Tag Archives: squeaker

Synodontis soloni

23. February 2018

We obtained a very rarely offered squeaker catfish from the Congo: Synodontis soloni. The species is medium sized (for squeakers): 20-25 cm long specimens can be called real big ones. The large caudal fin and the slender body give hints that this is a rheophilic species. Against conspecifics our specimens, which are currently 12-15 cm long, are quite peaceful. Obviously these fish live in dark places, as they eyes have strongly reflecting zones. This leads to funny artefacts in pictures taken with flashlights. We have added one picture to that post – a portrait – in which we left the artefact. In the others we have removed the „red-eyes-effect“ in a way that the fish look like one observes them with the bare eye.

There are two scientifically described, exrtremely simlar species that originate from the very same region and differ from S. soloni only by a few minor differences (eye diameter, shape of the humeral process, shape of the adipose fin, proportions of the body, shape of barbels). These species are named as Synodontis smiti and S. camelopardalis. However, in our import (35 specimens) many intermediate animals are respresented in respect of colouration, so we feel unable to assort them in a senseful way. Possibly S. smiti and S. camelopardalis are only synonyms to S. soloni. In any case the latter is the earliest described species (soloni 1899, smiti 1902, camelopardalis 1971).

For our customers: the fish have code 186804 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Synodontis batensoda

26. June 2017

There does exist a good number of species of Synodontis that tend to swim upside down. The best known species is without any doubt the upside down cat, Synodontis nigriventris from the Congo. Now we were able to import the very rarely offered Synodontis batensoda from Nigeria, which shows a similar behaviour.

It seems to be quite unimportant for the fish in which position it swims actually. But one can see from the very dark coloration of the belly that the upside-down postion is very often used. Species of fish with a “normal” swimming behaviour have light bellies, so they do not contrast much with the sky. Many predatory fish hunt from below, so this coloration is necessary.

S. batensoda attains usually a length of about 25 cm (maximum size recorded is about 50 cm) and should be kept in larger aquaria. The species is quite social and should be never kept alone. S. batensoda will eat small fish, but is usually very peaceful against larger, other species. Formerly S. batensoda was placed in the monotypic genus Brachysynodontis.

For our customers: the fish have code 103003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer