Cuckoo Catfish

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Inhabits muddy and rocky bottoms at great depths, pushing towards shallower waters to feed and carry out its very particular reproductive cycle.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Cuckoo Catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus). A robust and large fish (up to 27 cm / 10.6 inches). Massive head, light sensitive barbels, large eyes and towering dorsal fin with hardened and sharp first ray.

Social Behavior: Opportunistic gregariousness. Active day and night. Very gregarious, forms turbulent schools that tirelessly patrol the bottom. They are real nest raiders that take advantage of chaos.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: White-edged Leopard. Background varying from cream to dark gold-bronze, scattered with countless black polka dots (multipunctatus). The pectoral, dorsal and caudal fins have thick, bright white borders. Impossible to sex with the naked eye (only by examining the genital papilla).

Aquarium Setup: Large Tanganyika tank (minimum 150 cm / 60 inches). Solid rockwork forming wide dens (Caves) to rest, flanked by open areas of fine sand to sift. No plants required (Cichlids and Synos would uproot them).

Diet and Feeding: Voracious omnivore. Not picky: eats sinking pellets (carnivorous), bloodworms, chopped mussels and shrimp. Snails in the aquarium will disappear, as it extracts them from the shell with extreme skill.

Water Quality: Tanganyika Live Rock. Demands alkaline (pH 8-9) and very hard waters (high GH and KH). Extremely resistant to diseases if parameters remain stable, it collapses dramatically in soft, acidic waters.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Ideal companion for large Great Lakes Cichlids (Frontosa, large Haplochromis). Avoid with timid or too slow fish, from which they would aggressively steal food. They will eat any fish that fits in their mouth.

Aquarium Reproduction: Brood Parasitism (Cuckoo). One of the most fascinating reproductions in nature. They wait for large mouthbrooding Cichlids to lay: they sneak in, eat the cichlid's eggs and lay their own! The confused cichlid female will gather the Synodontis eggs in her mouth, incubating them unaware. The Synodontis larvae will hatch first, devouring the remaining eggs of the host cichlid directly in the mouth of the adoptive mother.

Risks and Diseases: Overfeeding. They are "bottomless" fish. If kept in community, the inexperienced aquarist, fearing slow fish won't eat, will throw rivers of feed: the Multipunctatus will gorge themselves until they deform their belly, risking lethal intestinal blocks and Fatty liver.