# 1 inch synodontis cat with adult mbuna?



## qhoffpauir (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a 55 gallon with 15 adult mbuna. I found a great deal on some synodontis lucipinnis catfish that i want, but they are only 1 inch in size. Does anybody see a problem putting those in that mbuna tank that small?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Could be a problem as you can imagine, they could be attacked immediately if seen as "food". Depends on how large the size difference, how "bite size" they appear, also how rowdy the Mbuna. But if they do okay initially, they should be ignored. I think many have found young Tanganyikan Synos to be completely ignored, they will be very wary at first, hiding in the rocks.

I do see those young Lucipiniis, and they can be very small. Don't know why they can't wait a couple of grow out weeks before shipping them out.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would buy them and grow them out in a separate tank.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

I have about 18 adult Mbunas, and about 6 Syno Lucipinnis (about 2inches). Last month at my cichlid club I got 5 more, but these are only about 1/2 inch in size. They are tiny and about 1/3 the size of my currant Syno cats. I did put them all into the same tank. They are doing far fine with the other cats and fine with the adult Mubunas too. 
It could be because I now have over 10 synos cats so the Mubunas leave them alone, but so far so good. I see them all when I drop some food onto the sand.


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## qhoffpauir (Oct 16, 2013)

tanker3 said:


> I have about 18 adult Mbunas, and about 6 Syno Lucipinnis (about 2inches). Last month at my cichlid club I got 5 more, but these are only about 1/2 inch in size. They are tiny and about 1/3 the size of my currant Syno cats. I did put them all into the same tank. They are doing far fine with the other cats and fine with the adult Mubunas too.
> It could be because I now have over 10 synos cats so the Mubunas leave them alone, but so far so good. I see them all when I drop some food onto the sand.


Do you have a favorite? I had originally planned to put the lucipinnis in a 40 gallon breeder with some red top hongis. I liked the idea because they are small. Im now thinking about putting some in this 55 gallon and I am not committed to the lucepinnis since I have a little more room to play with. I have never kept synos before with the exception of a lace cat I have in my peacock hap tank. I would like to hear what you have to say about some of the otherss


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

qhoffpauir said:


> tanker3 said:
> 
> 
> > I have about 18 adult Mbunas, and about 6 Syno Lucipinnis (about 2inches). Last month at my cichlid club I got 5 more, but these are only about 1/2 inch in size. They are tiny and about 1/3 the size of my currant Syno cats. I did put them all into the same tank. They are doing far fine with the other cats and fine with the adult Mubunas too.
> ...


Multipunctatus grow bigger and are more active, but maybe you would want the smaller size Lucipinnis. They both are much more comfortable in groups, I would get at least 5. They can fight with each other and it harder to understand what is going on than cichlids, but a group keeps them more comfortable, and the pecking order intragression gets spread around. Lucipinnis constantly zip around the rocks and bottom like drones.


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## Cichlid boy (May 24, 2016)

I have 12 between 1.5-3.5" in my 125 and there's a venustus in there that's pushing 8" and he doesn't bother them I don't know if mbuna would be different because they're usually a little rowdier.


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## Old Newbie (Feb 18, 2017)

I have a Corydora in my 75 with Mbuna, it got put in there by accident and I don't want to destroy the tank to get it out. The Mbuna completely ignore it 99% of the time.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

I like the Lucipinnis because they do not get too big. This way I can have more of them and not over-load the tank. I now have 11 of them.


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