Cuckoo Catfish

Remarks: Synodontis multipunctatus are often called Cuckoo Catfish, which refers to the group of Cuckoo Birds that reproduce in a rather unusual manner. The birds lay their eggs in the nests of other species, letting them rear the eggs and expend their energy in raising the chicks. The Cuckoo Cat mimics this behavior using the mouths of cichlids! During the spawning of mouth-brooding cichlids, the catfish will quickly spawn on top of the newly deposited cichlid eggs, which are all subsequently scooped up by the female. Unluckily for the cichlids, the Synodontis eggs hatch sooner and at a larger size than the cichlid eggs, allowing them to prey on the cichlid eggs upon hatching in the mother's mouth. This phenomenon can be observed in aquaria, using cichlids such as Aulonocara or other Haplochromines.

Scientific Name: Synodontis multipunctatus

Common Name:

Max Size: 4-5"

pH: 7.6-8.6

Hardness: Hard

Temperature: 72-82°

Aggressiveness: Peaceful

Region of Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Africa

Captive Bred or Wild: Captive Bred

Diet: Flake or pellet

Compatibility: Lake Tanganyikan cichlids, Lake Malawi cichlids, catfish.

Tank Mate Options:

• Synodontis ocellifer
• Synodontis eupterus
• Blue Dolphin