Thanks Daryl for your comprehensive answer. So now I will only open the filter when the water flow slows and keep up with the pre filter. Thanks everyone for the advise.

I try to clean my internal powerhead and external fluval 305 every Sunday, along with a 30-60% water change. Yeah so did i either weekly or at least 2 weekly though now i am seeing there is no need, just wondering why manufacturers advise to change filter/polishing pads monthly and such if some peo...

What do you use for a pre filter?

I just wondered how often people cleaned out their external filter, also someone advised me that putting some sponge on the end of the inlet tube to the external filter then it would extend greatly the time u would have to mess with the external filter as the pre filter removes most of the gunk and ...

Where are my manners, a great big thanks to you all for giving up the time to id the fish, youre grrrreat.

omg it is a p gibby, lfs i was told it would only grow 9" and was a butterfly plec now it seems it will be over 17", lovely fish though good excuse to get a bigger tank in the future!

Please can u help to identify this plec which was sold as a peruvian butterfly plec!

I would haven't had enough knowledge but i just wanted to say lovely fish!

Yeah at the weekends only at the moment as i am in the navy but leave soon(August) after 22 years, and i notice you are from warwick that is where i stop at the services on the m40 thursdays and sundays on my way to and from portsmouth! Thanks again for the id. :thumbsup: I note you are in Notts - w...

Cheers richard i think you are right, i finally have a ID! And cheers all for a interesting thred i hope to maybe contribute more in the futre as i learn more about my cats.

Seems i have started a good discussion here, i have rang the lfs and he now thinks we are right and it may be a hybrid, i still love the fish but i would like a name for them!
So here is another photo and utube link as promised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsJKpG9Ktzs

I was hoping it was not a hybrid but just labeled incorrectly, the lfs that i got it from has a good reputation so i thought they may have been labeled incorrectly, thanks for all your comments im going to get to the bottom of it, i',m going to put some more hopefully better photos on tommorrow.

Does it help that the fish enjoys swimming upside down?

Also if it is a hybrid is that good/bad, does that mean syno's can breed with different varieties of syno?

Sorry for the bad quality of the photos but i bought 2 Synodontis multipunctatus from east mids aquatics at the weekend and i have noticed them darting around the tank and swimming upside down, they are not ill and are really settling in well, however i have a idea they may be Synodontis nigriventri...