CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I have a Synodontis angelicus, I know we're back to the age old statement that it depends on the 'fishes' personality, but every where I have read and every one I have spoken to has told me that Syno's are as placid as can be, but sometimes are terretorial against their own species. My Syno is only a baby, its about 3inches, I also have a baby leopard pleco around the same size, the problem is my Syno seems to be attacking him. Has any one come across this before? If so have you any advice on what I can do to limit this from happening! All of my fish havethier own territory's and 'own houses', some where they like to retreat. But it seems like the Syno hunts down my plec to beat him up! Other than getting another tank, I dont know what else to do. Getting shot of one of the fish isn't an option!

Waitin to hear from ya 

Synodontis angelicus can be aggressive to other scavengers, especially other syno's, though I have an s. angelicus (6") which completely ignored a bristlenose pleco (but couldn't tolerate a s. eupterus in the same tank....which was a 180gal). You can try increasing the quantity of hiding spots, but that may or may not work.

Thanks for that, I guess it would make sense for my pleco to look like another syno angelicus to my fish, as they are a simular colour, size and are both bottom dwelling scavengers! They seem to have settled down a little over the last few days, maybe they were just fighting for territories and the picking line. With any luck they will settle down, if not another tank for me I guess. The tank they are in is 105uk gal so I dont think its any thing to do with the size of the tank. Do you have any pics of ur syno/tank?

I keep the angelicus in a plainly set-up 180gal (see pic):



He (or 'it') is extremely difficult to photograph since he spends most of his time during the day upside down hiding in one of the 'caves' and out of view (I suspect he's fairly active when the lights are out). Normally I only catch glimpses of him, except for feeding time.

In order to capture him in the following pic I had to intice him with some pellets (unfortunately in almost every shot I took one of the cichlids obscured my view of him):



Another shot from a year ago (his reclusiveness precludes me from getting decent shots of him):

Great pics, I'm quite lucky my syno is active during the day, maybe because he is young! I will get some pics and post them. I notice u have some Fronts they are great fish, I have a pair in my other Tank, with a pair of large Barbs, a common plec and my redtailed cat. By the time the Fronts get near thier adult size my Rtc and the Barbs will be in a indoor pond, the plec may also go into the pond (I'm hoping he will grow to the size my other one did, He was at least 50cm when he died. Then the fronts will have the tank to them selfs and with any luck will spawn. What other fish are in ur tank?