# Synspilum Update



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

hey guys, here is an update of my Synspilum:

when i bought him (1.5"):









halfway mark (2.5"):









Now (5", including tail):

























give honest remarks on his progress, think i could have done better? tell me, and tell me what to change.


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Looking good so far - wait 'til he hits 8" or so and starts to show breeding dress


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

I cant wait!!!!!!


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

not many Vieja fans here huh?


----------



## Frameshift (Sep 12, 2003)

What are you feeding? Any vegetable matter? Color is pretty dull, but it might just be lack of dominance.

Here are a couple terrible shots of my dominant synspilium at 7-8'.


----------



## Paaw (May 20, 2008)

gage said:


> not many Vieja fans here huh?


 Im a vieja-fan! my favorite is Vieja Argentea!!! 




 they are just growing up in that take.. them come in my 600 gallons tank when its builded.
Its a pretty old movie. i tank a new one later tonight


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

i just started feeding vegetable matter a couple weeks ago, im having troubles getting him to eat the stuff, but dont forget, they dont mature till about the 7-8" range, so mine hasnt sexually matured yet, where yours appears to have already. and he is far from the dominant fish in the tank lol, he lives with flowerhorns...5 of which ATM are bigger then him. and my Oscars a prick LOL, what kinda of vegetation do you feed your synspilum and how long did it take for him to except it?

have any pics of a non-dominant one at 5" for me to compare to, i cant really compare an 8" Dominant one to a 5" non dominant one :lol:


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

BTW, Frameshift, that has to be the nicest Synspilum *** ever seen 

i hope to get him a tank by himself, or maybe with some smaller fish within a month or so, once i get the basement bedroom of the house (im only 15) i will be getting as many more tanks as i can fit, which hopefully means a 75-90g for this guy on his own, and another 75-90g for my nice looking flowerhorn to himself to.


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

They get even better looking then that as they mature - about two m onths out of the year mature males put on an incredibly deep colored breeding dress, usually in the hotter months. I don't know if it's seasonal based around their biological clock or if it has to do with increased tank temperatures.


----------



## Frameshift (Sep 12, 2003)

I started with three that I got from a local breeder in Seattle. They were all feeding on greens before I got them. As you can see, they're all siblings and quite different looking. They love lettuce, parsley (gives bright green poop), peas, and everything vegetable.

At about 3-4" when I got them all.








The one posted above









One I later gave away

A bit larger. 4-5"








Two I kept on the bottom right.









One I gave away









Pretty one









Ugly one with the one I gave away to the left.









Pretty one









Ugly one

More recent at 7-8"








Pretty one









Ugly one


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

its a PITA to get them to eat the vegetation though, im trying though, *** been trying to get them to eat it for about a month now, not to much luck, though he did like the duck weed.


----------



## shef (Oct 3, 2004)

I don't know if this is right or not, but I was told they don't develop really nice red coloring unless they eat tons of veggie, I was also told too much protein makes them bloat and may prevent them from reaching their potential. Not sure if it's true or not, although the person who told me this is very experianced.


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

this is true, and didnt figure this out until i talked to a couple Vieja specialists. which is why i started trying to give then veggies, but the little pecker head doesnt take them easily.


----------



## Frameshift (Sep 12, 2003)

What do you mean by "veggies" exactly?


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

*** been trying to get him to eat peas and spinach so far, he doesnt mind peas, wont take the spinach, there are the only ones *** tryed feeding him so far.


----------



## Frameshift (Sep 12, 2003)

How about Romaine lettuce? Microwave it for ~10 seconds to blanch it then use an algae magnet to clip it to the glass. Mine will graze on that for a day or so.

Are the peas and spinach fresh, frozen, cooked...?


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

the peas were fresh and peeled, and the spinach i tryed frozen, fresh, and cooked, liked none of them really, he kinda chewed it, but didnt really like it. Lettuce doesnt have much in it for nutrients though, at least compared to some others, but maybe if i can get them toi eat that they may be more wiling to try some more nutritious veggies.


----------



## Frameshift (Sep 12, 2003)

Romain has several good vitamins and minerals in it including Vitamin A, Folate (Vit. B9), Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium. It's fat free and low calorie but that doesn't mean it doesn't have nutrients.  Granted, it's not quite as good as spinach, but it's still good.


----------



## unsung (Aug 7, 2008)

hi guys, I'm new here. I love synspilum too.
You can try veggie flakes or wafers if they don't like the real thing


----------



## eraserhead (Sep 25, 2007)

I've got a big ole synspilum, here is a pic, at about 12 inches or so:


----------

