Syno husbandry

troi · Post by **troi** » 19 Dec 2004, 20:08

I have to share fishroom space and tanks at the moment and don't have the control I am used to. In the interest in my either or giving giving ground on husbandry issues, I need to get some information.

In general, I use a very shallow substrate in my syno tank, about enough gravel to cover the bottom, since I don't plant the tank. I don't believe flat bottomed, bottom sitting fish benefit from a deep (4-8 inches) of sand or gravel and may be harmed by it.

Is there a general guideline and substrate depth and type of synos? I just go with what has worked and kept the fish healthy. Deeper substrate gave me ich and devasting losses a few years ago.

Also, aobut added air: I ran my 100 gal syno tank with three 3 to 5 in. air stones full blast at all times, plus the agitation from 2 Aquaclear outflows--and still thought power heads would be better. Do I really "not need to add air" for S. decorus and S. eupterus, adult? Fish are ok, but not as active as I would like.

I'd like to hear ppl's thoughts on these things and esp. their experience.

troi

Post by **corybreed** » 19 Dec 2004, 21:12

A shallow substrate is easy to maintain. I am not aware of any Synos needing a deep gravel bed. If you keep any Synos from Lake Tanganyika of Malawi you should use a substrate that will buffer the pH such as crushed coral. If you do a lot of water changes you probbly don't need all those air stones. That being said, "it couldn't hurt".

Mark

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 20 Dec 2004, 11:29

Just a comment on Airstones. They are actually pretty poor at interchanging gas, because the contact between the water and the air is too short. However, they do good in creating more movement in the water, and this helps the gas-exchange with from water to air (Oxygenating the water and getting CO2 out of it).

Most importantly, of course, air-stones look pretty...

--
Mats

troi · Post by **troi** » 21 Dec 2004, 07:47

corybreed wrote:I am not aware of any Synos needing a deep gravel bed. If you keep any Synos from Lake Tanganyika of Malawi you should use a substrate that will buffer the pH such as crushed coral. If you do a lot of water changes you probbly don't need all those air stones. That being said, "it couldn't hurt" Mark

Good to know. Somewhere I got the idea these are river fish and need both extra current and extra air. Now I can't verify that easily.

Discussing S. decorus's habit of standing almost on it head and occasionally "on its tail" it was once suggested that the habit may help the fish present the least resistance to the current when it wants to rest. We were thinking very fast current in nature, I think. Anyone know about this in this fish

Yes, I change 20-30 % water a week. BUT the tank is overstocked--three adult decours, three adult eupterus, four 5 inch clown loaches and an 11 inch gibbiceps in a 100 gal.

I am in the process of getting them bigger quarters. May keep the S. eupterus pair in the 100 gal., tho.

Two aquaclear 300's DO but out a bit of current and allow aeration enough, I guess.

troi

Post by **corybreed** » 21 Dec 2004, 12:10

Troi,

You mentioned S. decorus and eupterus, they do not need the extra water movement. Riverine species such as S. brichardi do better in a well oxygenated tank with the extra water movement.

Mark

troi · Post by **troi** » 21 Dec 2004, 20:46

corybreed wrote:Troi,

You mentioned S. decorus and eupterus, they do not need the extra water movement. Riverine species such as S. brichardi do better in a well oxygenated tank with the extra water movement. Mark

Thanks, Mark. Do you happen to know what the conditions are in their natural environments are? All I can find so far is that they are from various "river basins" in Africa, but that does not tell me if it means slowing waters as the river moves to a delta or from tributary rivers.

I ahve noticed, tho, that the fish go into spawning behavior fairly often. Even the decorus paired off and moved into a cave for awhile once. I wonder if this is in spite of the current or because of it. Maybe like a seasonal change in current?

Is there much written about either of these fish?

troi

worton[pl] · Post by **worton[pl]** » 22 Dec 2004, 15:58

maybe this marbles/flower pot construction as for petricolas would work for them? Have you tried it out already? It's interesting for me, could you give your water parameters? Thanks. :)

troi · Post by **troi** » 22 Dec 2004, 19:42

worton[pl] wrote:It's interesting for me, could you give your water parameters? Thanks. :)

Only by guess and by golly.

I change 20-30% a week and keep a small bag of aragonite in one of the Aquaclear boxes on and off because the water here is so soft most of the year. I don't leave it in all the time because I only want to harden the wter at bit. Sorry, haven't checked hardness in years. This is seat of the pants fishkeeping.

By guess, the conditioins vary alot. pH will drop to 6.6 or so then rise with the water change. From the tap, water is between 7.0 pH and 8.8 depending on time of year. It drops as the stuff the water company used to raise it wears out.

Temp is 74 deg. F most of the time. I don't light the tank and have offensive fake plants floating on the surface. Driftwood and rock caves everwhere, various sizes.

Two AquaClear 300's and three vigorous airstones at all times.

Fish come out at night, hide in caves during the day etc, as they should.

More in a seperate post.

troi

troi · Post by **troi** » 22 Dec 2004, 20:05

worton[pl] wrote:maybe this marbles/flower pot construction as for petricolas would work for them? Have you tried it out already? It's interesting for me, could you give your water parameters? Thanks. :)

No, I haven't tried the flower pot thing. I just don't see these guys as cave spawners, but I may get around to trying this, anyway.

What I have noticed: With a WC over 20%, the big decorus complains, makes all kinds of racket for 20 minutes or so. The eupterus get very toward aggressive each other and nip the decorus if they get in the way. I thought this was just fish fights, but I am beginning to think it is usually spawning behavior. They have hurt each other.

The time I got the incoming water, from a hose direct to the tank, a bit too warm I was certain the carryings on were spawning behavior. One skinny fish kept chasing the fat fish, who in turn chased him right back if he ignored her very long. There was a fair amount of head to tail positioning and he definitely nipped along her flank. I am not certain aobut the rubbing and scraping; it seems to me the males included that behavior in their spats, too. The female would hang rather than hide in an arched area of driftwood, but I can't say if this was resting or inviting the male in.

The second skinny fish got chased off by both. I say "fat" and "skinny" cause *I* haven't been about to tell the difference in their equipment. I believe this is the time I "thought" I saw one egg on the female's pelvic fin.

What I saw in the decorus was quite different.

troi

worton[pl] · Post by **worton[pl]** » 22 Dec 2004, 21:40

:) that's useful :) thanks.

troi · Post by **troi** » 22 Dec 2004, 23:30

worton[pl] wrote::) that's useful :) thanks.

You bet.

I forgot something that might be significant: The tank was in my kitchen for five years. Big picture window to the east, big picutre window to the south. These were usually covered, but there still would be the seasonal thing and natrual light from the glass door next to the tank.

One end of that tank was more shaded than the rest of the tank. The feather fins were adult when I got them several years ago.

I did have the male kill a female in a forty gal in my attempt to cave breed these guys three-four years ago. That was only the pair, no dither fish.

troi