Catfish synodontis: species features, maintenance rules and other aspects + photo

A Brief History of Synodontis Soma

Synodontis catfish is a freshwater fish from the cirrus catfish family. The Latin name of the species is Synodontis. This catfish comes from the central regions of Africa.

Synodontis are very popular among aquarists due to their unusual appearance and temperament.

African catfish stay awake at night and hide in daylight. Habitat – Lake Tanganyika and the Congo River. They choose quiet wetlands. Representatives of this species came to Europe in the middle of the 20th century. They are easy to keep and can live up to XNUMX years. In addition, it is believed that synodonts are endowed with “character”. For these reasons, catfish of this species quickly became popular among aquarists around the world. Everyone can choose a synodontis of the desired size and desired color. This species has many subspecies. Each of them has several names.

Appearance Description

The body of Synodontis is elongated, narrowed towards the tail. The dorsal curve is greater than the ventral curve. The skin is strong and covered with mucus characteristic of catfish. The head is large with a wide mouth. The lower lip is usually more pronounced than the upper. The eyes are located on the sides. Some species have large eyes (for example, cuckoo catfish). There are several pairs of whiskers near the mouth. With their help, the catfish feels the surrounding space at night. They help him navigate in the dark.

Synodontis needs whiskers for orientation in space at night

Body color can vary from pale yellow to grey-brown. Spots are located throughout the body (size – from punctate to large round ones). The dorsal fin has the shape of a triangle, the rays are distinct, prickly. The pectoral fins are elongated (allow you to swim quickly). Long rays are clearly visible on the forked tail.

Individuals of each subspecies have their own sexual differences. For example, the female shifter has larger spots than the male. The male is smaller than the female. The male cuckoo is easily recognizable by its high dorsal fin. The body of the male is brighter and slimmer. The female of the veiled synodontis is larger than the male. Its abdomen is more rounded, and its head is wider.

Varieties

Among the large number of forms of synodontis, several varieties have gained immense popularity (this is mainly due to bright external features):

• veiled eupterus (Synodontis eupterus);
• shifter (Synodontis nigriventris);
• кукушка (Synodontis multipunctatus);
• synodontis petricola (Synodontis petricola);
• synodontis broad-eyed (Hemisynodontis membranaceus).

Comparison table: varieties of synodontis

Photo gallery: the most popular varieties

The peculiarity of the shifter catfish is that it swims belly up

A feature of the broad-whiskered catfish in thick, “webbed” whiskers

A distinctive feature of petricola catfish is the head extended to the nose, flattened from above.

The fins and tail of the veil catfish are elongated, train-like

A feature of the cuckoo catfish in large eyes and a one-sided white border on the dorsal fin

Features of maintenance and care

Synodontis catfish are unpretentious in care, but love stability. Soma needs a cozy environment and personal space. He should feel like the owner of the aquarium. One small synodont will do well in a 20 cm tank. But if you have a broad-mouthed fish, then it can grow up to 25 centimeters (or more). Therefore, a large individual needs an aquarium with a capacity of up to 200 liters. Many aquarists populate a new fish first in a small aquarium, and as individuals grow, they pick up a more capacious container.

One of the mandatory requirements for arranging an aquarium is the presence of shelter. If you have the only catfish, it is not necessary to clutter the entire bottom with snags and grottoes. A modest and strict catfish will use only one item. If you remove the shelter he is accustomed to, he will proudly refuse the rest. In such cases, an upset fish can take a place in the corner of the aquarium or, for example, under the filter. Therefore, there should be as many shelters in the aquarium as there are synodontis specimens in it.

Synodontis catfish needs shelter

Shelter is needed so that catfish can hide in it during the day. Also in the aquarium should be plants (anubias, cryptocoryne or echinodorus). Broadleaf algae will provide comfortable shade (like a shelter). Changelings especially like to hide under such leaves. In addition, you can plant Java moss in the aquarium. In any case, the plants must be securely fixed. If the selected algae does not have a strong root system, special pots can be installed.

