Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Catfish > Feather-Fin Synodontis

Feather-Fin Synodontis

Feather-Fin Catfish ~ Feather-Fin Squeaker Family: Mochokidae

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Synodontis eupterus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The Feather-Fin Synodontis is quite a pretty fish with its polka dot patterning giving it a delicate lacey appearance!

  Although this Synodontis (like most of this genus) gets fairly large, reaching up to 6" (15 cm) when mature, it gets along well in a large community aquarium. The Feather-Fin Synodontis or Feather-Fin Catfish are fairly hardy fish and are not difficult to keep in a well maintained environment.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Feather-Fin Synodontis are found in Africa, the White Nile, Chad basin and Niger.

Size - Weight:
   These fish get up to 6 inches (15 cm).

Social Behaviors:
   The Feather-Fin Synodontis are generally a good community fish and can be kept with any size tank-mates.

Sexual Differences:
   Not known.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the bottom of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 2-15° dGH
   Ph: 6.2 to 7.5
   Temp: 72-79° F (22-26° C)

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Has not been bred in captivity.

Availability:
   The Feather-Fin Synodontis is available from time to time.

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Latest Comments
Mine was bought at 3cm and now is about 10 cm. I have him in a 55 gallon with sand, cichlids, a peacock eel, silver dollars, a cuvier bichir, two harliquin rasoboras, and a pictus cat. he is quite territorial and has scars from trying to attack cichlids and being turned on. Very fast growing. Charlie 2009-03-27
I have a featherfin catfish in a 50 gallon tank with 3 silver dollars and 3 angelfish. I bought it at 5 cm, which quickly turned into 12 cm. I used to have two striped raphael catfish, until my featherfin beat them both to death, a very sad ending for them, I really loved those two. I was so furious with my featherfin that I almost took it out and wanted to drop it in a pot of boiling water, but even though it is a brutal fish, I can't do such a cruel thing to my pet. But now I'm aware that mine is particularly aggressive and territorial to other bottom dwellers. Many months have passed, and my once 5 cm baby catfish is now a 6 inch eating machine. He loves to eat anything within reach(flakes, pellets, bloodworms), if not, it will reach for it. I now see it very often. I never see him hide in his cave, usually it is spotted swimming upside-down, very common among Synodontis species. He is now the most peaceful fish in the tank, because he has the whole bottom part of the tank for himself. I hope he grows to a full eight inches soon, I really want it to reach its maximum size. Calvin 2009-02-07
I have my FeatherFin in 29G tank with 3 Tiger Barbs, 2 Tin Foil Barbs, a Striped Raphael Catfish, and Two Plecos. Now, mine are all Juvenile's. At 1st he (the featherfin) picked on my Albino Pleco who's much smaller then him, but I added another cat and now they're all cool. He chases the pleco's if they get to high but other then that, they are good. Mike Nichols 2008-10-17
i have two featherfins in a 10 gallon tank with a bunch of other community fish. One is about 4 inches now and is highly territorial to the other feather. They tend to be a little nocturnal; they completely hide themselves when i turn the tank light on. I find that they change colors when i put them in different tanks. Right now its pitch-black on the black gravel but when i put it in my other tank, with white gravel, it becomes a lot lighter and his spots are visible. Right now all they will eat are sinking wafers and bloodworms. They are great fish and have beautiful fins. alec 2006-09-30
I got a Lace Cat about a year ago. I have an unusual assortment of fish, but they work wonderfully together! I have a 50 gallon with 4 HUGE goldfish, 1 butterfly pleco, 3 cory cats, 2 apple snails, and my beautiful Lace Cat. The lace cat has grown like a champ! I cant believe how much it has changed and the size it is now! It is wonderful to watch, I am just fascinated by him. He does hide during the day, but he'll come out if I feed them. I just think he's a wonderful addition to the tank! ashley 2005-11-21
Some of the coolest comments:
Please, I hope nobody reading this decides to stock their tanks like some of the other commenters. 2 of these catfish with any other large fish in a 29gal is too many. 1 bala shark can't live in a 29 gal, let alone the 2 + plecos + synos that one person describes. Once these guys reach adulthood, they really ought to have a 55 gal or bigger to explore. Even if you only have 1. Spiff 2009-01-26
It is 26 January 2005. I purchased two lace catfish in April 2004. They were about 1.5 inches from tip of head to tip of tail when I purchased them. they are now about 4.0 inches now! They are fed various food; wafers, flake, chiclids pellets, live earthworms, chicken, etc. They seem to be nocturnal; I do not see them often during the day. They prefer to stay under the driftwood or in the lace rock caves. They are very strong and fast swimmers. I had them in a 46 gallon tank with Cichlids and botia until last night. I moved them to a 40 gallon tank with Angle fish, neon tetras and cory cats. My cichlids had babies and I am afraid that they might be eaten. Kevin 2005-01-26

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Author: David Brough. CFS.