featherfin synodontis

Question
Hi,
i have a 70 gallon tank with 8 african cichlids roughly 9cm big
and i have 2 featherfin synodontis with them(around 5 cm)
my africans keep attacking them?
what can i do to solve this?

Answer
Brendon,  Are they new to the tank? If they are that may be why. Change the surrounding's move the the decor around. You can also add more plants for hiding and staking out new territories. This may help. If they are not new try to keep everyone fed abit more. The fins look like food to them. Your tank is perfect size and sounds perfectly stocked. Some fact's you may have already known. The African cichlid comes from only three river's all fed directly by the ocean so they run at an ocean pH which is between 8.0 to 8.4. I know they are sold in freshwater and adapt but, with a shorter life span and not as colorful as they should be. You can raise your pH easily by just adding a nice piece of coral and a sea shell or two. This buffers your water and help's raise your pH on it's own. They also are very busy and love to play. They love to burrow through sand. Of course make their nesting burrow's in it too. They like cave's of natural rock. If I were ever to go freshwater and they aren't true freshwater..... I would describe them as a brackish to salt fish but you know what I mean I would do the African's they are so beautiful and can be quite comical. Good Luck, Tina