First post here. Please help with ID

hamel · Post by **hamel** » 20 Aug 2006, 01:51

Hi, I've visited this site for a while but haven't posted yet. Nice forum!

I was sold a couple of catfish a year or so ago, they were sold to me as some type of synodontis but I can't remember the name to save my life. It seems like it might have started with a k? Anyway, they are real dark with a tight looking giraffe pattern on the their body. They seem to love to graze on green algae, so don't be offended by the algae in my tank. I like it.

Here's a crappy pic maybe someone can post another pic for me to compare with?

Sorry for the large images. The first pic shows the pattern the best, the second pic shows the same fish and around the right side of the rock you can see the tail of the second of the two.

Thanks.

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 20 Aug 2006, 11:38

I'm no good with Synodontises, so I wont confuse the issue by guessing, but I cropped & enlarged a bit to make he catfish more visible, hope you don't mind (just let me know if you want me to remove the pic)

hamel · Post by **hamel** » 20 Aug 2006, 11:54

Mike_Noren wrote:I'm no good with Synodontises, so I wont confuse the issue by guessing, but I cropped & enlarged a bit to make he catfish more visible, hope you don't mind (just let me know if you want me to remove the pic)

No, that's fine. Thanks for the help. The pic looks dark on my monitor and doesn't show the pattern. Are you able to see the pattern on the fish after re-sizing the photo?

I'd like to find out what these are so I can try and find a few more. They are really active in the tank at feeding time, and when all is still in the room. Any movement in the room sends them back to hiding. They're like little lawn mowers at feeding time, they clean up everything the fronts let hit the bottom.

I have to others in the same tank that I have no clue what they are but I do seem fish in the profile pics that look similar. I'll try to get some better pics of both types.

Thanks for the help, I hope someone can nail this down for me.

DJRansome · Post by **DJRansome** » 20 Aug 2006, 13:39

I can see the pattern, the enlarged picture is much better for ID. (But I only know Petricola, that that's not a Petricola.)

Post by **Silurus** » 20 Aug 2006, 14:28

Looks like to me.

hamel · Post by **hamel** » 20 Aug 2006, 16:04

Silurus wrote:Looks like
Synodontis waterloti
to me.

Thanks, I looked at every picture I could find of waterloti. It looks like the closest thing I've seen yet. The only difference I can see is the pattern. I'm trying to get a better pic. I'll post it if I can.

Thanks again.

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 29 Aug 2006, 21:09

I agree with Silurus - most likely S. Waterloti - a riverine species that i haven't personally kept in a lake set-up. They probably would adapt quite well though. A really nice fish that isn't seen here in the uk as often as it once was. I remember some large specimens causing a stir many years ago - they really looked superb - check cat-e-log for images, or volume 2 CoTW if you can find a copy to look at - nice adult represented.

Richard B

naturalart · Post by **naturalart** » 29 Sep 2006, 03:53

I would say waterloti as well. But just for interest sake their is a pic in Burgess, pg 558, plate 76, S. centralis. Sure looks close.