hybrid? Maybe straight eupterus. Mine are darker now as they age, how old are yours? Mine are about 6-7 inches now and two years old I think, and are more charcoal gray now , you can still see their body spots at times from certain angles, they are their just mostly all charcoal powder gray now.

Mine do not swim laps, but they play with each other sometimes chasing round the tank for a small period up and down and thru driftwood. I have 5 in a 75 gal. Play or chase out of terrortories.

Do you have enough caves for them or driftwood tangles pr pvc pipe? They need probably 4 to choose from.

what are your tank parameters, ie; Ammonia, PH, Nitrite , Nitrate , temp, filtration, feeding schedule, what foods fed? tank maintenace schedule, filter maintenance schedule?

Might help know why the laps?

[Silurus]

Yup, that's a hybrid Synodontis.

[Birger]

My Synodontis lucipinnis do laps a lot more than any of my other syno's ...there is a chance there could be a bit of rift syno in your hybrid mix...it is not uncommon for them to mix rift syno's with other synodontis when creating these things.

Birger

[nstewart]

Do you have enough caves for them or driftwood tangles pr pvc pipe? They need probably 4 to choose from.

what are your tank parameters, ie; Ammonia, PH, Nitrite , Nitrate , temp, filtration, feeding schedule, what foods fed? tank maintenace schedule, filter maintenance schedule?

Might help know why the laps?

Thanks for the info! I have a large hollow log (fake) and another cave structure they like to hang out in. Maybe I should get another one...

I test my water weekly and everything is in balance - ph runs around 7.4. Everyone gets flake food twice a day. Have four filters total and change them every 4-6 weeks. In between filter changes I do a 25% water change and vacuum the gravel base.

I've had my guys for about 8 months now. They started out small but got big... fast!

PS: Ethel was still swimming her laps when I went to bed at 10 pm last night. Both are sound asleep this morning in their caves... weird.

[andywoolloo]

My lucipinnis also do laps like Birger says.

If it's possible to get your readings ammonia nitrite nitrate Cause it's important.
I do 50 % water changes once a week. So I am concerned what your nitrates are.

[nstewart]

Hi andywoolloo,

I just ran a test (using a real test kit - not strips). Here's the results:

Ammonia - 0 ppm

Nitrate - 30 ppm (my kit says 40 is normal?)

Nitrite - 0 ppm

I did add another hiding space - she's not interested. She seems content sleep out in the open as well as in one of the logs. She still laps for quite a while, but does seem to rest too. I'm starting think this is just her normal behavior? They couldn't be trying to mate, could they? (Not sure but I think one is a boy and the other a girl.)

Thanks so much for all your advice!!

Noreen

[andywoolloo]

I would maybe up the water changes, or I do not know how much you do or when , I do 50% once a week, to try and get the NA s lower, 30 isn't bad but lower is better. Can you add some more live plants maybe also? That might help with NA's.

Sounds like she/he is fine. Just likes to maybe swim around alot. LOL.

I haven't had experience with mine mating yet. I think it's rare for them to do it in home aquaria. when their tummies are against the glass you can tell, the males have an outie more area and the female more like a maybe indent area.

I think there is pictures on this site of the sexing.

Mine love all the defrosted frozen food and the earthworm sticks and spirulina sticks. Sinking carnivore they dig also.