Is this Synodontis Ocellifer

[Chris]

Hi,

I posted some questions regaurding identifying Synadontis Catfish yesterday but I think that posting has got a bit confused (sorry I am fairly new to using this technology stuff). So I shall start again. I have 6 Syno cats in my tank which are about 6 months old. Sold to me as S. Multipunctas but to my eye are something different. Of the 6 cats 3 I think are S. Ocellifer and the others are something a bit different. Could anyone confirm if these guys are S. Ocellifer? I will hopefully get more pictures of the other cats over time.

any help or hints on how to identify Syno's would be great. I wouldn't really consider myself a catfish man but these little fella's have completely won me over.

[Silurus]

It's very hard to make out from your pics, but I think those are hybrids. Do your fish have dark bands/patches to their caudal and dorsal fins (and I'm not talking spots)?

[Chris]

Sorry about the pics I am using an old web cam that takes a massive pic that I then have to crop to a decent image.

My catfish have all of a sudden gone shy so I am not sure if I am going to get any more images tonight. I did manage to get a fleeting image of a caudal fin it's not a great but it might help.



I had a closer look at the fins and they are dark but I wouldn't describe them as having dark patchs just dark grey all over with black spots. What I did notice was that the dorsal fin is bent only being stright when fully errect, I understand from Jools that this suggests hybrid.

Whilst trying to get some better pictures of the three smaller syno's one of the large members of the group decided to show his face. The pictures aren't great (in fact there terrible) but any clues to his identity would be great.

Thanks for all your help on this it is much appreciated

[Silurus]

One more question: any white edging to the fins?

[Chris]

The fins are a fairly regular colour with no real fading or breaks just the occational solid black spot.