Squeakers

This fish belongs to a very distinctive genus of mochokid. There are almost 50 species of Chiloglanis described to science, but most are never imported and even the commoner species, such as this one, are seen only rarely. They are very difficult to identify down to species level, as many are very similar in looks. Some are strongly sexually dimorphic with the males having thickened or enlarged anal and caudal fins. Chiloglanis are also sometimes confused with the other 2 genera of African sucke...

S. alberti possesses an incredible set of barbels that are the longest of any Synodontis. It is also very hardy and adaptable and is therefore an ideal beginner's Syno. It has very large eyes exemplifying its nocturnal nature and also prefers cooler conditions to other members of the genus. This fish has a few common names including Bigeye Squeaker and Albert's Synodontis, though it is usually referred to as the High-fin Synodontis....

Also known as the Mustard Squeaker, this species is imported infrequently, though it sometimes shows up in mixed boxes of Synodontis from exporters. An ideal Syno for the general community due to its small adult size.

This species is infrequently offered for sale but makes an attractive addition to the medium sized community aquarium.

An unusual and highly adapted species, S. brichardi is one of our favourite Synos and really deserves to be kept in a biotope aquarium to be appreciated at its best. Here, it will be seen moving in and out of areas of high and low current and rasping at algae attached to rocks as in nature. It is much more diurnal than many Synodontis species, if maintained correctly. The colours of this fish intensify with age....

Also known as the Orange Striped Squeaker, in our opinion this fish is one of the most attractively patterned Synos. S. flavitaeniata can vary considerably in patterning and colouration but is difficult to misidentify. This fish is more sensitive to deteriorating water quality than many Syno species so aquarium maintenance must be rigorous. When it was first imported 25 or so years ago it commanded an extortionate price but thankfully is affordable today. Its flexibility with regards to w...

In our opinion, this is one of the most attractively marked Synos commonly available in the hobby. The colour and patterning can vary considerably and the vermiculated pattern seems to intensify with age in well kept fish. When taken into consideration with its moderate adult size, this is an ideal beginners's Syno. One point worth noting is that this species seems very susceptible to bloating. While the cause of this is unknown, we suggest that feeding of dried foods be kept to a minimum. ...

This is one of only 4 described species of Euchilichthys (although more have been discovered) and is very rare in the hobby. It can be distinguished from similar Chiloglanis species by its elliptical (as opposed to circular) mouthparts and larger adult size. Unlike the South American Loricariids, it lacks armoured scuting on the body....

There is some confusion as to where this species should be placed taxonomically. It is currently the only species in the genus Hemisynodontis but it has been regularly moved between Synodontis, Hemisynodontis and Brachysynodontis. The main morphological differences that set it apart are the presence of additional gill rakers in this species and the fact it has relatively few mandibular teeth compared to Synodontis species. It also possesses the chracteristic "moustache", which is in fa...

There are a dozen described species of Microsynodontis but most are not seen in the hobby. This species is one of the commoner ones however. Microsynodontis are much smaller than Synodontis species, with M. batesii being the largest. They can be distinguished from Synos and the similar Mochokiella by the rounded or slightly forked caudal fin. The is highly forked in the other genera. Interestingly in Microsynodontis the eyeball is fixed and cannot be moved unlike in Synodontis which has a moveab...

There are a dozen described species of Microsynodontis but most are not seen in the hobby. This species is one of the commoner ones however. Microsynodontis are much smaller than Synodontis species, with M. batesii being the largest. They can be distinguished from Synos and the similar Mochokiella by the rounded or slightly forked caudal fin. The is highly forked in the other genera. Interestingly in Microsynodontis the eyeball is fixed and cannot be moved unlike in Synodontis which has a moveab...

This is one of the species of Synodontis seen less frequently in the trade and it ranks alongside S. schall as one of the more aggressive members of the genus. It is very hardy however and makes a good tankmate for large aggressive cichlid species. One unique characteristic of S. acanthomias is that the humeral process (the bony extension just above the pectoral fins) is long and tapered with a curved end....

A very nocturnal species that will be seen only infrequently during daylight hours. S. angelicus is very long-lived and can survive for over 20 years if maintained correctly. S. angelicus was much sought after when first imported and commanded a correspondingly large price. They are still relatively expensive, though prices have dropped considerably. It is quite a rare species in its native waters. The patterning and colour varies cosiderably, depending on type locality. Some specimens have w...

Often confused with the similar S.nigriventris, this species is imported infrequently. It is easily distinguished from nigriventris by its larger eyes and broad mouth and head. These features give rise to the common name "Big-nosed upside-down catfish". S. contracta spends the majority of its time swimming in an inverted position and this, along with its exaggerated facial features,make it a characterful and interesting addition to the community aquarium. It is also known as the Bug-e...

