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Synodontis multipunctatus


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Species information

Species: Family name:- Mochokidae. Synodontis multipunctatus

Synoma: Many Spotted Catfish

Common name: Cuckoo Catfish

Origin: East Africa

Localities/Morphs: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika

Maximum size: Up to 6 inches

Natural habitat: Any type of rock layout, waterweed plantation and gravel substrate Lake Tanganyika has to offer.

Natural foods/prey: Like most catfish these are also nocturnal so they prefer to feed at night on anything they can get their mouth around such as sleeping or dead fish and an array of small crustations and worms.

Water chemistry in the wild: 8 - 9.4 ph, hard, alkaline water.

Predators: Cormerants and large fish predate on these slow swimming fish but soon spit them out as they have sharp barbs that lock out fast to stop enemies from swallowing them.

Brood size: Up to 100 eggs can be laid in a single spawning.

Breeding method: Uses the cuckoo method, see notes .

Husbandry requirements

Minimum tank size: 4 in a 3 foot tank would be ok until they were fully grown then a 4 foot would house them for good.

Sex ratio: 1 male and 1 female but groups work too and preferably 8 female cichlids to 1 non aggressive, male, mouthbrooder cichlid. The Haplochromine species from Malawi and Victoria work well as hosts.

Tolerance of conspecifics: Can be aggressive towards other Syno`s at times.

Tolerance of heterospecifics: males will occassionally fight

Water chemistry in aquaria: A hardy catfish but hates the cold, will tolerate 7 - 9.4 ph with plenty of airation and to breed prefers regular water changes.The cats also have a large bio-load especially if you are using the group technique.

Temperature range: 26 is perfect but will be fine inbetween 22* c - 30* c

Foods accepted: Pellets, flake, spirillina, ejoys brine shrimp, live blackworms and is very fond of bloodworms and earthworms.

Special requirements: To condition these fish for breeding, frequently feed them a varied diet, including bloodworms and earthworms and keep their water clean.

Notes Ctenochromis horei seem to be the prefered host for the Synodontis multipunctatus in the wild as they have been recorded to have had more catfish fry than any other cichlid in Lake Tanganyika.

Synodontis multipunctatus are cuckoo`s, so to breed, they need a host. A swarm of S. multi`s will hone in on mouthbrooding cichlids while they are breeding. While dashing past stealing cichlid eggs, the catfish also leave their own eggs. The cichlid then unknowingly picks up the parasites` eggs to nurse them in her mouth, this happens over and over until the cichlid stops picking up eggs. Within 48 hours the catfish eggs have already hatched and within 4 - 5 days they young cats begin to devour anything they can, baby catfish (kitten canibalism) or cichlid eggs. By day 14 there are only a few catfish left but they are plump and can already defend themselves against large fish by locking open their sharp spines.

More and more people over the last few years have had the luck of seeing the Cuckoo catfish breed in their home.

They make cichlid keeping even more challenging and fun.

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