How to tell the difference between Synodontis eupterus and velifer ?

[Alan Silver]

Hello,

We have three catfish, sold as Synodontis velifer. I have just been
searching the web for info on them (as they have grown rather larger
than the LFS said !!) and have discovered that Synodontis eupterus look
almost exactly the same.

How do I tell which I have ? Any links, with images, would be greatly
appreciated. TIA

--
Alan Silver

[RedForeman ©®]

try www.planetcatfish.com and maybe you'll see some good pics...
"Alan Silver"
> wrote in
message ...
> Hello,
>
> We have three catfish, sold as Synodontis velifer. I have just been
> searching the web for info on them (as they have grown rather larger
> than the LFS said !!) and have discovered that Synodontis eupterus look
> almost exactly the same.
>
> How do I tell which I have ? Any links, with images, would be greatly
> appreciated. TIA
>
> --
> Alan Silver
>

[Alan Silver]

In article >, RedForeman
> writes
>try www.planetcatfish.com and maybe you'll see some good pics...

Thanx, I looked there and got confused ;-)

It was the best of the sites I saw, but I still can't work out which we
have.

Main problem was that this site did not mention velifer at all. I have
seen other sites that mention it, which is why I'm confused. The two
look so similar that I'm wondering if they are two names for the same
fish.

<pause>

Just been looking again and came across the following discussion :-

http://www.forum.planetcatfish.com/viewtopic.php?t=2091

which says that they are two different species, but similar in
appearance. It also says that velifer is very rarely sold (at least in
the UK which is where I live) and that most of the velifers sold are
actually eupterus.

So, it looks like we have eupterus. This is a relief actually as I think
true velifers grow to about 15" !! Eupterus only get to about 5-6" which
is a more manageable size for an aquarium.

Thanx for the reply.

--
Alan Silver

[jessejoe]

In article >,
Alan Silver
>
wrote:

>
> So, it looks like we have eupterus. This is a relief actually as I think
> true velifers grow to about 15" !! Eupterus only get to about 5-6" which
> is a more manageable size for an aquarium.
>
> Thanx for the reply.

<delurk>

Well, congrats first off on having eupterus! Hopefully yours will have
as much personality as the two I have in my tanks at home ;-) {and yes,
they are much more interesting when allowed to be with another(s) of
their kind}

Anyway, not to burst your bubble completely, but I have seen a eupterus
get up to the 8-9 inch mark. Granted, this may be a rare/old specimen
(it's in a custom tank, looks to be around 300gal, at a local
hospital's waiting room's African Cichlid tank.....not a clue how old it
is)

Hopefully this difference doesn't make you change your mind, but then,
if you have a 300-gal to put them in, i doubt you'd care!

Regards,
Jesse Joe

--
Remove SPAMASSASSIN. from email for a real addres.

[Alan Silver]

>> So, it looks like we have eupterus. This is a relief actually as I think
>> true velifers grow to about 15" !! Eupterus only get to about 5-6" which
>> is a more manageable size for an aquarium.
>>
>> Thanx for the reply.
>
><delurk>
>
>Well, congrats first off on having eupterus! Hopefully yours will have
>as much personality as the two I have in my tanks at home ;-) {and yes,
>they are much more interesting when allowed to be with another(s) of
>their kind}

Oh they are characters all right !! Especially the big one. The two
smaller ones are a bit more like regular fish, but still interesting
enough that I wouldn't swap them.

>Anyway, not to burst your bubble completely, but I have seen a eupterus
>get up to the 8-9 inch mark. Granted, this may be a rare/old specimen
>(it's in a custom tank, looks to be around 300gal, at a local
>hospital's waiting room's African Cichlid tank.....not a clue how old it
>is)
>
>Hopefully this difference doesn't make you change your mind, but then,
>if you have a 300-gal to put them in, i doubt you'd care!

Nah. The tank is 48" long (150 litres), so even if he (?) gets that big,
there should still be enough room for him to swim. It might get to the
stage (if the other two grow as big) that I would need to separate them,
but we're quite a way off that yet.

As for the 300gal, well, if you would like to come round and build me an
extension, I will happily put in the tank !! I'd love a tank that size
;-)

--
Alan Silver

[jessejoe]

In article >,
Alan Silver
>
wrote:


> As for the 300gal, well, if you would like to come round and build me an
> extension, I will happily put in the tank !! I'd love a tank that size
> ;-)

Ah hah! Now you happen upon my secret longings! Actually, I'm trying to
learn how to make (small) aquariums now. I have a few pieces of plate
glass salvaged from various broken tanks at work, etc, that I'll surely
be experimenting with Real Soon Now (tm). Hah.

On this note, experienced folk out there: should I even be messing with
glass at all? Should I just learn to work acrylic? Or is this just a
hobby waiting to make me insane?

Regards,
Jesse Joe

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