Known from the Ucayali (río Samiria), Huallaga, Santiago, and Pastaza (ríos Bobonaza and Pindo) river systems in eastern Ecuador and northern Peru. These are all tributary drainages within the middle Río Marañón watershed, a major affluent of the upper Amazon river basin.

Type locality is ‘Río Hallagua system, Yurimaguas…

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…

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish genera. There are also loads of undescribed species, many of which have been assigned a "C number" for identification purposes. This is a very simple system of numbering and is similar to the L number scheme used to identify undescribed Loricariids. Both systems were implemented by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aqua…

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish genera. There are also loads of undescribed species, many of which have been assigned a "C number" for identification purposes. This is a very simple system of numbering and is similar to the L number scheme used to identify undescribed Loricariids. Both systems were implemented by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aqua…

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…

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….

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.

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…

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish genera. There are also loads of undescribed species, many of which have been assigned a "C number" for identification purposes. This is a very simple system of numbering and is similar to the L number scheme used to identify undescribed Loricariids. Both systems were implemented by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aqua…