Lets get @Richard B on this.

I do not see much white on this fish in the places it should be.

I would take that one out of the group...Do not see any white on the dorsal, I am guessing hybrid of some sort.

To me they look like juvenile congo type of syno.

They are a cool looking little syno.

Birger

Not koensis...not tourei... Not serpentis...the humerals are wrong for those...I had heard there is some of serpentis around. This is not anything anything I would recognize. I would suggest raise em up and see what they turn into...then come back. Is there any idea where they came from? Wild or oth...

The original photos show a fish with white on the front of the dorsal and also at the back of the dorsal...this is not right for any species of tanganikan syno...petricola / lucipinnis have the white on the front ray of the dorsal. Multipunctatus / grandiops have white at the rear of the dorsal. I h...

It is hard to see them in a 80 to 100 liter tank let alone a 300...they are very very reclusive usually only coming out if food is added to the tank. Then they dart around like crazy for awhile then dissapear again.

Birger

If it is a paradoxoglanis make sure the lateral line is short...or it is not one. Amazonas reported one a few years ago but before I saw that specific fish. Turns out I could see the full length lateral line making it not paradoxoglanis.

Birger

Often called Pygmy, or petricola dwarf

Yes I can...you have Synodontis lucipinnis.

Birger

Could use a better photo please

Birger

looks true to me

Or (2) if captive bred (which I'm still not sure about either, since LFS reported wild caught)

I have seen enough tanks full of as posted wild caught albino fish that I pay no attention to it unless I absolutely trust who is saying this.

birger

Fantastic report, I was most interested to hear about the Zareichthys sp. Love the Amphiliids.

Sorry you already mentioned lengths...at 3 inch they would be lucipinnis.

What is the lenghts of your fish?

Ancistrus are very hard to ID without a collection location.

Also the photo is unclear.

Birger

To be honest there is so much info it makes it difficult to decipher quickly what question you are asking. Yes it is definitely a Pterogoplichthys. I think an active one of these plecos in the way you mention is a bad sign...but a consistent supply of veggies will put a stop to this eventually.Looks...

As I am the "friend" I thought polli whites from the start but could just be juvi polli pattern fooling me. We will see soon enough how they develop.

Birger

I apologize for my bad attitude above but these are my favourite fish.

Birger

Oscars and jack dempsys are not tank mates for a Synodontis nigriventris. A cichlid acts like a cichlid . I can not say what is wrong with your fish , except for the fact they are not predatory at all and do better in groups.

All you can do is put them together and see what happens. As always 2 is a bad number one will chase the other.

Thanks Lee.

The loaches will go huge and may not get along with synodontis. You are better to go with a loach tank.

Birger

If you want true schoaling catfish go to Parailia pelucida and Pareutropius buffei best kept in larger groups they would be great in such a tank. The smaller Synodontis such as Synodontis nigriventris would also work, I like to keep them in groups of at least 12.

Birger

going off of what Birger said Hehe, how did I get dragged into this. My feeling on the original question is there is so many beautiful species and natural variants, why must people be playing god and creating these messed up abhorrences. I use the example of paint, there are so many beautiful color...

It is very difficult without the geography. Is it eating? How many did you get?

Very cool!!

Birger

Yep, I agree hybrid.

Birger

Björn

I need a complete side photo to be able to help you.

I believe it may be a hybrid.

Thanks
Birger

I agree on. It being gariepinus

Birger