Which syno?

Did you know fantastic help is an anagram of Planet Catfish? This forum is for those of you with pictures of your catfish who are looking for help identifying them. There are many here to help and a firm ID is the first step towards keeping your catfish in the best conditions.
Post Reply
User avatar
Dinyar
Posts: 1286
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 00:34
My articles: 3
My images: 229
My catfish: 10
My cats species list: 3 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 94
Location 1: New York, NY, USA
Interests: Mochokidae, Claroteidae, Bagridae, Malepteruridae, Chacidae, Heteropneustidae, Clariidae, Sisoridae, Loricariiadae

Post by Dinyar »

There is a "S. multipunctatus Zambia" or "Southern", but no "Zaire". The "Zaire" might suggest that it is a Central African Syno and not from the Rift Lakes at all.

Dinyar
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

Which would tend to support the identity of <i>S. rebeli</i> (from the Sanaga River basin in Cameroun a little bit further to the north and west).
Image
mathieu
Posts: 10
Joined: 06 Feb 2003, 13:15
Location 1: The Netherlands

Post by mathieu »

Ok, I think I'll call my fish rebeli (it needs a name, right?) Its probably the best choice.
Thanks for all the help. When I get some new information from the petshop, I'll write it here.

Mathieu
mathieu
Posts: 10
Joined: 06 Feb 2003, 13:15
Location 1: The Netherlands

update

Post by mathieu »

Fyi:

Just got an update from the petshop. They say this fish is definitly not from Lake Tanganyika, but it is caught somewhere in the area Zaire/Congo. And the importer didn't know the name, so (s)he gave it the name "multipunctatus zaire". Somehow I got the feeling the petshop knew this name was wrong, because he'd already asked the importer before about this fish.

Anyway, I told him that its (propably) Rebeli. I'm curious whether they'll change the labels to prevent fools like me from buying the wrong fish.

mathieu
User avatar
Sid Guppy
Posts: 757
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 15:36
Location 1: Brabant, the Netherlands
Interests: Catfish, Tanganyikan fish, Rock'n'roll, Fantasy

Post by Sid Guppy »

:lol:
Dinyar; the WHOLE westcoast of Lake Tanganyika is Zaire (Congo again; actually), so there are probably tons of Riftlake "Zaire"syno's.
They are most likely VERY RARE in the trade, since going into Congo/Zaire is still very risky; there's complete anarchy over there ESPECIALLY near the lakeside.
even Ad Konings couldn't do research for his latest books on the North West corner of Lake Tang, and neither Toby Veal (sort of a Steve Irwin in cichlid country) or the Brichards go there either, and that's counting....
Plan B should not automatically be twice as much explosives as Plan A
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

I'm not sure about Congo fishes being rare in the trade. Our source of unusual African cats here has been getting shipments from Congo. Not too long ago, he had a shipment of <i>Microsynodontis</i> from there.
He's pretty reliable as far as localities are concerned.
Image
User avatar
Dinyar
Posts: 1286
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 00:34
My articles: 3
My images: 229
My catfish: 10
My cats species list: 3 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 94
Location 1: New York, NY, USA
Interests: Mochokidae, Claroteidae, Bagridae, Malepteruridae, Chacidae, Heteropneustidae, Clariidae, Sisoridae, Loricariiadae

Post by Dinyar »

SG_Eurystomus wrote:Dinyar; the WHOLE westcoast of Lake Tanganyika is Zaire (Congo again; actually), so there are probably tons of Riftlake "Zaire"syno's.
They are most likely VERY RARE in the trade, since going into Congo/Zaire is still very risky; there's complete anarchy over there ESPECIALLY near the lakeside.
even Ad Konings couldn't do research for his latest books on the North West corner of Lake Tang, and neither Toby Veal (sort of a Steve Irwin in c*****d country) or the Brichards go there either, and that's counting....
Sid, Of course I accept your point that much of the west coast of L. Tanganyika is part of the Congo and that therefore, lots of Tang Synos could be called "Zaire synos". Apart from the anarchy, some parts of this area have also beeen affected by the recent volcano in Gombe.

Heok Hee's point that many Congo catfish enter the trade is also true.

In practice, it often seems to be the case that when importers talk of "Zaire" or "Congo Synos", they are often referring to a non-Rift Lake Syno. I think you and I know enough about Rift Lake Synos to be able to identify them in most cases. There are only a handful, and we've seen them all (lots of variation and open questions, true; maybe we haven't quite seeen them ALL, but close). I'm not equally confident of my abilty to identify riverine Congo Synos. Lots of species that I've never seen.

Dinyar
Post Reply

Return to “What is my catfish?”