Cuckoo Catfish

[James.feenan]

Just a quick question I have one Cuckoo Catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus)
That I got from a friend two weeks ago and tonight it started acting strange with jumping and splashing out the water. Can anyone tell me a bit more about this behaviour.

[MatsP]

That doesn't sound "right". I haven't kept this particular variety, but I have kept a few other

Synodontis

species, and I'd be rather worried that the water quality is not good if they start popping their head out of the water. Low oxygen, high nitrite and/or ammonia. If you have a water test kit that tests for ammonia and nitrite, then test the water. If not, do a 50% water change (make sure the water is dechlorinated and the same temperature as your tank currently).

If possible, increase the water movement in the tank (move filter outlets so that you get a little bit of ripple at the surface, or even get the filter over the edge of the water so some more air mixes into the water).

--
Mats

[Richard B]

I've not seen this with multis but I have seen this many times with granulosa, another tanganyikan species. It is a reaction to the sudden change in water chemistry & usually lasts no more than 24 hours & one night time. If it persists then it is something else entirely. Hard alkaline water that is well filtered & oxygenated is a must for these & they are also better off in species groups. I know you said it was a multi but it could also be a grandiops which appear a commoner species

[James.feenan]

i have 3 Synodontis sp_hybrid(5) and 1 cuckoo catfish it only lasted for about 30sec each time and only happened twice i taught it was trying to catch food or something like that. Are the Synodontis sp_hybrid(5) and cockoo catfish from the same family ?

[MatsP]

I'm not sure if you are using the term "family" in the scientific sense - in which case, yes. The scientific classification, "family" is a group consisting of one or more "genera" (or "genus" if it's one), where each genus contains one or more "species" - where each of these groupings represent "more closely related in evolutionary terms".

Typically, the genus and species names are written when talking about a species. For example, your fish is Synodontis multipunctata - the genus is "Synodontis" and "multipunctata" is the species name. By the rules for "naming species", the combination of genus and species name should be unique - so there won't be another species of fish of any kind called Synodontis multipunctata.

All species within a genus belong to the same family, and often more than one genus will make up a family, but there are a few families that only have one genus (and some that only have one species).

In your case, the fish are also the same genus, meaning they are more closely related than if they were just "the same family".

More to be found here:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/general/ge ... sification
and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binomial_nomenclature

--
Mats

[Richard B]

Yes multis & your hybrids are from the mochokidae family & both from the genus 'synodontis'.

The multi is a rift lake species & your hybrid is half lake species (multi or grandiops [father]) & half decora [mother] a riverine species.

[James.feenan]

Yes multis & your hybrids are from the mochokidae family & both from the genus 'synodontis'.

The multi is a rift lake species & your hybrid is half lake species (multi or grandiops [father]) & half decora [mother] a riverine species.

Can they breed or would this have something to do with the strange behavour? the last owner said they were acting strange and following each other around the tank.

[Richard B]

They won't breed - man's interference is the only way synos hybridise.

Synos are inquisitive & a little territorial which is what has been witnesses previously

[James.feenan]

They won't breed - man's interference is the only way synos hybridise.

Synos are inquisitive & a little territorial which is what has been witnesses previously

Is this why it would have been coming out if the water ? i looked up youtube and there is a clip something like what was happening with my cuckoo catfish.

[syno-kev]

what is the PH of the water ?,

as it needs to be in a malawi set up and not normal river fresh water tank !

[James.feenan]

what is the PH of the water ?,

as it needs to be in a malawi set up and not normal river fresh water tank !

7.5 to 8 is this correct for malawi all mine seem very healthy i only started keeping them now for two months

[juzbmez]

any updates?

[James.feenan]

I still dont know why it was jumping out if the water or tail surfing another word that could be used they are all well and healthy i added a L144 pleco and since my last update i now have 20 fry my Pseudotropheus saulosi cichlids was holding for 24 days and when i put her into a seperate tank she released the lot. The fry are a week old now and doing great and its my first time so its all very new to me.