A mainstay of the Synodontis side of the hobby, this is a gregarious fish which is well suited to a community tank of mid sized individuals and does well on a varied diet, so well in fact that it starts to resemble an implement that you hit with a No.1 wood, namely a golf ball!. I don't know why they enjoy their food so much but if there is a snack about, they won't be too far away.

There seems to be quite a
 few variations on the body
 pattern and colour of this
 species and one fish that it
 seems to get confused
 with, in colour pattern
 anyway, is Synodontis
 aterrimus which is 
 roughly half the size of
  schoutedeni.
 The two pictures shows
 the different colour
 patterns in S.schoutedeni.

Below is a comparison
 between Synodontis
 schoutedeni and
 aterrimus.

 The line drawing (fig1) on
 the left depicts S.aterrimus
 
 The line drawing (fig2) on
 the right depicts
 S.schoutedeni


Fig1                                                          Fig2

Note the difference in the maxillary (largest) barbels, the shape of the dorsal and also the shape of the humeral process (the long bony plate just behind the gill plates).

The genus Synodontis sports three pairs of barbels 1pair: maxillary, 1 pair: outer mandibular and one pair of inner mandibular barbels that are branched (filaments). There are only three species that have filaments on their maxillary barbels as well as the mandibular, and they are,  S.clarias, S.decorus and S.flavitaeniatus.

This is one of the few Synodontis to be able to swim upside-down and its body colouration continues around the body. It is particularly fond of flake food which can be fed first thing in the morning before lights on and it will feed, as mentioned, upside-down from the surface. 

If kept with a number of the same individuals they can become very territorial so you should present them with plenty of caves such as large pipes or rockwork.
All in all, a pretty patterned Synodontis which comes in periodically to the aquatic establishments and if you are keen on this family of catfish, snap them up.

Family: Mochokidae.

Common Name: Marbled Synodontis.

Synonym: Synodontis depauwi.

Country of Origin: Central African Republic.
                                  Central Dem Rep.Congo.
                                 Gabon.

Size: 16.5cm ( 6¾ins)

Temp : 22-26c (71-80f )

pH.: 6.0-7.5.

Breeding : Not reported but is probably being bred using hormone injections.

Feeding : Will take most prepared aquarium foods such as frozen bloodworm, whiteworm, shrimp, prawns, tablet food, a good quality flake food and pellets. 
A wide varied diet will provide a healthy ( and fat !) specimen for many years.

References: Poll, Max. Revision Des Synodontis Africains (Famille
                      Mochokidae) 1971.

Photo Credit(s): Aqualog Verlag, from the book
                            Aqualog Photo Collection 1  and is therefore copyright to this
                            publication.
                            Line Drawings from Poll, Max. Revision Des Synodontis
                            Africains (Famille Mochokidae) 1971.