My new Synodontis Melanostictus

[smathys84]

Hi everybody

I'm pretty stoked about my newest Synodontis cats. Recently I found 2 Synodontis Melanostictus at my LFS. At least I'm pretty sure that they are. They came from a customer who quit the hobby and had around 20 Synodontis (My type of fish keeper XD). The LFS didn't know what species they were, so I picked them up. They did have a third one, but he was in a really bad shape. Got beat up by other fish and we are not sure if he's gonna make it. He would have died from transport and new water, I'm sure. They put him into quarantine. I will check in 2-3 Weeks and if he recovered, I'll take him too.

After the quarantine I finally could take pictures of mine. The fin got beat up during the hierarchy fight with my alpha Syno, but now everything is going well and they get along. The gold/yellow is just so beautiful. Even one of the brichardis joined for the photo shoot ^^
One is 6.6" (around 17cm) and the other 8" (around 21cm). The Pictures show the smaller one.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Splendid photos and this must be the first time I see this syno species. What happened with the other 17 synos?

[smathys84]

Thank you very much. It was a first time for me as well. I'm not 100% sure it's a melanostictus, but I couldn't find any other species that came close. I had to check on the database ;)

The rest of the synos are still at the LFS. They had an 6.6" (17cm) angelicus, which I took home too. I already have angelicus and they got along from the get go.

There are some multis, nigrita and some I have never seen left. They kinda look like multis, but with a long narrow tail. Maybe I should take pictures for you guys. To be honest, most of them are not in great shape. Very thin and some beat up. I assume the previous owner had them together with big cichlids. There was a 12" red terror from the same owner. I guess they were in the same tank.
The previous owner didn't really feed the synos but the guy at the LFS takes good care of them now.

[Jools]

I'm not sure it is

Synodontis melanostictus

. I can't see the tail very clearly but there is too much black in the unpaired fins generally and the body shape is not long enough.



Jools

[smathys84]

Hi Jools

Keep in mind, on my pictures hes not perfect from the side and the tail is not black in real, just darker yellow. Any idea what it could be instead? Maybe nigromaculatus?

[Jools]

They are fantastic pictures and much better than the ones we often "work" with. Given the copper eye colour, my first thought was that is was a hybrid.

Jools

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you for the reply. The fish looked "hybridy" to me too but with so-o-o many new syno species having been added to the Cat-eLog, I dared not stating so.

... They had an 6.6" (17cm) angelicus, which I took home too. I already have angelicus and they got along from the get go.

You must be mighty lucky, I think. Angelicus is often said to be one of the more aggressive ones.

[smathys84]

Is it the eyes that gives them a hybrid look? My question would be, why are there 3 exact same hybrids. They must have been collected at the same time. major coincidence (but not impossible, sure)

Too bad there is no species I really can pin them too. I will to love them as hybrid too

I never had Problems with the angelicus. Very active and friendly. I hope it stays that way ;)

[Viktor Jarikov]

To me, it is in the pattern in the finnage, doesn't strike me as natural for any species but again, my opinion is worthless when it comes to lesser known synos.

All syno hybrids are man made, I used to say they are lil' frankensteins but I had been taught I rather painful lesson that I shouldn't use this term.

The hybrids are made in an inhumane way, it is said, and in the name of profits and duping hobbyists; it's a controversial subject, hot for many. I am against them but I am not telling anyone how to feel about them. More here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28659

I think there is still a small chance yours might get a non-hybrid ID.

Angelicus seems a hit and miss. Mine was alright too but other keepers report problems.

[smathys84]

I read the thread and I see where you're coming from. It's not easy to respond to this for me, since I don't feel black or white on this topic.
On one hand I don't support creating "new species" by force just for profit, on the other hand, I did buy hybrids in a similar situation like this here. Big synodontis, gotten too big for the previous owner. Also, some of the rare species like granulosus would probably not been able to be bred without hormones. So while It would be better if we could breed them naturally, I think its still better this way than taking all the fish from the wild when they are rare anyway.

To be fair, most LFS here don't import willingly hybrids. They all get the fish from the same distributors from germany and netherlands and buy mostly multis, petricola and some of them schoutedeni. I know it's a bit ignorant to say it's not a big problem here, while it still is somewhere else.

[Jools]

The good thing about hybrids is their production doesn't impact wild populations, the bad thing is what's involved in their production. I am a bit "grey" (i.e. not black and white) about it too.

Small point, but there is no data to suggest one species of egg scattering synodontis is any easier or harder to breed than another. It's the size of the species and availability and the (sparse) number of aquarists trying to breed them that appear to be the limiting factors.

Well done for taking these fish on, no matter what they are, they deserve to be looked after and I, for one, would like to see more quality pictures of them as they recover.


Jools

[smathys84]

I will give them some time to heal and settling in and will post more pictures

[Birger]

I will give my opinion on the ID and I agree with the hybrid direction....the color of the eyes just says a tanganyikan syno is in the mix.but the shape of the head screams hybrid to me.
Melanostictus have a different body shape in my eyes.

Birger

[kvnbyl]

they are beautiful and they have a great home. it's maybe like people, it doesn't matter what went into the mix it's how they turn out

[Jools]

they are beautiful and they have a great home. it's maybe like people, it doesn't matter what went into the mix it's how they turn out

I agree, it's like people. With apologies to the OP, if you married what you thought was a intelligent, gorgeous and rich person and they turned out to be entirely not that, then you might also have cause for concern. It's all about expectation matching the label.

Jools

[bekateen]

All syno hybrids are man made, I used to say they are lil' frankensteins but I had been taught I rather painful lesson that I shouldn't use this term.

Viktor, this is an intriguing comment. Off topic from OP, so if you don't mind explaining, please PM me.

Thank you,
Eric

P.S. Yes those are wonderful photographs.