Malawi Spotted Synodontis (Synodontis njassae)

Malawi Spotted Synodontis Synodontis njassae
Name	Malawi Spotted Synodontis
Name Lat.	Synodontis njassae
Family	Upside-down Catfishes
Family lat.	Mochokidae
Order	Catfishes
Order lat.	Siluriformes
Origin	Lake Malawi
Habitat	Rocky intermediate zone
Diet	Omnivore
pH	7.5-8.8
Behavior	Peaceful
Keeping	Individual, pair
Care Level	Moderate
Reproduction	Egg scatterer
Breeding	None reported
Life Span	8-12 years
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	16-19 cm
Temperature	24-28 °C
Hardness	10-25 °dH
Aquarium	~ 300 l
US Units
Size	6.3"-7.5"
Temperature	75-82 °F
Hardness	178-445 ppm
Aquarium	~ 80 gal

Distribution and habitat

The crepuscular Nyassa featherbeard catfishes are found exclusively (endemically) in Lake Malawi in East Africa, where they are distributed lake-wide. They live in the boulder zone with sandy bottoms and usually stay in stone caves during the day.

Maintenance

The aquarium should have a good border planting with many hiding places between stone structures (e.g. perforated rock) and roots as well as offer sufficient swimming space. A dark sand substrate, shaded light (floating plants) and a weak current is ideal.

No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable, the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure the water quality and oxygen content, a filter and heater adapted to the aquarium size is required, as well as lighting for the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals.

Diet

They are easy to feed and will accept any type of live or frozen food, such as daphnia, cyclops, mysis, artemia and black mosquito larvae, as well as sinking dry catfish food (granules, pellets, tablets). In addition, they need regular vegetable food, such as crushed peas, cucumber slices, pureed leafy and wild vegetables or dry food with high vegetable content (spirulina, kelp)

Only feed as much as will be eaten in a few minutes. A regular and varied diet promotes health and increases resistance.

Behaviour and compatibility

They should be kept singly or in pairs. In tanks that are too small, intraspecific incompatibilities can occur with adult animals. A group should only be kept in a much larger and richly structured tank. They can be well socialized with other, not too small fish, such as Malawi cichlids, barbs or catfishes, but often behave incompatible with other Synodontis species.

Basically, only compatible fish species with similar demands on water conditions and water temperature should be socialized.

Sex dimorphism

Males are more slender than females and have a larger pointed dorsal fin. With some experience, the sexes can be determined by the shape of the genital papilla, which is pointed in the male and round in the female.

Reproduction and breeding

There are no known reports of successful breeding in the aquarium.

Important

They usually stay in caves or under roots during the day, often hiding with their belly up. In shaded aquariums, however, they are also active during the day and come out of hiding especially for feeding

When catching them, use as fine-meshed nets as possible so that the hard rays of the pectoral and dorsal fins do not get caught, which can cause painful stinging injuries when touched.

The well-being of the fish should be checked regularly. Temperature should be checked daily, pH, hardness and nitrate levels at least every 14 days. Regular partial water changes are recommended, even when contaminant levels have not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced fish must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: Werner Winter; Image: petdata

Source: BMEL (1998): Tierschutzgutachten - Haltung von Zierfischen (Süßwasser); BAENSCH & RIEHL (2004): Aquarien Atlas Bd. 2, Mergus Verlag; ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische, Verlag Harri Deutsch

• Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF