PlanetCatfish.com

Thank you, this is what I wanted to know.

Since September 2002 I'am planing a tank with S. petricolas only. But the accessories are very eypensive and also the fish are very expensive here and because I'am a student it is not so easy for me, money does not grow on trees.

After I began to inform myself about petricola I was very confused. But after a while of thinking and ordering my thoughts I understand the conections.

But one day I read the article of Dinyar and from this moment I was confused again. I began to think if S. petricola is the right fish but with your information I will try it. Maybe it will be possible to set up the tank in June of Juli.

BTW, do all of you keep S. petricola or other Synos?

Right now I have:
-5 adult Synodontis polli (2M, 3F)
-5 juvenile Synodontis cf polli (also known as "polli II", or Zambian polli)
-6 adult Synodontis "petricola dwarf" (2M, 4F)
and 4 adult Mochokiella paynee (2M, 2F); not a syno, but the next best thing

and tons of other fish of course!

That is a lot, I think you like the Synos. Have you already spawned some of them?

My petricolas should look like this:


This are "dwarfs", aren't they?

Yup, those are dwarves alright.

They will reach about 6 cm?

Is it true that the only documented spawnings with petricola were with dwarfs?

They will reach about 6 cm?

No, a little bigger than that, 10 cm or so.

Is it true that the only documented spawnings with petricola were with dwarfs?

Yes.

Silurus wrote:

They will reach about 6 cm?

No, a little bigger than that, 10 cm or so.

The "classic dwarf" (see photo in last post by SynoPetri) will grow to no more than 6 cm STANDARD LENGTH (i.e., not including tail). A typical length for the "classic non-dwarf" (Burundi) would be about 10 cm SL. The Zambian non-dwarf may be a bit smaller.

Dinyar

@ Dinyar

You have petricolas, haven't you? How many of them? Have you already spawned them?

Yes, I have 10 "S. petricola"

2 Zambian "classic" dwarf petricola
2 dwarf-type "petricola" to be identified (they also have similarities with S. pollli and S. dhonti)
2 Burundi "true" non-dwarf petricola
2 Zambian non-dwarf petricola type I (few big spots on olive background, long adipose fin)
1 Zambian non-dwarf petricola type II (many small spots on copper background, short adipose fin, may be Zambian variant of "true" Burundi)
1 Tanzanian "Giant" petricola

I call these fish "S. petricola" only because I don't know what else to call them. Some may be undescribed species, some regional variants of the existing and undescribed species.

In terms of Tanganyika Synodontis, I also have 6 S. multipunctatus (3 Northern, 3 Southern), 5 Zambian S. polli, 5 S. dhonti (2 of these were bought as S. tanganaicae, but I suspect they are really dhonti) and one S. granulosus.

My good friend Erwin Schraml has been sending me photos of Tanganyika Synodontis for some time, mostly new arrivals at Aquarium Glaser, Mal-Ti-Ve and other German importers. From this we know that there are many more "anomalies" than I have seen in my own tank.

Seven species of Synodontis from Lake Tanganyika have been described by science. Depending on how finely we slice the species, there may well be another seven that remain to be described. And that is just Synodontis in one lake! I suspect the All Catfish Species Project is much too conservative in estimating a mere 30 undescribed Mochokidae in all of Africa!

I look forward to the day when a subscriber to this forum will be able to announce the description of new Tanganyika Synodntis species!

Dinyar

I know the petricola problem. When you look in the internet for photos, it will be nearly impossible to find two which look the same. I mean this is very confusing.

But congratulations, you have a nice collection of synos and even a granulosus. By the way, how many tanks do you have? Must be a lot! How big are your tanks?

I've a new question for you all. Is it possible to set up a tank with S. petricola and S. nigriventris?

The reason why I ask is because thése are my favourite fish but I think there could be a difference in ph between the Congo Basin and Lake Tanganyika.

By the way would they accept each other without troubles?

If these problems don't allow a comunity I will have to decide between the two fish and at the moment I would choose S. petricola.

So what do you think?

Is it possible to set up a tank with S. petricola and S. nigriventris?

No. You're right about the different pH requirements of the two species.

Yes, it could be done at a pH of say 7.2-7.4. And they should get along OK. Still, I wouldn't rush into it, because these are fish from very different biotopes.

Dinyar

You two are always very cooperative, thanks guys!!

Yeah, I'm sure we'd do fine in the same tank.

Dinyar

As long as I'm in my own tank

I'm VERRRRRY territorial and antisocial as well; sort of like a Bristlenose from Hell