Why's my catfish behaving differently?

[fergusek]

Hi

Can anyone please help me figure why my catfish had changed behaviour?

Its a Synodontis hybrid.

He's generally pretty sedate, but over the past couple of weeks he's started swimming up and down the front glass and round the tank.

Yesterday it was non stop ALL day and ALL night. He never stopped for breath! At one stage he had my 3 clown loaches doing synchronised loops with him!

I put in new decor yesterday and he seems to absolutely love it. Its a two part shipwreck and he's going in and out all the holes and seems like a kid in a sweet shop - so excited?!

Waters normal levels.

I'm hoping he's just deliriously happy but thought I';d best check with you experienced folks in case I'm wrong and somethings wrong with him.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[MatsP]

I moved this to "African Catfish" from "What's my catfish", as I don't believe the ID of the fish is in question... Sorry, can't say what is "up" with your fish.

--
Mats

[Viktor Jarikov]

it appears to be a decorus x multipunctatus hybrid

some of my other fish changed their behavior abruptly, like one of my Jardini arowanas, for no apparent or easily conceivable reason

never my Synos - they may skip a meal or a dozen meals but no happy-go-rounds...

sometimes fish do that trying to escape bad water - high ammonia or NO2 or wrong pH - it's as if they are looking for a passage out, but you say your water's good

people say test kits have limited lifetime and go bad with time; test strips, if you are using one, are very, very coarse - not suitable for identifying mild-to-subtle problems

[fergusek]

Thanks for the quick replies. Much appreciated.

I use a liquid test for the water - ph, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite and its ok. Not changed from when I first got the cat over a year ago?

Apart from the change of decor I've had new fish in the last few weeks?

Thanks again for any ideas/help.

[Scleropages]

Usually, when my catfish (synos and plecos) start acting funny like that, it's usually because the pH has gotten too acidic. I keep crushed coral in all of my power filters, but, sometimes the water will still go too acidic--most likely due to the large amounts of driftwood in my riverine tanks.

Off the top of my head, other possibilities could be big changes in atmospheric pressure and/or spawning (without a mate, in your case) behavior.

[andywoolloo]

what are the exact readings for your A NI PH and NA? what temp tank? what feeding schedule what food what maintenance schedule ? what size tank? what other occupants? might help the syno experts on here help you (of which I am not one, I am just a few years into synos)

Only thing I can say is I always recommend do a 50% water change if fish acting strange.

Also , my syno eupterus' get a bit in a tizzy if I change anything in their tank, AT ALL.

I always put it back exactly where i moved it from, all pvc and driftwood and slate etc. EXACTLY.

Or else WWIII breaks out.

[fergusek]

I'll try the water change and see if that helps.
MANY THANKS

[Viktor Jarikov]

I always put it back exactly where i moved it from, all pvc and driftwood and slate etc. EXACTLY.

Or else WWIII breaks out.

[andywoolloo]

silly fishes!

[PlecoCrazy]

I had some synodontis multipunctatus in with a bunch of clowns for a few years and they did that stuff all of the time. To me it was just their behavior. I never once even thought there was something wrong with any of them. Bala sharks and some other species would even join in on the parade around the tank occasionally.

It may be that your new decor has the fish more comfortable in his environment now with the additional hiding place and now he is more at ease roaming the tank. He may be hungry as well, I have had many species of synodontis eat off the surface of the tank.

It all sounds pretty natural too me. I don't think you have any problems.

[fergusek]

Thanks PlecoCrazy

Thats reassuring.

He seems to have calmed down a little but he is still coming out more than he ever did, and he's going round the tank much more than he ever did.

I honestly think it is because he's 'happier' - hope so!

[Scleropages]

Of course, as you describe as being happy, your syno could be getting more mature and used to the tank it's in. Smaller (under ~4") clown loaches are known for their "laps" they will do around (certain parts of) the tank--especially when kept in large groups. The syno is probably just joining in.

[DJRansome]

You don't think it's because you changed the decor?