catfish starving?

[keiferd]

I bought a synodontis catfish a few days ago and I'm worried he's not getting fed enough, he's in a 37 gal tank with 9 juvenile malawi cichlids. Every time I feed, the cichlids seem to devour all the food in the tank no matter how much I put in and It seems like the catfish isn't getting any and he's looking rather skinny. The tank is very new and there is no algae for him to graze on yet, what can I do to make sure he gets some food?

 

[Lupin]

What species is the synodontis? They don't graze over algae. How about distracting the cichlids by feeding them on the other end of the tank?

 

[keiferd]

it's either a Synodontis nigriventris, or a Synodontis Eupterus. during feeding he just hides in a tunnel in to driftwood or rockwork and just sucks it. he rarely comes out and doesn't even show an interest when I put food in the tank.

 

[Lupin]

Synos tend to be sociable. My lone Synodontis eupterus gradually came out after introducing two Synodontis ocellifer. The problem is your tank is too small to support another large species of syno. Try adding another Synodontis nigriventris but that's all you can have. Your cichlids are still on growing phase.

 

[RoseFishWatcher]

Have you tried feeding at night?

 

[ansbfish]

our syno loves frozen brine shrimp from hikari

he will go crazy and eat a whole block, he is about 6" though.

 

[elementkid65]

hmmm. my 2 syno. eupterus wont even take blood worms hand fed to them they like sniff it then swim off.

i wonder what they eat except pellets off the gravel

 

[baslugman]

Have you tried feeding at night?

x2 - mine only comes out at night. I drop his food in before I go to bed and shut off the lights. I had the same problem with the Cichlids eating everything in sight. Now I have a fat cat.

 

[AndiPants]

not sure what you are feeding, but maybe give the cichlids their pellets/flake/whatever you are currently feeding and then put in a sinking pellet for the syno. Mine loves them and its good seeming them chowing down! My cichlids never seem to go for the sinking pellets, so it may be a way to get everyone to eat their own food!

 

[SynoSteff]

I agree with AndiPants (nice nick btw

Try get some sinking pellets/discs. They are especially designed for cats. You will probably find that he wonders around at night so should find the discs if u drop them in as u put the lights off at night. Most Cichlids in my experience follow the disc for a bit on the way down but then loose interest very quickly. If you want to try and monitor your cat at night the best is to use a red light and get your eyes adjusted to a bit of dark, or use a dim light in the room.

Hope he starts feeding well soon