SCOTCAT.COM  

your internet guide to all things catfish
≡
  • HOME
  • FACTSHEETS
    • By Month/Year
    • By Family
    • by Genus
    • by Common Names
    • By Specific Names
    • By Continent
      • Index
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australasia
      • Europe
      • North America
      • South America
  • GALLERIES
    • Photo Gallery
    • Art Gallery
    • Movie Gallery
    • Stamps Gallery
  • FAMILIES
    • A-B
      • Ailiidae
      • Akysidae
      • Amblycipitidae
      • Amphiliidae
      • Anchariidae
      • Ariidae
      • Aspredinidae
      • Astroblepidae
      • Auchenipteridae
      • Austroglanididae
      • Bagridae
    • C-D
      • Callichthyidae
      • Cetopsidae
      • Chacidae
      • Clariidae
      • Claroteidae
      • Cranoglanididae
      • Diplomystidae
      • Doradidae
    • E-H
      • Erithistidae
      • Heptapteridae
      • Heteropneustidae
      • Horabagridae
    • I-M
      • Ictaluridae
      • Lacantuniidae
      • Loricariidae
      • Malapteruridae
      • Mochokidae
    • N-P
      • Nematogenyidae
      • Pangasiidae
      • Phreatobiidae
      • Pimelodidae
      • Plotosidae
      • Pseudopimelodidae
    • S-T
      • Schilbeidae
      • Scoloplacidae
      • Siluridae
      • Sisoridae
      • Trichomycteridae
  • ARTICLES
    • Index
    • Breeding
    • By Author
    • Cat-Articles
    • General
    • Numbered List
    • Ichthyology
    • Travel/Collecting
  • IDENT-A-CAT
  • RESOURCES
    • Citation
    • Etymology
    • Fishhouse
    • Glossary
    • Scientific Papers
    • ScotShop
  • SITE MAP
  • FB GROUP
  • HELP
    • Index
    • Catfish Anatomy
    • Convertors
    • FAQ
    • Ident-A-Cat
    • Water Chemistry

FACTSHEETS: February 1997 - no. 003

Synodontis angelicus Schilthuis, 1891


his wonderfully coloured Synodontis comes from Zaire, Africa, and the original specimen was caught in the Stanley Pool (now Malebo Pool) near the capital city of Kinshasa.


Synodontis angelica

Synodontis angelicus

Body markings can vary from species to species and there was a subspecies named S.angelicus zonatus POLL, 1933, found in the Lukula River in Kantanga which had more stripes than spots but is now classified as a colour variation from another population. Juveniles of this species also show a few stripes on the body and can have some beautiful colour markings as seen in the picture below. They tend to lose some of this beauty as they grow older but can still be a very impressive looking Synodontis.

It is not too aggressive in the aquarium but this could vary from individual to individual, but like most Synodontis it can get quite territorial especially with its own kind. I find it to be a trial and error in keeping Syno's together, some get on fine, while others will not tolerate a certain species/individual, so watch for a few days when introducing, and have another tank ready if you are spotting problems.

It is quite a nocturnal fish as Syno's go so provide caves and or pipework and keep the water clean.

 

Synodontis angelica = juvenile

Synodontis angelicus - juvenile

 

Above can be seen a juvenile still sporting a stripe. It will lose this as it progresses into adulthood.

This fish used to be quite expensive a few years ago and it was prohibited to export them at one point, but it is quite affordable and readily available now.

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.

 

Common Name:

Angel Catfish, Polka-Dot Catfish.

Synonyms:

Synodontis angelicus zonatus

Family:

Mochokidae

Subfamily:

Mochocinae

Distribution:

Africa: Congo basin. Type locality: Léopoldville, Stanley Pool.

Size:

18.0cm. (7¼ins)

Temp:

23-26°C (73-78°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.5.

Characteristics

Dorsal 1/7; Anal 4/7-8; Maxillary barbels not feathered, somewhat longer than the head. Humeral process longer than broad, pointed. Dorsal fin spine smooth anteriorly (occasionally two or three serrations at the point), a large number of small serrations posteriorly and ends in a small filament. Pectoral fin-spines strongly toothed on both sides. Lobes of caudal drawn out to points, the upper usually the longer.

Colouration

Colouration of larger specimens (9-18cm): grey to dark violet with numerous reddish-yellow to dark brown-red, uniformly distributed, sharp-edged, large round blotches on the head, flanks, adipose fin and partly running together on the belly. The blotches on the flanks are usually edged with dark violet. Dorsal, caudal, anal and ventral fins dark violet with brownish blotches and transverse bars. Young fishes (4-9cm) are extraordinarily beautifully coloured: the round blotches stand out shining white on a red-violet ground.

Aquarium Care & Compatibility

As this Synodontis gets quite big and quarrelsome its tankmates have to be of the larger variety such as Congo tetras or other mid-sized characins and barbs.

Reproduction

This species is reported, being bred by hormone injection, where the sexes are differentiated by the female having a fuller body than the male, but I would ascertain that the papilla in both sexes would show a difference. According to Brichard, 1978, a female can lay between 3,000 and 4,000 eggs.

Diet

In its natural habitat it feeds on insect larvae, shrimp, fry of other species and plant debris. The adults will eat a wide variety of foods in the aquarium and that is the key to keeping Syno's fit and healthy, a wide varied diet. They will take flake, tablet food, prawns, shrimps and frozen bloodworm.

Etymology

Synodontis: Ancient name for an undetermined fish from the Nile (Cuvier 1816).
angelicus: Heavenly, devine, (young fish are unusually beautifully coloured).

References

Sterba's Freshwater fishes of the World Vol.1 1973.
Catfish Association Great Britain Vol.1 1983.

Photo Credits

Top image © Allan James @ ScotCat
Bottom image: © Lindsay Dobree-Carey 

Donate towards my web hosting bill!


If you would like to contribute to the monthly factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail me. You will of course be credited for your work.

If you would like to donate any denomination of money to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few years yet.


ScotCat Sources

Etymology = Genus Etymology-genera

Etymology = Species Etymology-specific name

 

Online Sources

Search  Search

FishBase Fishbase

Wikipedia Wikipedia

Catalog of Fishes Catalog of Fishes

Global Biodiversity Information Facility GBIF

FishNet2 Fishnet2

iNaturalist iNaturalist

  • Facebook about us + contact us + citation + translate + site map + scotshop + glossary + etymology +
  • help YouTube

©2023 SCOTCAT.COM