Also known as both the Clown Squeaker and Decorated Synodontis, the first ray of theis greatly extended in this species. It is one of the more secretive, nocturnal Synos and if you wish to observe it regularly we recommend the addition of a 'moon' light or a red bulb timed to come on for a couple of hours after the main tank lights go off. If some food is added to the tank under these lighting conditions it should emerge to feed. This is one of only 3 members of the genus to exhibit...

S. dhonti's natural deep water habitat and solitary lifestyle make collection for the hobby difficult and so it is rarely seen for sale. When juvenile it may be confused with other Tanganyikan Synos but it loses its spotted patterning as it matures....

One of the most popular and commonly seen Synos in the hobby, S. eupterus is usually offered for sale as a small (1-3") juvenile with no information regarding its potential size. These young fish are often sold as Synodontis "Network" due to their attractive reticulated patterning. This patterning breaks up as the fish mature and adult specimens have a simple spotted colouration. The characteristic 'feathered' dorsal also develops with age, with the first few rays develo...

The reason we have recommended the use of non-Tanganyikan cichlid hosts above is because a successful captive spawning using Tanganyikan cichlid species has never been recorded! This may be due to an evolutionary process that has been observed in the lake, in which many cichlid species appear to have learned to avoid S. multipunctata when breeding. This is similar to the rejection of alien eggs by the host species in brood-parasatising birds. Because no species of brood parasatising catfish occu...

This is one of the most common Synos seen in dealers' tanks and is often incorrectly labelled "Upside-down catfish". The true upside-down catfish is S. nigriventris and S. nigrita inverts far less frequently than that species although it does often rest in this position. Moreover, S. nigrita grows far larger than S. nigriventris and it is a common sight to see several adult specimens in shops that have been returned by unsuspecting owners. S. nigrita is often confused with the...

This is the only species of Synodontis found in Lake Malawi. There exists both large and small-spotted morphs, both of which are available in the trade.

Also known as the Domino Synodontis or the One-spot Squeaker, several regional variants of S. notata are known, some of which have 3, 6 or 12 spots and others none at all. Some of these are seen for sale under the invalid name S. ocellata. It is also often imported with similar species such as S. nummifer or S.congica. These are usually then all sold as notata. S. notata is more active during the day than many Syno species and therefore makes a good addition to aquariums with more boisterous...

S. ocellifer is often confused with other similar species of Synodontis but can be distinguished by the length of thewhich in this species is very long and runs from just past the base of the to just before the caudal fin. In recent years many alarming hybrids of this species have been appearing on the market and these should be avoided in our opinion. Besides being attractively marked this is one of the hardiest Synos available and is a good choice for the beginner....

One of our favourite Synos and highly recommended for any Tanganyikan community aquarium. The dwarf form can even be kept in a South American community.

S. pleurops is a very nocturnal species and unless the light in the aquarium is dim will rarely be seen. It is also very distinctive and is hard to confuse with other species. It has very large eyes and a downturned mouth, denoting its algae grazing habits. It will rarely venture into open water in the aquarium, preferring to hug the surface of pieces of driftwood, rocks and broad plant leaves. The colouration and patterning can vary considerably depending on type locality....

This species is superficially similar to S. petricola but the spots on its body are larger than in petricola and it has a longer head. It is rarely seen in the trade, though can occasionally be found mis-identified as S. angelicus, S. petricola or Synodontis sp.....

S. robbianus is often confused with the similar but larger S. nigrita. They can be distinguished by the brownish base colour of this species as opposed to the greyer patterning exhibited by S. nigrita. It is also similar to several other Syno species, especially when juvenile. A hardy, adaptable species ideal for the newcomer to Synodontis but not often seen for sale....

S. schall is regarded as the 'bad boy' of the genus in aquarium circles. It is randomly aggressive and not particularly attractive. It is often confused with other similar species of Synodontis such as S. budgetti or S. clarias but can be distinguished by the length of thewhich, in this species, is very long and runs from just past the base of the to just before the caudal fin. It is an important food fish in some of its native countries....

One of the commonest Synos seen for sale, S. nigriventris is occasionally confused with S. contractus. However, on close inspection the species are easy to tell apart as S. nigriventris lacks the large head and mouth and larger eye of S. contractus. The scientific name nigriventris refers to the fact that the belly of this fish is darker than the dorsal area. This is a form of camouflage, making the fish harder to spot by predators above, such as predatory fish, birds etc. It is a basic re...

One of the most stunning and sought after species of Synodontis and though the cost of ownership has dropped slightly, it still commands a high price. Its natural deep water habitat, limited range and solitary lifestyle make collection for the hobby difficult and so it is rarely seen for sale. It also appears that the areas of the lake in which it occurs are threatened with ecological disaster. In the aquarium S. granulosa is intelligent and can develop into a real character, with many speci...

An attractively patterned, infrequently imported Syno that deserves more popularity in the hobby. It is occasionally confused with S. schoutedeni, which it superficially resembles.

This is an uncommonly imported Syno that is nevertheless very attractive. It has distinctive serrated edges to the pectoral fins and will exhibit its strongest colouration over a light coloured substrate....