# Synodontis, bristlenose pleco, clown loach, et al with a 75g



## orquo (May 20, 2008)

i want them all in a 75 gallon Mbuna tank. can they all live together?

mbuna tank (just starting up new batch) i love all of the above for the bottom and night-time entertainment. synodontis long fins and petricolas are beautiful. loaches clean the tank like no other and the bristlenose do their job too while looking prehistoric. is their a wayitate they can all co-habitate? they will be sharing a 75 g that has two cannisters flowing and approx 20 juvenile mbuna. plenty of rock, slate and clay pots. advise if i should choose one species or give advice so i can keep them all. i have heard mixed reviews about the loaches. i do not plan on breeding so no problem with the synodontis eggs etc. lemme know.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Perfect conditions for clowns would be a lower pH, a larger tank (six feet) and a group of six or more.

Bristlenose plecos and synodontis lucipinnis (was dwarf petricola) can cohabit in that tank, I'd have a single pleco and 6 synos.

Not sure what a syno long fin is...but some of the other synos are more territorial and might give you trouble. First get the scientific name, and if you want experts post at www.planetcatfish.com with your syno compatability question.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

i have 4 syno multicats 2BN plecos and 1 Common pleco leiving happily in my 75G with all mbuna.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

The lucipinnis (like the multipunctatus) like to be in groups. I strongly endorse this fishie. Such entertaining creatures and mine (group of four) are out ALL the time, even during the day.

Keep an eye on your BN plecos in a mbuna tank, though. There are lots of reports on this forum of them being killed or maimed . . .


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## walleye (Aug 20, 2007)

I have a 58 gal tank I call my scavanger tank. I have 9 clown loaches 2"-5", 3 polka dot loaches 3", 7 syno lucipinnis 3-4"(dwarf petros), and 4 syno multies 5". I also have a trio of z-rocks and a trio of ngara flame tails. They all get along fine. The peacocks and haps are for the syno multies since they are starting to breed. They all get along great. Make sure there are plenty of caves and hide outs. All the cats and loaches like to have caves to hide in. It's qute a sight at feeding time and all the cats and loaches come out to feed.

These pics show how much cover I have. I hollowed out the drift wood. The syno lucipinnis are in there. The "X" (2" pvc) cave has clowns and brushie nose plecos in it. The other cave (left side)is 1.5" pvc. Most of the clowns and cats are in that. The lava rock to the right has 1" holes drilled in it. From the pic, you wouldn't think there were 30+ fish in this tank.


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## orquo (May 20, 2008)

thanks for the informative response everyone. i take it that the clown loaches are out and i will just have to clean the gravel more often than hoped. ordeal solved will give update in a week or two. pics too!


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Clown loaches aren't out. They actually grow very slowly and acclimate pretty well to a high pH. I have successfully kept them hard, basic water for years. When they start to get large, trade them in for smaller fish.


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## Bweb (Mar 31, 2009)

I have 5 in my 125gal. and they are great at cleaning up DJRansom has a valid point though thier natural habitat has a lower PH than Africans Require But they will do fine if you slowly acclimate them before putting them in the main tank My water is very hard right out of my well so my loaches are used to it even when I try to buffer my water it always come back up but it's perfect for Africans Lucky.

My Mbuna Ignore them for the most part besides the occasional run off from a males cave but no serious damage and the biggest clown is 4" and seems to watch out for the rest of them.


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