Syno Angelica behaviour

[andywoolloo]

Are they really the bad mood agro synos they are made out to be? Do they really get more grumpy with age?

There are two at my local fish store, down from three last week, and they are real beauties. I was just wondering what people on this forum house them with and what they thought of them? Shy? Boisterous? Unable to play well with others?

I've been goggling them and get all different ends of the spectrum on them.

I am trying not to by them but really want them. But am holding off. I mean they aren't that rare here. This is the third time I have seen them in last 2 yrs.

[MatsP]

I think, like with so many other fish, they can vary to some extent, but they can certainly be very aggressive towards other synos, particularly ones that are of similar size - I met the owner of a 10" specimen at a show, and he said they were OK with his petricola (which is probably lucipinnis - but that's my guess), but wouldn't tolerate the S. decora in the same tank.

I also spoke to a member of staff at a Maidenhead Aquatics branch, and they had a large specimen that would kill ANYTHING put in it's tank - it was large, and they managed to eventually find someone who would accept it as a "single specimen tank occupant" - since they grow large, they will need a fairly large tank too.

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Mats

[Marc van Arc]

There are two at my local fish store

Whatever you do, don't buy two. You'll end up with a continuing chase.
One should be alright and you can see for yourself if it works out or not.
I have fairly good experiences wrt the angelica.

[andywoolloo]

thanks Mats, this is giving me pause:

and they had a large specimen that would kill ANYTHING put in it's tank

So they get quite good size, bigger then euptera sounds like.

Thanks Marc, no I was not going to get two. Good advice tho. I remember getting simlar advice when it came to my baby syno eupterus' by the good members of this forum.

Was thinking on trying just one. Do they grow fast like euptera? These are approx just over 2 - 2 1.2 inches head to end of tail fin. Very beautiful chocolate colour with white spots. Beautiful eyes. One was looking at me and moving his whisks. I hate when they do that, makes me wanna take them home.

[MatsP]

Catelog says 9.4" SL, and I have seen one that was about 10" TL. I think the one I heard about at Maidenhead Aquatics was over 10" TL.

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Mats

[Richard B]

Ok then, i see you really want one so let's look at how it's gonna work out

What tank would it go in - size & other occupants? Where would it go if things went wrong?

Marc has quite rightly said 2 is a big no-no, but if you were looking to add one to a tank of synos it can work quite well. I have kept an 8" TL one in with a dozen multis, a schoutdeni, a brichardi without any real problems. Clearly the angelica was top dog, then the schoutedeni then brichardi with the multis bottom of the pecking order - the point here is that you need to spread the aggression ( as in the group of single species).

If you are looking at a little one your problems should be far fewer than adding a semi-adult or adult fish to a system. Answer the questions in italics & then we can be a little more precise

[Richard B]

BTW - just a quick apology, as i often forget that not everyone has access to the same species, when we are posting on a world-wide thread - if you have only seen the 3 times in 2 years i'd be looking to get one asap if you like them. - i really hope i don't come across all "look what i've got & you haven't"

[jippo]

I haven't got any problems to combine other synos with angelica, it takes its place as a boss and thats it. I have got decora at the same tank with angelica without problem, no fighting when decora knew that angelica is number 1.

Now i'm trying two angelica at the same tank, male and female. They are at 1570l tank so there is lot of space for both. First three months went well but now they have start to fight a bit. But it isn't the normal syno fighting, they don't bite each other to adipose or body, they are just "mouthfighting". And it's not as aggressive fighting that I have seen with other synos. They turn their color almost white but it's very humble acting from both angelica. It can take sometimes an hour when they are fighting and I have seen this now three times. Then they settle down for a few days and start again. I'll keep my eyes open to see what happens, there hasn't been any injuries so far but if they occure I will move another to different tank.

[Birger]

I have five together in a tank, the only real damage done was when a male S.shoutedeni tried to stand up for itself...it disappeared but those males are crazy anyway always getting themselves in trouble.

I have been avoiding putting other larger syno's in with them but currently have a group(15) of S.nigriventris in with them and these do not get bothered I think because of the much smaller size.

I think for you to put one in with your other syno's should be okay as it will work itself into the pecking order, even as it grows. I have found them to be slow growing after six inch. I do not think it will grow as fast as what you were used to from your S.eupterus.

I think eventually it would make a difference if you had a male or female my largest female being the most domineering of all. They do like to protect their space and as they get bigger their space gets bigger, some creative caves and splitting the tank into territories is a must.

They turn their color almost white but it's very humble acting from both angelica.

Jippo...what size are these two?

Birger

[jippo]

They turn their color almost white but it's very humble acting from both angelica.

Jippo...what size are these two?

Birger

Both are 25-27cm TL. If you had some breeding action in your mind it's then quite different than other synos have. There is not much information about breeding behaviour with angelica. But of course that was one reason why I put them together.

[Birger]

They turn their color almost white but it's very humble acting from both angelica.

Jippo...what size are these two?

Birger

Both are 25-27cm TL. If you had some breeding action in your mind it's then quite different than other synos have. There is not much information about breeding behaviour with angelica. But of course that was one reason why I put them together.

I knew that they turn white sometimes which is an interesting thing, yours are much bigger than mine yet.

Birger

[andywoolloo]

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it.

I do not think I should get one right now , I didn't realize how big they ultimately get.

What size tank do you all have them in?

I wouldn't want to add one to the syno eupterus tank, when I get the larger tank, as it seems to put them with a larger syno is a bad idea from what you all have written.

I could get one one day and add to the bigger lucipinnis tank. I am planning a bigger tank for them and adding more lucipinnis. As it seems the angelica is ok with smaller synos?

But I will hold off for now, I do not think I have an appropriate tank for him.

He.they are beautiful tho. Too bad they aren't a smaller sized syno, I would house him in his own tank if I could.

If he were to live alone what tank would he need, I cannot really add him to anything i have now I do not think.

75 gal 5 syno euptera one common pl*co
50 gal 2 king tigers pl*cos, 2 clown pl*cos, sterbai cory and sterbai juveniles
40 gal 2 common goldfish, one sarasa comet one shubunkin
20 long 6 syno lucipinnis
20 tall one male BN 7 small panda corys
10 gal male betta

[MatsP]

I'd say a 75-125g, that sort of range. If you do the math, it would be about 40 x 20 x 20 inches - a 75g tank is 48 x 18 x 21 if I remember correctly.

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Mats

[Birger]

I have my five in a 125 gal which is 72x18x22high, I am often switching out various fish but this tank is mainly for the Angelica.

[andywoolloo]

ty.