Cuckoo Catfish

[Siamese Fighter05]

Hi Everyone

I've always liked the look of these catfish and know that they need different conditions to normal community fish. I've searched the board and google and keep getting different information on them regarding size and tank size.

I'm not planning on setting up a tank anytime soon for them but i'd like to get some info on them if someone could help me out i'd bemost grateful!

What's a good size tank for a shoal of about 3-5?
Any extra info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

Ps: Didn't know whether to post here or in catfish forum

 

[mamafish68]

BEST catfish/Lori resource I know of:

http/www.planetcatfish.com/

 

[Fella]

I struggle to find a trio of Synodontis multipunctatus for under £80, just as a word of warning!

They're lovely though, need lake tanganiyika requirements, so hard alkaline water is essential. A species tank seems an odd thing to do, as appreciating the breeding behaviour of these fish would certainly be exciting.

As for tank size, they max out at 4 and 3/4 inches, and are schooling when young (between 3 and 5 individuals) and are solitary later on in life, but do not fight over territory.

HTH.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Hi and thanks for your fast replies!

Thanks for all that info Fella, i was only really considering a species only tank as i was hoping to keep the tank size down a little bit. Not that i dont want them to have adequate tank size i was just planning on having a custom made tank which is divided with glass to have half as a nano reef and the other half for this guys...
I'm just trying to get info out. I dont think a 24x15x12 would be adequate for 4 of them?

Thanks again
Dan

 

[fishing4exotics]

I have kept and bred S. multipunctatus in a 55 gallon tank. They can be kept with other african cichlids. The don't need to be kept in a species tank. I would say that 24x15x12 would be a little cramped for 4 full grown multi's. Multi's grow to about 6". You might try 4 S. petricolas. They are smaller and grow to about 4".

By the way, S. multipunctatus have the strangest spawning behavior. They will wait for another fish, a mouthbrooder to spawn. As the mouthbrooder female lays her eggs and the male fertalizes them the pair of cuckoo catfish will eat and then lay their own eggs on the spot. The female wouthbrooder then picks up the cuckoo catfish eggs thinking them as her own. The mouthbrooder then incubates her own eggs as well as the parasitic eggs of the cuckoo catfish. The cuckoo catfish eggs will hatch before the host mouthbroodereggs hatch. Leaving eggs and smaller fry for the cuckoo catfish fry as their 1st meal. Towards the end the host fish mouth is full of cuckoo catfish fry and none of her own fry

 

[Fella]

I have kept and bred S. multipunctatus in a 55 gallon tank. They can be kept with other african cichlids. The don't need to be kept in a species tank. I would say that 24x15x12 would be a little cramped for 4 full grown multi's. Multi's grow to about 6". You might try 4 S. petricolas. They are smaller and grow to about 4".

By the way, S. multipunctatus have the strangest spawning behavior. They will wait for another fish, a mouthbrooder to spawn. As the mouthbrooder female lays her eggs and the male fertalizes them the pair of cuckoo catfish will eat and then lay their own eggs on the spot. The female wouthbrooder then picks up the cuckoo catfish eggs thinking them as her own. The mouthbrooder then incubates her own eggs as well as the parasitic eggs of the cuckoo catfish. The cuckoo catfish eggs will hatch before the host mouthbroodereggs hatch. Leaving eggs and smaller fry for the cuckoo catfish fry as their 1st meal. Towards the end the host fish mouth is full of cuckoo catfish fry and none of her own fry

And as if by magic, here is a video of it - http/www.xdeleon.com/vatoelvis/videos/SynoSpawning.wmv

Like I say, I really wanted some, but when I found out the cost I was soon swayed away from it!

 

[modernhamlet]

I dont think a 24x15x12 would be adequate for 4 of them?

Thanks again
Dan

I think multis get a little bit too big for that size tank, but if you can get ahold of 5 or 6 S. petricola, they'd probably do well. They do tend to be a bit pricey (~$8-12US each here) and can be a bit shy. The more you get, the less shy they'll be though. I have 9 in a 75g with a bunch of mbuna and they do fine...

Hope that helps...

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Thanks alot for your replies guys. That was a very ineresting video, thanks for posting it fella
I had read about their spawning behaviour lazy parents!
Thanks again

I dont think a 24x15x12 would be adequate for 4 of them?