The soil must be safe (river sand, small pebbles, crushed gravel, etc.). The ideal soil thickness is 7 centimeters. The fact is that catfish move along the bottom in search of food, feeling the ground with their mustaches. In some forms of Synodontis, the antennae are thin and delicate. If there are rough, sharp stones in the aquarium, the catfish can damage its main organ of smell. Moreover, some catfish like to “dive” into the ground with their noses.

The star catfish synodontis angel more often than others “pokes” its nose into the sand (sniffs it, rummages in the sand with its muzzle)

Water parameters, lighting and other features

Synodontis organism is accustomed to a neutral pH balance. Water should be warm (24–28 °C) and hard. If the water is too soft, you can use coral chips to increase the hardness. It is necessary to saturate the water with oxygen and filter. Catfish lead a predominantly bottom lifestyle, so accumulations of organic waste at the bottom can adversely affect their health. Accordingly, it is necessary to siphon the soil (clean with a special tool) and replace the water at least once a week (15–20%).

They live in hard water, everything seems to be normal, the temperature is about 26 degrees. They like to dig in the ground, they do not offend plants and other fish (not counting fry, if they catch them, they will devour them). My cichlids don’t particularly touch them either, only the black stripes are driven away from their nest during spawning. When sharing shelters, one got it great, they chased each other so that the water splashed out, and now one has battle scars and no mustache.

Ruler of synodontis

It is necessary to light the aquarium, but heavy-duty lamps are optional. Light will be useful to plants, and catfish are indifferent to it. If you have installed a lighting device, then it can be used until spawning. With the advent of young animals, the aquarium will have to be darkened.

Video: golden synodontis inspects the territory

Feeding rules

African catfish are almost omnivorous, but in the morning they manifest themselves as predators. These fish can be fed live food, such as bloodworms. Some do not refuse dry food if it contains protein. They love hearty and dense food (they do not disdain small fish). Some aquarists feed their pets with shrimp or sprat meat. But if this is done often, then the catfish will get used to meat food, which over time will “educate” a voracious predator in it.

At night, the mustachioed inhabitants of the aquarium search the bottom in search of food and may inadvertently swallow, for example, guppies or zebrafish. Therefore, if you pamper catfish with meat, it is better at night. In general, Synodontis are picky. If the food falling from above seems to them tastier than the one that lies at the bottom, then they will eat it. Most often, the following feeds are used to feed bottom fish:

• AL Motyl;
• Tetra TabiMin and Tetra PlekoMin;
• Sera Viformo;
• Sera Premium Spirulina Tabs etc.

Video: two synodontis share a feed tablet

Can synodontis eat snails and plants

You can dull the predatory instinct in a catfish only by accustoming it to vegetarian food. Bottom fish can be given special vegetable foods or ordinary green foods (dandelion leaves, spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, etc.). In addition, the catfish will not refuse oatmeal. But they must first be poured over with boiling water, otherwise they will be too hard.

You can try to blunt the predatory instinct of Synodontis by offering him plant foods.

The catfish will not die of hunger, even if it is not fed for a day or two. But if you overfeed, and even with food of animal origin, the fish can get sick, as catfish are prone to obesity.

If the owner of the aquarium is not a fan of “sacrifice”, then you can not feed the catfish with snails on purpose. Sometimes synodontis eat snails, but this is not because of aggression or harmfulness. It’s just that if a catfish went out, for example, at night to look for food, but didn’t find food at the bottom, then the snail may seem like an attractive piece of meat to him. Even the cuckoo catfish, which in nature eats only snails, may not touch the aquarium if it finds an alternative food option.

Compatibility with other fish

The main criterion in the selection of neighbors for catfish is the size (you need to hook the catfish to fish of the same size). Another important point is the activity of the fish. For example, a fish that is too slow may remain hungry because of the catfish. Synodontis gets along well with cichlids and koi. The conditions for keeping fish are the same, and the neighbors are proportionate to each other. A conflict between synodontis and cichlids can arise in the first days of the introduction, when males try to show their dominance.

Koi make good neighbors for synodontis

Intraspecific compatibility is due to the strength and age of individuals. So, an adult and large catfish can “drive out” a small young catfish from the shelter in order to take this place itself. Stronger individuals also survive weaker ones in open areas of the aquarium.

