Agamyxis pectinifrons + Synodontis lucipinnis

[Sicarius]

Hey all,

I'm pretty new to the aquarium world and still have a lot of things to learn. I've done quite a bit of research the last couple weeks but i'm still not sure about something so i thought i might ask you guys for some help

I was wondering, would i be able to keep Agamyxis pectinifrons and Synodontis lucipinnis in the same tank? I know they come from different parts of the world but when i look at their requirements, it looks like it should be possible (or am i wrong?).

S.l.:

pH: 6.5 - 8.5
t: 22 - 24°C

A.p.:

pH: 6 - 7.5
t: 20 - 26°C

Obviously there's some difference but the values are pretty much in the same range, no?

From what i can find on the internet, it looks like their preferred water hardness is almost the same too. So would it be possible to house them together?

I understand that a full grown A.p. could eat little S.l. but i suppose giving the S.l. some time to grow might solve that problem?

Am i forgetting some very important things here?

So, basically, can these guys live in the same tank or am i making some huge rookie mistakes here?

Thanks for all your advice!!

[Birger]

Welcome to PlanetCatfish!!


Actually their preferred water conditions are very different the only save here is the fact that they are both tolerant to a point.

Off the top of my head the Agamyxis even though seemingly piggish at times may not compete with the more active Synodontis which do better in groups.

The Synodontis in the wild are used to very stable conditions in Lake Tanganyika and do not tolerate quick changes in conditions very well, they are like a canary in a mine...the first to suffer because of change, they may survive but eventually this will take a toll.

Another question is what do you plan to keep with these fish?? Surely there will be other species of fish as well.

While you are at it what are your current conditions?

I understand that a full grown A.p. could eat little S.l. but i suppose giving the S.l. some time to grow might solve that problem?

Unless real small that may be a problem but that may only occur once, than the larger cat will learn its lesson as there is a little bit of venom involved with any fish trying to eat these syno's. Hence the colorful spotted forms found in the lake...this is sort of more like a warning to others.

I personally think it is a mistake...to keep these fish together, someone that knows what trouble to look for may hold them together for awhile but it is not a good combo. You are much better off to start with the conditions you have already and combine fishes available to you that will fit into this environment than to try to make do...often this ends in disappointment.

What I do like is a self confessed rookie using the Synodontis lucipinnis designation, shows that the new species name(2006) is slowly taking hold....yay!

Birger

[Sicarius]

First of all, thank you for your helpfull reply!

The reason i asked my previous question is that my lfs sells a bunch of S. petricola "dwarf" (which i assume are S. lucipinnis). I really like this species and would love to keep a group of them in a tank. After doing some research i stumbled across A.p. and really liked them too. I read somewhere that they're a hardy species that can handle different kinds of water so i thought maybe they'd be able to live a "happy" life inside a S.l. biotope. I guess i just love how prehistorical and bulky A.p. look.

I don't mean to be rude or anything, nor do i discredit your expertise but lucipinnis's need for stable conditions would also be present without A.p, right? So that's not really an issue here (assuming that i'd be able to replicate these conditions), or am i wrong?

Could you elaborate on why exactly the water conditions differ so much that these species can't live together? Again, i don't doubt what you're saying but i'm trying to fully understand so i can use this knowledge in the future to choose species that can get along. I understand that the pH and temp range given, is just a range and that ideal pH/temp/hardness/etc is not the same thing but why bother posting ranges then?

So far i haven't got any fish and i'm still checking out all of my possibilities. I know lots of people keep S.l. together with other Tanganyika fish but i haven't really found a lot of Tanganyika fish that i like so that's why i started thinking about combining fish from different parts of the world. I like how most catfish look and A.p. has that typical bulky catfish look that i'm after. Ofcourse i could just throw in some Tanganyika fish just to fill the tank but i don't really want that. I only want to keep fish that i really like.

I haven't tested my water conditions yet but it might be a good idea to buy a testkit. I have some tanks and other equipment (heaters, filter, etc) to my disposal but i'd like to have an idea of my possibilities before i start doing all the work ;)

I've searched around for nice (cat)fish species that look similar to A.p. and that can live in a S.l. biotope but haven't really found anything yet. I don't want species that grow much bigger than A.p. I like animals that look like A.p., S.l., Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (obviously a little bit too big), Liosomadoras oncinus, etc. Maybe someone has a nice suggestion?

Anyway, thank you for your help and patience, i really appreciate it. I've been a member on several forums and i know that replying to the same 'beginner questions' over and over can be a bit frustrating

[Richard B]

Maybe a little bit different from Birger's response, so open to feedback. I think the proposal is doable but personally i wouldn't as i don't think it's ideal, but i'll expand.

Lucipinnis will thrive in a tank crammed with rocks but no plants or wood. These rocks can be the sort that add to the hardness of the water/or buffer the alkaline pH & are generally avoided by all those hobbyists unless they keep rifts.

Agamyxis would prefer more wood & plants for decor in a slightly acidic/neutral pH & without the hardness.

Lucipinnis could be kept with

Lophiobagrus brevispinis

or

phyllonemus typus

- have you checked those out?

Agamyxis could be kept with...

Acanthodoras cataphractus

,

Amblydoras nauticus

,

Platydoras armatulus

,

Pimelodella gracilis

,

Batrochoglanis raninus

as examples (providing you like these & have the space.

If you were dead set on mixing Agamyxis & lucipinnis, i would aim for pH neutral water with a sand substrate smooth river pebbles/rocks, some planted areas and a tangle or two of small branches (beech or oak). You'll have to keep a close eye on nitrate build up as luci's are quite susceptible, so frequent water changes.

If you feed a few minutes after lights off, with tablet/wafer/pellet (sinking) food, both species should be ok.

It just strikes me that there are two separate biotopes to be had here rather than combining them