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Hello, I'm new to this forum but I need help identifying the White mark/spot on my Syndontis Petricola. I don't know if this is the right place to post this sorry if it is. He does sometimes turn upside down against the subtrate and grind himself but only a few times and he does it very fast and rapidly. He is a very active fish and eats normally. His mouth is pink/reddish. Everything else is fine no fin damage etc.

Kind regards everyone

I don't quite see what mark you are referring to. Is it the fuzzy vague discoloration between the eyes?

Rubbing / flicking is ok if done rarely. If done often, it can signify an external parasite or ammonia in the water.

What is your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, temp, hardness?

Yes right there between the eyes. it's weird because it comes and goes which has confused me, I don't remember the exact readings but it was defo am-0 nitrite-0 nitrate 10, don't remember pH should be around 7.2 last I remember and temp is a constant 27-27.2

Am I just over reacting or is it something serious?, maybe just some fluff but it's always in the exact same spot, yesterday I looked carefully at him with a magnifying glass to make sure and nothing was there. Could his colours just change like that?

My ammonia is at 0 but if it was elevated some how can ammonia do that to his skin? Or what if he was exposed to it before. I've only had him for about a week and a half. And I'm 100% sure he is not stressed. But then again now I'm not so sure

The spot between the eyes is special AFAIK and what you observe, I believe, is normal. Doradids for instance have a light sensor spot between the eyes aka "third eye", that's actually responsible for many hormonal functions. IDK if it is the same in synos or most/all fish.

Fish and other cold blooded animals like reptiles are known to change colors based on mood, time of day, time of year, stress level, hunting or camouflaging mode, breeding mode, etc. But as for the color change in between the eyes, IDK about that.

Ammonia irritates / burns fish's skin. Hence, the flicking. It's not specific to any skin area as the skin probably itches everywhere on the body.

In summary, I'd think you have nothing to worry about. It'd be nice if resident experts confirmed or refuted that.

Thank you Viktor For your help, I have been watching him closely since and checked all my water chemistry everything is great. And he hasn't done the flick for a long time.

I do know he is a very active fish and loves to ride against the current, specifically when I put the wave maker on he loves it, I just wanted to know how long should I leave it on and turn it off for. I currently have a timer to put it on certain times of the day for 15 minutes at a time. Is this too much or okay for my baby how much would you recommend it on for?

Thanks for your help.

While I have no clue what it is, but it does look symmetrical, and frankly, anything symmetrical must be art of a species. A desease does not attack symmetrical, after all

With regart to any pump - fishes from rivers meet a 24/7 current. That is, I would keep it working allways.

Sea is different, the sea does have tides, but this fish does not come from any sea

Sorry. Not familiar with wave makers, only heard of them. As Bas says, I'd think riverine synos need current. Petricola appears to also be lacustrine, so perhaps it lives in areas where waves occur as well.

Viktor Jarikov wrote:Sorry. Not familiar with wave makers, only heard of them.

Hi Victor,
That term has confused me before too. When I google search for them, what comes up are mostly "typical" recirculating pumps (like Hydor, but sold usually in a pair) and these are bundled with a customizable controller, which I presume alters the timing, direction, or intensity of the motors to create either currents or waves. For example, see this link: http://www.hydor.com/eng/prodotti-tecni ... rtwave.php

Cheers, Eric

The spot between the eyes is special AFAIK and what you observe, I believe, is normal. Doradids for instance have a light sensor spot between the eyes aka "third eye", that's actually responsible for many hormonal functions. IDK if it is the same in synos or most/all fish.

synos have this as well in the spot in question.

As far as the wavemaker the current will not bother them at all, there is quite a good current in Lake Tanganyika at times.

birger