Would you trust Synodontis flavitaeniata with small fish?

[N0body Of The Goat]

I currently have ~25 ~1.75cm and 4 ~4cm TL Ilyodon xantusi youngsters in my 48x12x15, the parents of which had to be moved out yesterday plus my young 4-5cm Steatocranus tinanti pair into the Rio240, to protect the youngsters from being regarded as "live lunch" (especially by the tinanti). This tank also contains:-
10x 2cm SL Microsynodontis sp.1 (amazingly outgoing and diurnal water current junkies!)
1x 4cm SL Microsynodontis polli
1x 9cm SL Synodontis congica
1x 15cm Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
12x 3-7cm SL Synodontis nigriventris

I'm a little concerned about whether my four ~6-10cm SL Synodontis flavitaeniata are getting outcompeted for food in the Rio240 by their tankmates:-
6x 4cm SL Phenacogrammus (nigropterus?) <--- will be going in the 48x12x15 at some stage, but I suspect the current fry would be in danger
8x 8cm SL Ilyodon xantusi
4x 10cm SL Megalechis thorarcata
2x 4-5cm SL Steatocranus tinanti
1x 5cm SL Chaetostoma milesi <--- Been doing great, even "charging" the Hoplos to get food, but she seems to be struggling a bit against the "pack" Ilyodon food strategy

Not only that, I'm also worried about the bioload increase of the Ilyodon to the Rio240, the tank looks utterly "manic" after being understocked all through winter.

My dilemma is whether to try and catch the Pyjamas and put them in the 48x12x15 (if they are safe with the listed fish), or whether my 5x2x2 would be a much better idea (although this contains 2 12cm SL Synodontis brichardi; 1 18cm SL Synodontis decora; 1 25cm SL Synodontis notata; plus 4 ~10cm SL Ctenopoma acutirostre amongst others).

Does anyone else have a group of Pyjamas that are regular covered in what I presume (and hope) are just white bite mark scars? The two biggest of my four do seem to quarrel often, something that really surprised me given their sterotype "social" syno pigeonhole!

[wrasse]

Does anyone else have a group of Pyjamas that are regular covered in what I presume (and hope) are just white bite mark scars?

In a word... Yes.
And I've seen them displaying and 'pecking' each other. They square off, side-on to each other, arching their bodies and then - Wham!
The bite or peck marks seem to scuff the skin, not really a wound, but it's enough to discolour the fish.
I must say, I'm a bit disappointed with this species... I was expecting them to be more peaceful and sociable.
I find they don't bother other fish at all and they always show themselves when the food goes in.
I have 3 specimens. I still plan to add to them and make it 5 or 6. I think increasing the number will dilute the aggression.

[MatsP]

It's strange that when I had them (the three which are with Wrasse now), I rarely saw them (lots of wood in the tank didn't exactly help).

Of course, I did lose one shortly before Wrasse got mine, which reduced the four into three - may have changed the group hierarchy.

--
Mats

[N0body Of The Goat]

My four have become more reclusive over time (I was hoping they would make an appearance when you were here Mats, so I could show you their "bite marks"), last autumn in the 48x12x15 they were never afraid to come out at food time (two had worrying ballooned stomachs at one point), they still came out most times in the Rio240 with the pre-Steatocranus breeding tankmates. But these days they rarely make an effort to come out into the open to feed and nobody has a big stomach anymore, perhaps enough food is reaching they daytime roosts via the strongish current (~2000lph from filtration, ~1600lph from a Koralia 1 powerhead). Then again, perhaps they were feeling intimidated by the Hoplos' feeding habits, in which case the new Ilyodon tankmates are going to make things worse.

"A peaceful fish which will not eat other fish, even small ones" from the profile suggests they would be fine with the Ilyodon fry, I trusted the decora profile with my Steatocranus fry with no issues last November, but their quarrels and war wounds make me nervous!

[MatsP]

Even quite large synos appear to be OK with small fish. I have had 1/2" or so Cory sterbai with my four S. decora.

--
Mats

[wrasse]

I reckon megalechis are too boisterous when feeding, to keep with a quiet syno like S Flavitaeniatus.
They eat all the food...

[N0body Of The Goat]

Until the Ilyodon moved in two days ago, I used to think the Hoplos would never be beaten on the "eat like pigs" league, but even they are losing to some extent out to the goodeids!

When I'm not overrun with youngsters (48 Steatocranus and ~29 Ilyodon) and so can juggle fish better, my plan was to turn the Rio240 into a vaguely Central American theme...
Ilyodon xantusi
Megalechis thoracta
Chaetostoma milesi (she is spending too much time chasing fish from her patch of tank floor, rather than finding food so far)

I think at some point over the Easter weekend (excluding Saturday when I have work), maybe even this afternoon, I will try and net out the Pyjamas and get some photos to upload for reassurance of their "battle scars" before moving them into another tank. My worst fear is that these scars are a disease I am unfamilar with (although no tankmates have ever developed anything even vaguely similar).