Synodontis N???

timothy.s · Post by **timothy.s** » 10 Nov 2006, 19:50

He is about 12-13" long..very calm..annoyed that I have moved his rocks around (hence cloudy water)..

Just cannot remember his proper name..

Any help please

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 10 Nov 2006, 21:22

Looks like

synodont_fan · Post by **synodont_fan** » 14 Nov 2006, 16:06

It's difficult to ID fish from photos, but I really doubt that this is notatus. I have a 7-inch specimen with a single spot (which is quite large) and it has a very distinctive two-tone body coloration - white in the lower half, light brown in the upper half.

I know that there are 0-spot, 1-spot, 2-spot and 3-spot versions of notatus. But I'm not aware of any with more spots such as this photo shows (and yes, I see the twelve-spot photo in the species section, but I would venture to guess that isn't actually notatus). Also, notatus doesn't appear to reach 12-13 inches in size.

I know that everybody hates them, but I would be inclined to use the "h" word for this one.

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 14 Nov 2006, 17:38

Looks very much like notatus to me. I have seen a fair few specimens around 10" (though not for many years). I have additionally seen many spot variations, but centering mostly around the 0,1,2, combination on either side although occasionally more. A am doubtful it is a hybrid as it doesn't match any of the variations i've encountered (& i've seen many versions & talked to a breeder about combinations he produces). Hybrids are produced to try & create something as a cheaper version of something more elusive or create something new that doesn't already exist. This is so close to Notatus that a hybrid would be pointless as Notatus is hardly unusual.

Anyone else got a PoV?

Richard B

synodont_fan · Post by **synodont_fan** » 14 Nov 2006, 21:04

The whiskers don't look right to me for notatus, either. Mine is only 7 inches, and it has much longer barbels than this specimen.

I have a couple of 5-6 inch specimens with a similar dark brown body and irregular spotted pattern which were sold as longirostris (but definitely aren't, as I've seen the real thing). When they were 2 inches, they were very cute and probably sell pretty well, hence the incentive to produce them. They are ok, but definitely not as cute now that they are larger. I'm pretty sure that mine are hybrids, especially since one has the sloping head that often seems to accompany hybridization.

By the way, notatus is not commonly available in my local fish stores. I frequent a lot of them looking for uncommon synodontids, and I've only seen 2 notatus over the past four years.

My notatus actively patrols the central region of my tank and he is the dominant synodontid among my large group (even a comparably sized angelicus yields to him and a bigger decorus stays out of his way).

Post by **Silurus** » 14 Nov 2006, 21:54

The key characters (adipose fin, humeral process shape) all point to S. notatus.

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 16 Nov 2006, 12:33

A couple of follow ups - i meant adipose & humeral process when i said the specimen was so close to what i believe to be notatus - so i feel this is a correct identification, particularly as silurus seems to agree.

Notatus are quite common but perhaps only where i am in the world compared to where you are. I have seen about half a dozen for sale retail in 4 different shops in the past fortnight. sizes ranged from 3" to 8" mostly 1 spot per side with one individual a 2 left one right, (or the other way around).

I had not considered the barbels to be a key ID characteristic but will stand correction if thi sturns out to be the case

Thanks for the input

Richard B