Synodontis granulosus

Burundi, Tanzania. This species is endemic to the northern end of Lake Tanganyika.

Burundi, Tanzania. This species is endemic to the northern end of Lake Tanganyika.

150 ∗ 60 ∗ 60 cm60 ∗ 24 ∗ 24 in - ~540 litres~143 US gal. It can be very aggressive and territorial when kept in smaller aquaria.

Should be housed in a Lake Tanganyika biotope setup, with piles of rocks arranged to form caves and areas of open water for swimming.

Temperature: 24 – 28 °C75 – 82 °F

pH: 7.8-8.5

Hardness: 8-35 dH

Synodontis are omnivorous and are most unfussy in terms of feeding. Frozen, live and dried foods are all accepted. It also relishes vegetable matter in the form of shelled peas, cucumber etc., which it will rasp at with the teeth in its lower jaw.

Should not be kept with any fish so small as to be considered food but makes a good addition to a community of larger hard water cichlids, ideally of Tanganyikan origin. It is territorial with conspecifics and a group would require a huge tank.

Adult females are plumper than males. It can also be sexed by examining the genital papillae. This is not for the amateur however. The fish should be held ventral side up in the palm of your hand. The dorsal fin should be taken between your middle and ring fingers in order to avoid being pierced by the sharp dorsal fin rays. The genital area you are looking for is concealed beneath the pelvic fins. This can be exposed by pulling (gently) on the caudal fin. A male fish will exhibit an extended papillae which should be pointed and ridged. The spermatoduct can be seen on the caudal side. Females also have a clearly visible papillae but this is more rounded and the oviduct is on the opposite side to the male's spermatoduct. Most species of medium/large Synodontis can be sexed using this method but it should be noted that most species take 2 years or more to reach sexual maturity.

Not achieved under natural conditions in aquaria, although captive breeding in Eastern Europe has occured via the use of hormone injections. However, it has been reported that these captive bred specimens are in fact hybrids and may not even resemble true granulosus when adult.

One of the most stunning and sought after species of Synodontis and though the cost of ownership has dropped slightly, it still commands a high price. Its natural deep water habitat, limited range and solitary lifestyle make collection for the hobby difficult and so it is rarely seen for sale. It also appears that the areas of the lake in which it occurs are threatened with ecological disaster.

In the aquarium S. granulosus is intelligent and can develop into a real character, with many specimens becoming tame enough to feed from the owner's hand. Once settled, they can be observed cruising the aquarium whatever the time of day.

A truly spectacular specimen catfish and comes highly recommended.