Synodontis Multipunctatus in community

[Mebbid]

I was wondering if my 3 Synodontis Multipunctatus could be housed in my planted community aquarium along with harlequin rasboras, guppies, bristlenose plecos, and GBR. Will they be too aggressive for those tank mates?

 

[KimeeBee]

I've had Multipunctatus in my tanks on a couple of different occassions. Each time, they became very aggressive and bullied the other tank inhabitants.

The first time, I had two Multis in a 75 gallon community tank with a bunch of Rainbow fish and some Clown Loaches. I had quite a bit of rock in the tank, and I observed that they split the tank almost perfectly in half, and each claimed one of the halves as their own territory. So anytime any other fish (including the other Multi) swam near or into the lower parts of the rock, they would chase them away as if they were protecting fry - yet there was no fry, and I believe they were both males.

When I got them, they were both small and about the same size as the other fish in the tank, but they bulked up and grew much faster than the other fish in the tank and became quite aggressive.

The second time, I put two Multis in a tank with some Cichlids. Again, I started all of the fish at about the same size, and again the Multis bulked up and became bullies - and the barbells on those things are no joke !

Both times, I returned them to my LFS for something less aggressive.

Now I have 2 Albino Bristlenoses in my 75 gallon community tank and they don't bother or harrass anybody.

 

[Mebbid]

Thats sad. I really like my cats and the tank they are in is going away