can African Clarias be fin eaters?

[sidguppy]

for some time now I have a wildcaught by-catch Clarias; a "sp Nigeria" wich looks a lot but isn't Clarias pachynema
it has been growing like crazy, went from a slim 5" fish to a 10+" monster in a very short time, and very visible


however; I'm seeing severe damage to fins of all other fishes, big chunks are missing, especially from all the Synodontis njassae wich hide and liove in the same caves and rockpile as the Clarias.

the other fishes (Madagascar cichlids and Synodontis granulosus) have been with the njassae's for over a year and I have never seen them biting the njassae's.
some cichlids are missing finparts as well. big chunks, not split fins.

I've seen granny's fight, but these do not bite chunks from fins, they 'raspel' skin when fighting, mainly from the sides and the adipose. they also comcentrate on each other and only chase non species members

I'm stumped. are there lepidophage Clarias species? some of my njassae look very bad atm.

[Shane]

Sid,
It may not be actual fin eating as much as just old fashioned aggression. If you have the space, I would separate the Clarias for a few weeks and see if that solves your problem.
-Shane

[Richard B]

Wow Sid, this doesn't sound good

I think you've answered your own question using the process of elimination, as what else could it be? (given the physical conditions you've seen, the denizens you have etc)

I have seen clarias that were not well fed attempt to take oportunistic bites from large slow moving tankmates like oscars. It seems a strong possibility that a particular species might evolve to specialist feeding, either as it's primary feeding method or as an occasional one

[Birger]

I just happen to be recently going through "A systematic revision of the African species of the genus Clarias (Pisces; Clariidae) Teugels, G.G.(1986)" in the details provided there is usually not a lot of info on the feeding habits of these fish except for the better known species.

Many have no details at all, others have mention of being a piscivore or having pieces of fish in their stomach contents. It is not mentioned anywhere that there is a lepidophage species.

They do cover a wide range of foods from insects, molluscs, fish, even maize from flooded farms, going by the available information they are definitely opportunistic feeders which is no real surprise.

Birger

[Redtailrob]

Hi there.
Haven kept Clarias for a number of years I would suggest that it is your Clarias causing this damage.
They are oppotunist feeders & will certainly nip @ the fins & flanks of other fish.
I went away on holiday once for 7 days & the person supposed to be feeding my fish had a family crisis & didn't feed them.
On my return the Clarias had eaten most of the scales & fins of a 20" G. Gourami which Im happy to say fully recovered!
I also have a 26" Clarias Nieuffoi which is an absoulte beast - chases & nips everything & cost me two treasured Catfish last yr (M- Nemurus & Ramdia Quelen) know lives happily..........on its own !!!

[syno-kev]

yes i to can confirm if you want to keep your other fish move the clarius as it will have a go at most other fish .

[sidguppy]

bummer, but as said, to be expected

I knew Clarias are voracious gluttons, but I didn't know that they could be this nasty

one lives and learns!

out he goes. luckily I do have a spare quarantaine tank running.

[sidguppy]

with spare quarantaine tank full of new arrivals, the fish in the showtank gotta endure some more

and today i finally caught him in the act and it's definitely territorial with him, not food.

just after feeding bloodworms all the Syno's got into typical "synodontis crowd craziness" zooming all over the place and it drove the Clarias up the wall or at least right up the rockpile and the backwalls chasing all those hyperactive buggers away

especially the docile njassae's caught the short end; the granulosa -being really nasty themselves- aren't impressed and hence undamaged.

I think my tank is simply too crowded, wich is stupid, cause i should know better.

gotta move some more fish to ther tanks and/or other hobbyists.

[sidguppy]

the Clarias has been removed and is now with another hobbyist in a large tank with Central American cichlids

it was really big, about 1 foot

the effect has been immediate; because the Synodontis njassae do show up again.
some serious damage hasbeen done, especially to dorsal fins and caudal fins; several of them miss an entire lobe.

however syno's regenerate quite good; all 5 fishes are eating well and showing up.

other oddballs will be chosen a bit more carefully. the next arrival is an adopted Chrysichthys ornatus.

i expect that fish to be a piscivore, but not an agressive fish. it's the African answer to Goeldiella, so I think it'll behave a bit like a miniature Shovelnose.

let's hope this time my predictions sort of fit ;)

[Richard B]

Is the C.ornatus going in with the Phyllonemus? I think there is a risk as the ornatus gets to a foot or thereabouts...

[sidguppy]

no, my Phyllonemus spend the last 6 months in a 200L tank with 3 Ancistrus and some barbs.

they had too much foodcomptetition from the synodontis and especially from the clarias; so i put those in another tank

and because I needed the small tank for my latest arrivals I decided not to hang on to them, but found them a new home.
they're now in a large 300G tank with 3 other Phyllonemus and a group of frontosa's.

not a tank of mine. and although I hated to part with them, this time I thought it'd be better for the fish if they went to a low populated tank with other Tanganyikans


the ornatus that'll be here soon is a tiny 6" fish. it's an adoption, it was bullied by other fish were it was and I got it for free.

I know it can get fairly big, but the tank is a 315G tank ;)

[Richard B]

Cool!

They are still listed in the Mada tank on your "my cats" so i couldn't understand someone with your knowledge & love of Typus risking 'em

[sidguppy]

I'm lousy with correcting the stats

[Richard B]

I'm lousy with correcting the stats

Err, actually me too