2 Years and still unshure what she is?

[JimW, posts: 7]

I've had this fish for 2 years given to me when it was very small, now it's about 7 inchs long and I'd like to know what her diet should be for optimum health. She is black with black spots. I've look at the commomly asked about fish and while one is close it's still not the same. She doesnt seem to be a carnivore, I have had her eat the soft part of cucumbers. Thanks for any help

[Yann]

Hi!

Some features look like Synodontis notata
but a few things put it out...such as shape and the fins!!
It could well be an Hybrid with S. notata been one of the 2 parents!!
Cheers
Yann

[JimW, posts: 7]

Well the only things I know for a fact are 1: she has no scales, 2: she is not a carnivore, 3: she is black with black spots, suppose I'll just keep feeding her Hikari catfish wafers and what ever vegitable I can get her to eat

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2273]

I'd add that the most relevant fact is fact #4: she/he is a Synodontis, perhaps a hybrid but still a syno and I agree with Yann that one of the parents would likely be Synodontis notata. So, she/he needs a typical syno care, which is nothing unusual. Synos are an unfussy, hardy fish.

The next step of the syno care refinement is to figure out if the syno is a riverine or from a lake. But since this is likely a hybrid, this point may be moot and one can just stop at the fact that it is a syno.

All my synos take small bits of fish/shrimp/mussel/etc. Synos are known to be able to snatch the smallest tank mates too, especially the larger kinds of synos (and notata is a large syno). So in that way they are carnivorous. But mine eat mostly (~75% of the time) pellets, flakes, worms (meant for other small fish in the tank), etc. I never offered veggies. That's an interesting fact you described. I should try.

[Birger]

I never offered veggies. That's an interesting fact you described. I should try.

Most synos are omnivourous and oportunistic...synos will eat zuchini or green beans to varying degrees once they figure out it can be considered food, some will dig right in others will just graze on it. I think it should be part of the diet of most all excepting those from lake Tanganyika not so much.

Birger

[JimW, posts: 7]

Oh one more habit this animal has is it does swim upside down from time to time at the surface, it's not the main swimming method but often enough to be noticable. Thanks.

[N0body Of The Goat, posts: 150]

Purely as a point of comparison, here is a photo of what I believe to be a many spot ~25cm SL Synodontis notata I picked up at the end of February.Those scratch marks are long gone, he had a bit of a rough night apparently the day before I collected him in a boisterous tank, for an amazing £10

I'm awful at comparing syno species, but a noticceable difference that jumps out for me is the caudal fin, spotted for your one and a uniform beige/yellow for my specimen.

[naturalart, posts: 321]

I think a strong possibility of notata x eupterus. Would love a pic of that dosal fin up.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2273]

Thanks, Birger.

Oh one more habit this animal has is it does swim upside down from time to time at the surface, it's not the main swimming method but often enough to be noticable. Thanks.

Again, a typical syno behavior: almost regardless of the species they all do it to a larger or smaller extent.

[jippo, posts: 247]

I've had this fish for 2 years given to me when it was very small, now it's about 7 inchs long and I'd like to know what her diet should be for optimum health. She is black with black spots. I've look at the commomly asked about fish and while one is close it's still not the same. She doesnt seem to be a carnivore, I have had her eat the soft part of cucumbers. Thanks for any help

This one is hybrid.

Purely as a point of comparison, here is a photo of what I believe to be a many spot ~25cm SL Synodontis notata I picked up at the end of February.Those scratch marks are long gone, he had a bit of a rough night apparently the day before I collected him in a boisterous tank, for an amazing £10

I'm awful at comparing syno species, but a noticceable difference that jumps out for me is the caudal fin, spotted for your one and a uniform beige/yellow for my specimen.

This one is genuine notata.

[JimW, posts: 7]

How do you manage to get pictures of a fish that will only venture out in darkness or semidarkness? If I could lay my hands on and IR array I could get a good picture. I'll try to get a dorsal fin picture, it is very tall and sail like, much like you'de find on a yaght but black with sports. Can movies be posted?

[N0body Of The Goat, posts: 150]

My S. notata's 5x2x2 is in a subdued naturally lit garage which definitely helps, this species is known as being more diurnally active in such conditions just like Synodontis brichardi (also down there).
However, my Synodontis congica takes things a stage further, he/she is very active in the lounge 48x12x15 as long as we are not walking in front of the tank...