Am I a Syno Hybrid?

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Alan
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Am I a Syno Hybrid?

Post by Alan »

After buying it about 2 months ago at the size of 2.5-3" TL it disappeared into my big tank and I only saw it again a few days ago. It's now 5" SL, and looks gorgeous, but is it a hybrid, or if not, what is it?

Image
[img:469:250]http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4589/syno2cf5.jpg[/img]
[img:500:424]http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/494/syno3lf1.jpg[/img]

And here is a (Much) bigger copy of the last pic.

I think it's pretty cool having the numbers 321 written on it's right hand side!

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers
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Post by Marc van Arc »

Hi Alan & welcome to PC.
This is one I've never seen before, so it is very tempting to state it's a hybrid. But I don't know all synos of course and even in the Cat-eLog there are some that don't have pictures but drawings instead, let alone all species that are not listed so far.
Did you check all pictures of Synodontis? When you click the link you'll get all syno entries in the Cat-eLog.
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racoll
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Post by racoll »

Hello.

looks to be a superficial match, but the humeral process seems to be the wrong shape, and the tail is not the same pattern.

I also wouldn't think that a 5" non-hybrid would develop a hunch back.

I'm thinking hybrid perhaps?
Alan
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Post by Alan »

Suggestions so far (on the PFK forum) include:
-S. Koensis
-S. Greshoffi
-S. waterloti
-"it does not seem to match any described species." from Silurus, and
-S. ornatipinnis from a book!

It also resembles but that has different patterning on the face.

Below is another photo, but of poorer quality, showing it's right hand side, and the numbers 321
Image

the much larger version is here
Marc van Arc
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Post by Marc van Arc »

It also contains a slight touch of , but if Silurus says "it does not seem to match any described species", you can take his word for it. Which leaves you 2 options: either undescribed (yet) or man made. With regard to all the above I'm leaning towards the latter.
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Post by sidguppy »

ditto here

it looks like someone managed to crossbreed Synodontis decorus with Synodontis schoutedeni IMO.

the true ornatipinnis is very very hard to get and extremely rare in the hobby for reasons unknown to me.

however the 2 other species I mentioned are not and i think someone in one of those Frankenstein labs in Czech got a bout of inspiration and a needle full of hormones when he saw those 2 species.

those humpbacks are typical for many hybrids out there.
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Post by Dave Rinaldo »

http://www.northtrop.co.uk/

Click ARTICLES and go to #26,
Not so angelicus

From this thread at http://www.petfrd.com/
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Marc van Arc
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Post by Marc van Arc »

I'm no fan of hybrids, but I must admit that the angelicus x schoutendeni hybrid has a very beautiful body pattern.
The other hybrid in the article (petricola x nigrita) may find it's way into LFS-ses as (juvenile) "Synodontis njassae", so everybody looking for that species pls beware....

Thanks for the link Dave.
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Post by Richard B »

I thought Alan's fish might be decorus x greshoffi, or as Sid points out schoutdeni x decorus?

The petricola & nigrita has been seen in many retailers over here - hybrids do seem to be becoming a lot more prevalent unfortunately
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Post by Mike_Noren »

Dave Rinaldo wrote:http://www.northtrop.co.uk/
Nice site.

The author of the 'breeding otocinclus' article has apparently achieved more than he think: the adult oto pictured is a true Otocinclus affinis, and if that's the otos which bred then I'm guessing the author got the first ever captive breeding of that species. :D
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