Thanks again
Dan

I think multis get a little bit too big for that size tank, but if you can get ahold of 5 or 6 S. petricola, they'd probably do well. They do tend to be a bit pricey (~$8-12US each here) and can be a bit shy. The more you get, the less shy they'll be though. I have 9 in a 75g with a bunch of mbuna and they do fine...

Hope that helps...

Thanks alot for that MH

I really like petricola also and will go and take a good look into them now. The reason i was thinking of a species only tank for the time was that i dont think my mum will let me set-up a larger FW tank until shes positive that i can take care of the nano-reef when it finally does get set-up, so i wanted to keep the tank size down initially until i would get the greenlight to go for an all out malawi/syndontis tank
They are £14.99 each in the LFS but i can get them at 4 fo £20 on classifieds. It will be a while as the nano is my main focus for now but it's diffently going to happen!

Substrate - The malawi substrate which helps buffer up PH would be okay? I think its a sandy type of substrate so it should be okay for their whiskers?
Do they like a good flow?
I will make lots of hiding places for them all and get about 4-5 of them

Thanks Dan

 

[freddyk]

Syno. Multipunctatus (cuckoo) is an incredibly resiliant fish. They'll live and breed and thrive in conditions that are technically unsuited for it. They are also very fast and active fish that grow not to 4, but as large s 8" long (yes it's true). A 24" tank would be nothing more then temporary for them and at least double would be best. Petricola is pretty much a smaller version and a trio would go fine in that tank, and I'd still consider it a little small.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Syno. Multipunctatus (cuckoo) is an incredibly resiliant fish. They'll live and breed and thrive in conditions that are technically unsuited for it. They are also very fast and active fish that grow not to 4, but as large s 8" long (yes it's true). A 24" tank would be nothing more then temporary for them and at least double would be best. Petricola is pretty much a smaller version and a trio would go fine in that tank, and I'd still consider it a little small.

Thanks for your reply FreddyK

I would be upgrading the tank before they were fully grown (The petri's) so the 24" would be temporary for a few months until i've proven myself to my mum

Do these guys look a good flow?

Thanks Dan

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

They really prefer a small flow not a major flow. Mine have very little flow and are quite happy that way. One has been known to deliberately swim into the flow of the extra filter I have in my tank but it is quite a rare occurance.
I keep all my synos (with the exception of the angelicus) in groups and they enjoy the interaction and company. They range in age from youngsters to adults. The Multis and Petricola are in with Mbuna and the areas water is naturally hard. But I would hesitate to put even Petricolas in a tank that size. Mine are currently in a 44g but will soon be moving into a much larger tank, 125g minimum, and most of the synos will be housed together with the Mbunas. They love their hiding places but like alot of hiding places to hand at all times. Be sure to allow for one extra hiding spot to synos. That way there will always be enough for all, even if then all decide to quarrel over just one.
Hugs,
P.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

They really prefer a small flow not a major flow. Mine have very little flow and are quite happy that way. One has been known to deliberately swim into the flow of the extra filter I have in my tank but it is quite a rare occurance.
I keep all my synos (with the exception of the angelicus) in groups and they enjoy the interaction and company. They range in age from youngsters to adults. The Multis and Petricola are in with Mbuna and the areas water is naturally hard. But I would hesitate to put even Petricolas in a tank that size. Mine are currently in a 44g but will soon be moving into a much larger tank, 125g minimum, and most of the synos will be housed together with the Mbunas. They love their hiding places but like alot of hiding places to hand at all times. Be sure to allow for one extra hiding spot to synos. That way there will always be enough for all, even if then all decide to quarrel over just one.
Hugs,
P.

Hi Miss Dib Dabs

Thanks for answering all my questions and the extra info It's always good to have the help of someone with experience with the fish i like. I know you said you wouldn't consider putting the fish in the tank but do you think they would be okay in there temporarily. I would buy them young so it would give me lots of time to get them a good sized home to live and the temporary home should be okay for when they are small. At what size should i be aiming to have them out of the smaller tank by? If you are completley against it no matter what please say so
Thanks again
Dan
Damn i'm posting too much lately

 

[freddyk]

I'd say that at about 3" it's time to start looking at setting up that new tank. They may look small but they move around a lot and should have the swimming space. They don't seem to care much about flow but they evolved in calm waters. I certainly agree with the extra hiding spot - I've found having more hiding spots then fish helps keep the peace.