syno behaviour for discussion

[Richard B]

Just a couple of things i observed recently that i thought i would write down to see what discussion if any it generates.

1 - when i access my main tanganyikan tank, the synos get very excited as (like pavlov's dogs) they recognise that generally food is on it's way. Nothing surprising here. One fish in particular though will always, immediately swim to the surface at the point where food enters while the others swirl round at the bottom. This individual (a white polli: species 2)obviously wants to feed first & avoid competition - maybe nothing surprising with this. However this individual has a mouth deformity & while it has historically not been short of food, has it learned a better way to get the most it can because it realises it can't compete on a like-for like basis because of the deformity or just a chance occurrance with this individual?

2 - while watching TV the other day, i noticed that the powerhead in my Contracta tank had stopped working (& therefore the oxygenation was minimal). I resolved to sort this sometime later. Actually a lot later i thought i'd get around to it so checked the tank to see if things were still ok - in short yes but very once in a while the contracta would "impersonate" a cory by dashing to the surface for a gulp of air & then returning to their preferred haunt. I'd never seen this before & the mochokiella acted normally (they share a tank). Has this been seen before? With any other mochokiid?

[MatsP]

2. When I was moving my tanks, the S. decora were sucking air from the surface. Not darting up and down, just sitting close to the surface and slurping air in. Apparently a lot of catfish are capable of doing this.

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Mats

[Silurus]

In answer to Richard's second question, mochokids do utilize aquatic surface respiration (ASR):

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1446679

(I can provide the full pdf if you're interested, Richard).

[MatsP]

I'd like a full PDF, please...

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Mats

[Julie]

I'd also like the full article, please!

I have 3 different tanks that have S. granulosus in them. Especially in the tank where there is a group of them(7 or 8 individuals) when they see me coming to feed, or just see me coming, they dash to the top of the tank and begin swimming upside down, hoping to feed. I often will feed them some flake food which is much easier taken up by them when they are swimming upside down. They also feed on the bottom when the pelleted food has sunk, but even after there is no apparent surface food, they still beg and shamelessly show me their big fat bellies!

[Richard B]

In answer to Richard's second question, mochokids do utilize aquatic surface respiration (ASR):

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1446679

(I can provide the full pdf if you're interested, Richard).

I would indeed thank you & thanks for the previous one (Wright) you too Rupert

[MatsP]

One of my S. decora was good at swimming upside for food down at one point - only one out of four, however. I'm not sure if it's because there is a different set of plants, different "companions", or something else that they no longer do that.

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Mats

[Richard B]

2. When I was moving my tanks, the S. decora were sucking air from the surface. Not darting up and down, just sitting close to the surface and slurping air in. Apparently a lot of catfish are capable of doing this.
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Mats

If i understand you - yes, i've seen many fish hanging at the surface gasping but this was totally normal behaviour from the contracta(avoiding open spaces in the tank, hiding amongst branches & leaves) then a quick dash to the surface & back down again - these fish are generally tortoise slow & showed an amazing turn of speed.

[andywoolloo]

I haven't seen my eupterus's inverting since they were juveniles, well they do still whwn they are at rest. Seems like when they are at slow mo rest mode they are comfortable upside down, but no inverting to feed that I 've seen since small.

My lucipinnis swim like mad when , I think, spawning behaviour going on, which includes going close to surface but not to get air I do not think, i just think they do not know where they are or care while spawning. or pre spawning.

[Birger]

2. When I was moving my tanks, the S. decora were sucking air from the surface. Not darting up and down, just sitting close to the surface and slurping air in.

Mats were yours parrallel to the surface or perpendicular when they were doing this?

Birger

[MatsP]

At about 45 degree angle, so "neither".

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Mats