Synodontis ID help!

[SynoSteff]

Hi there. Can some1 please help me ID this synodontis.

It was sold to me as S. multipunctatus but I am almost certain it isn't

if you have any ideas or questions please post

Thanks




This last pic is of what a multipunctatus is supposed to look like.

[Silurus]

Unfortunately, this is one of those artificial interspecific hybrids.

[SynoSteff]

that's horrible.

What do you suggest I do? They were sold to me from a wholesaler as multipunctatus a few months ago. I payed for multi's and got some funky hybrid?

[SynoSteff]

dang.. I just dug up my invoice and it says

mulipunctatus.eu.br

which i guess means its a hybrid with eupterus. And brichardi? or what is the br for?

This is terrible. I wanted multi's. Who the hell wants to buy hybrid catfish. I'm going to have to try sell the babies from these guys

Hate getting duped. Especially when it's my fault!

[Silurus]

what is the br for?

I think it means "breed" or "bred". Most (all?) syno hybrids are between two species only. No one has investigated whether or not these interspecific hybrids breed true, if at all. So I would think that it takes considerable effort to make a hybrid of three species (if it is even possible).
Certainly looks like eupterus was involved (judging by the long dorsal spine).

[Caol_ila]

Id say the eu stands for European Union or Europe and br for bred as HH suggests. German labels here sometimes read these abreviations in German (like DNZ = deutsche Nachzucht = Bred in Germany)

[syno321]

This definitely means european bred, which probably means that it came from the Czech Rep. The wholesaler that we deal with specify ger.br. = german bred, and eu.br. They must do this for good reason. The Czechs are getting infamous for producing these catfish hybrids and not labeling them as such. You are not the fisrt to be victimized, but hopefully if enough people strongly voice their displeasure with their suppliers, then maybe word will get back to the right (wrong?) people, and these immoral practices will desist.

[Erwin]

There is one more thing to think about, especially the specimen in the displayed pictures look very much alike Synodontis velifer. It is assumed that this species is one of the parts used for the hybrids, but what if they are not hybrids and true S. velifer this time. As much as I know was the real S. velifer not in the trade yet.

Just some thoughts.

[SynoSteff]

I sent the pic to the original wholesaler and asked them to ID it. Didn't say where I got it or what I thought it was.

They said 'thanks for your mail. i guess this is a crossbreed of synodontis mutlipunctatus and synodontis velifer (eupterus)'

I guess that verifies that

what a bummer

Thanks for all the prompt replies everyone. I really appreciate it

[sidguppy]

I stumble across these things fairly often too...people ask me to check on their cats and especially German people buy the hybrids without knowing; many for sale in Germany.

it's bad, but the fish themselves can't help it.
as long as you don't buy more, it'll make a nice cat for any cichlid-tank, like a Malawi-setup or so.

I always point people to the FINS.....

check on the FINS!

For some reason the typical black & white banded fins of the Tanganyikan Syno's don't breed true; if you buy a S multipunctayus/petricola/granulosus, they should all have black and white fins, at least the dorsal.
Also: all 3 mentioned species have a black "V" in the tail with white edges, quite contrasting!
I haven't seen a single hybrid with that contrasting tail either......so without having to check for difficult marks like the headshape or length of spines, check for black and white in fins or tail.