Syno Confusion - decorus ? help!

[Plecodoras, posts: 39]

Hi all !
Be gentle with me - first time posting!?!?

I bought these synodontis cats from a LFS which had them marked up as synodontis arblinata. I thought they were very nice and bought the only three he had. When I gets home I tried to find some info on them, only to find there is no synodontis arblinata, so what are they? could they be Decorus or maybe Brichardi? or even something else.
They are about 50 - 55mm in length,
Appreciate any feedback. Congrats to the site moderators

[Birger]

As you found out, no such thing as synodontis arblinata, never heard that one before, someone may have gone through a list and stopped at Synodontis albolineata and then messed up the spelling(not uncommon).
I try to give the benefit of the doubt but this is most likely a hybrid that is often sold as Synodontis ornatipinnis very slim chance they could be the real thing, you would have to grow them out some to be sure. Have not seen the real thing available recently at all especially as juveniles.

If you could find out where they were shipped from that would tell for sure.

Birger

[racoll, posts: 4473]

synodontis arblinata

Welcome to the site.

That name's a new one, but the fish are man-made Czech hybrid Synodontis i'm afraid. Hope you didn't pay too much for them.

Just so you know, they are produced via incredibly cruel methods with involve slicing open and killing the female catfish to remove her eggs. Not pleasant.

[Plecodoras, posts: 39]

As you found out, no such thing as synodontis arblinata, never heard that one before, someone may have gone through a list and stopped at Synodontis albolineata and then messed up the spelling(not uncommon).
I try to give the benefit of the doubt but this is most likely a hybrid that is often sold as Synodontis ornatipinnis very slim chance they could be the real thing, you would have to grow them out some to be sure. Have not seen the real thing available recently at all especially as juveniles.

If you could find out where they were shipped from that would tell for sure.

Birger

Thank you Birger for taking the time to reply to my post, I thought it was a plausable conclusion, I do hope that they are NOT what Racoll suggests.

[Plecodoras, posts: 39]

synodontis arblinata

Welcome to the site.

That name's a new one, but the fish are man-made Czech hybrid Synodontis i'm afraid. Hope you didn't pay too much for them.

Just so you know, they are produced via incredibly cruel methods with involve slicing open and killing the female catfish to remove her eggs. Not pleasant.

Thank You also Racoll,
I do honestly hope that they are not what you describe and I no way agree with any cruelty towards any fish. Could it not be what Birger describes? I can see a resemblance to Synodontis ornatipinnis.
If they are not Ornatipinnis, what do you think they may have been interbred with to get this morth? and any idea of what size they may attain?
Again thank you for replying to my post.

[Birger]

very slim chance they could be the real thing,

If they are not Ornatipinnis, what do you think they may have been interbred with to get this morth?

That often just turns into a guessing game I do not usually play.

and any idea of what size they may attain?

I would plan for a size of 7-10 inches SL, if it is any different let us know.

Birger

[racoll, posts: 4473]

I do honestly hope that they are not what you describe ... Could it not be what Birger describes?

Just to clarify, Birger and I are in 100% agreement. This is a hybrid catfish SOLD as S. ornatipinnis. It is not S. ornatipinnis. The mother species of this hybrid is Synodontis decora (I DNA tested them). Not sure about the father species, but I doubt it is S. ornatipinnis as they are very rare in the trade.

Hope this helps.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2276]

Good info, Racoll. You yourself DNA-tested them? For some one (a client) or for your own research? Very interesting.

Plecodoras, welcome aboard. It will be awfully nice of you to come back regularly and update this thread with pics and care/size/what not info on these little guys. Good luck.

If you wanna know more about syno hybrids (can be a very touchy subject with some), search for syno hybrid threads here (search tab is second to the rightmost) - there are a few major ones.

[Birger]

f you wanna know more about syno hybrids (can be a very touchy subject with some), search for syno hybrid threads here

This thread viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28659

Birger

[racoll, posts: 4473]

Good info, Racoll. You yourself DNA-tested them?

Yes I did, and a few others too. I wanted to try to identify both parent species, but had a few difficulties in the lab with the paternal species, and then ran out of time.

[Plecodoras, posts: 39]

Thank You to all who have replied to this posting, most helpfull.

Birger cheers for the link, I have read it all, it sure does seem to open a huge debate and as I said I do not condone any such treatment but I do have my own views too.
For the record I do NOT know anything about Synodontis Hybrids and that Iam new to the hobby, have kept fish for over 20 years but have only been able to devote anytime real time to the hobby as I do now. Iam near to completing a fish house and want to specialise[i]in corys and plecs mainly, but I love ALL species.
[i][i]These fish caught my eye in a local fs, they were priced at £5 each, so from what you all say then they are most likely hybrids.
But do we not see hybridisation in the wild, we do here in europe with our native coldwater fish.
Fish that live in the same eco systems and breed side by side to so speak will, produce hybrids and who is to say that several of the fish which have been caught in these eco systems are in fact hybrids but because they were wild caught and have been there for hundreds of years they are classed as a species in there own right....

I know man made hybridisation is another thing all together, but don't lets forget it does happen in the wild as well.
Again thanks to all.[/i][/i][/i]