Synodontis grandiops

Bigeye cuckoo Fiederbartwels

Synodontis grandiops, called in German also bigeye cuckoo Fiederbartwels, belongs to the family of Catfishes ( Mochokinae ) the Mochokidae family.

After closely related Synodontis multipunctatus ( Vielgepunkteter cuckoo Fiederbartwels ) it is the second species, has been observed in the brood parasitism. In terms of time, it is even the first catfish, in which this particular reproductive behavior has been established, but he was not recognized until his late scientific description as a separate taxon, but " lumped " with the species S. multipunctatus. The brood parasitism itself was first observed by amateur aquarists, however, it came to doing several false identifications of the type (it was referred to initially as S. petricola and shortly thereafter as S. njassae, two Catfishes, who is not engaged brood parasitism ). The differences between these species are not necessarily easy to recognize because they are similar to the essential characteristics for the layman. Even experts find it difficult to recognize the two cuckoo Fiederbartwelsarten clearly.

Features

With 15 centimeters total length S. grandiops remains significantly smaller than p multipunctatus, which can be up to 28 inches long. As the name suggests, S. grandiops big eyes ( grandiops, a combination of the Latin grandis for large and the Greek ops, the eye does ), larger than S. multipunctatus. Furthermore, for example, the pectoral fins in S. grandiops have seven split -fin rays (as opposed to eight in S. multipunctatus ). Although by now are aware of the differences between the two species, they are not distinguished as before in the ornamental fish trade. Most catfish, which are referred to as S. multipunctatus are, in reality grandiops Synodontis.

Fins formula: Dorsal II / 7, Anal III-IV/6-8, pectoral I / 7

Occurrence

So far, p grandiops was found exclusively in Lake Tanganyika. It is widely used there and lives in the near-surface zones of the coastal area. It may be sandy or muddy bottoms or even to areas with empty snail shells.

Reproductive biology

The cuckoo Catfishes are the only known brood parasites among fish and take mouthbrooding cichlids as hosts. The young catfish hatch rather than the cichlid boys from the eggs and use their eggs and larvae as first food. But it also happens that they mutually devour as larvae in the mouth of the host, so that finally only a juvenile remains. From other Fiederbartwelsarten has already been observed that they eat their eggs during spawning business of mouthbrooders. The cuckoo Catfishes also eat up a part of the mouthbrooders eggs, but to create their own. These are then absorbed by the mouthbrooders females instead of or together with the mouthbrooders eggs.

Breeding Notes

It could be that some cichlids from Lake Tanganyika have already learned during the evolution that the cuckoo catfish pose a threat to their brood. Especially Tropheus species are extremely aggressive on the catfish, if they try to interfere with the spawning. In other mouthbrooders, such as Malawi or Victoriaseecichliden, the animals can be good, however, increased in the aquarium. These cichlids sell something less vehemently the catfish. However, it is possible horei with Lake Tanganyika cichlids such as Haplochromis.

Swell

• Schraml, E. ( 2003): Catfishes from Lake Tanganyika. DATZ, 56 (8): 60-65.