My Dalmatian has been living for 12 years, he has never had any relapses, the only thing is that he ate the ampoule, you can’t take that away from him. All other fish are simply ignored, just like they are. At night, it “flies” around the aquarium, fluffing up its dorsal “shark” fin. Because the unkind disposition of these guys is still in question, they are kind and smart.

Owner of an adult synodontis

Social behavior and character

In Japan, there is a legend about the structure of the world. According to her, the earth rests on the back of the Namazu catfish (Namazu catfish). The rest of the mustachioed fish is guarded by a certain deity. When the deity is distracted, the catfish wakes up and wags its tail. From this, tsunamis and earthquakes occur on earth. Thanks to this legend, the Japanese have a special respect for catfish – sacred fish.

Catfish is called a catfish not only because of the mustache and tail. It is believed that these fish are endowed with intelligence and are able to recognize the owner. And Synodontis is no exception. For example, if a shapeshifter lives in a small horizontal aquarium, you can stroke it. You need to go to the tank during the day, gently move the cover sheet and stroke the catfish on the stomach. He will not wake up immediately, so the owner will have time to enjoy the moment.

In addition, some owners of these bottom fish catch them with their hands. Indeed, when fishing with a net, the catfish protrudes its fins and dangles its tail, and this can lead to injury. The owners of “tame” synodontis believe that the fish is able to recognize a person, especially after several years of living together.

An elementary experiment confirms this: you can see how the fish looks at you and waits for food. A couple of days before the experiment, you can give your favorite catfish food. On day “X” you need to go to the aquarium and bring your hand over the water, supposedly with food. A spotted pet will look directly into the eyes of a person, remaining at the same level.

Video: Synodontis recognized the owner

Features of reproduction and breeding

Synodontis is difficult to breed at home. Individuals that are in aquarium stores are imported. It is especially difficult to breed rare hybrid species (the more beautiful and ornamental the fish, the more difficult). To breed fish, breeders make hormonal injections. The exception to the rule is the cuckoo synodontis. These fish practice nest parasitism. During spawning, females “toss” their eggs to cichlids. Those, in turn, carry the offspring of catfish in their mouths. If everything goes well for the owner of the cuckoo, the hatched fry should be urgently transplanted. After a couple of days, they can be fed Artemia larvae.

The female cuckoo synodontis throws her eggs to other fish, as the cuckoo bird lays its eggs in other people’s nests

The main difficulty in breeding is that it is almost impossible to make the aquarium environment look like a natural one. More experienced aquarists soften and heat the water to mimic the monsoon season. Also set “traps” for caviar. A container covered with a net is placed in an empty aquarium (only water). A shelter without a bottom is placed on the latter. The female catfish hides in this shelter and lays eggs, which immediately fall into a container covered with a net. After spawning, adults are planted. The nets can be removed so that the hatched fry can get out of the container.

Synodontis Diseases and Treatment Methods

Like any other fish, catfish can get sick if the basic conditions of detention are violated. For example, if a catfish is overfed, it will become obese. In order for him to return to normal, you need to organize a catfish diet. You can’t put fish on a hunger strike, but you can arrange fasting days (once a week). If the body of Synodontis has faded, it means that he is stressed. This condition can be caused by anything, such as overpopulation of the aquarium. When the problem is fixed, the fish will return to normal.

If the bottom fish lay on its side and breathes heavily, it means that it does not have enough oxygen. It is necessary to check the aeration – air saturation (the aerator may have broken). When the oxygen content in the water becomes the same, the catfish will recover. Do not allow your pet to lie at the bottom for a long time. There are a lot of microbes and organic deposits in the soil, because of this, the fish may develop fin rot. Such a sore is treated with streptocide (you can make a half-hour bath). If you are afraid of harming your aquatic pet, you can contact your veterinarian.

Synodontis are beautiful and unpretentious catfish. Such fish are omnivorous, peaceful and calm. Ideal for beginner aquarists, if they have not wound up with smaller fish. Catfish can eat small-sized fish during night hunting. The rest of the catfish will not bring trouble.