Synodontis
greshoffi Schilthuis,
1891
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his month (March 2004) we arrive back
to the Mochokidae family and a Synodontis that is not too
well known or written about but never-the-less, a fine addition
to the medium to large sized community tank.
Synodontis greshoffi was collected by its namesake, M.A. Greshoff,
in the area around Kinshasa, Stanley Pool, in the upper Congo River.
near Brazzaville, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
and the new species was so named by the above author, L. Schilthuis,
in a paper written by him in 1891.
As stated this is a fairly easy and tolerable
species to keep, and a good looker to boot. It can be housed alongside
other non aggressive species of Synodontis as long as
they are given plenty of shelter such as pipes, rockwork etc to
subdue any territorial tendencies between each species. I think
with most Synodontis you have to watch them, and who you
put in to their quarters with them, as some can be more aggressive
than others. Synodontis can be territorial, so give them
cave structures to make them feel more secure in their surroundings.
The following image shows the serrations on the interior and exterior
of the pectoral spines and also the reticulated pattern on the
belly.
There has been a reported import of an albino
version into the U.K. in 1988 and an article on this species and
others on the subject of fish albinism written in the monthly aquatic
magazine, Practical Fishkeeping, by David Sands in that year. This
may have been this species or Synodontis
schoutedeni as the body patterns
are somewhat similar.
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The map here shows the area around
Kinshasa and Malebo (Stanley) Pool.
The genus Synodontis sports
three pairs of barbels 1 pair: 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.claria,
S.decorus
and S.flavitaeniata.
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Percentage of the length: height of the body
27 (19, 7 to 30, 9), length of the head 29,9 (26,8 to 32,9), maxillary
barbels 50,2 (39,3 to 64,4) distance of the muzzle to the origin
of the dorsal 42,8 (37 to 43,1) base of the adipose 31,9 (22,7 to
31,9) dorsal spine length 33,8 (20,5 to 33,8) length of the pectoral
thorn 34,8 (25 to 34,8) Serrated exterior and interior of pectoral
spine.
Depending on aquarium conditions, pH and colour
of substrate. Cream base body colour with brown to golden reticulated
markings to body which continues on to belly area. Pattern becomes
more intense on the head. Brown spots on all fins.
Nice temperment and will do well in the larger
community tank alongside larger barbs and characins such as the
Congo tetra.
Not recorded
Can be fed a varied diet of good quality flake,
tablet food, pellets, worm foods and frozen food such as bloodworm.
| Etymology |
Synodontis:
Ancient name for an undetermined fish from the Nile (Cuvier
1816)
greshoffi: named after its collector,
M.A. Greshoff.
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| References |
Poll, Max; Revision
Des Synodontis Africains (Famille Mochokidae) 1971.
Sands, David. Catfishes of the World, Vol 2 Mochokidae.
Dunure Publications 1983
© Allan James @
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| Synonyms:
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| Synodontis
afrofischeri, S.grenshoffi, S.depauwi, S.unicolor, S.tenuis,
S.holopercnus, S.pantherinus |
| Common
Name: |
| Greshoff's
Catfish |
| Family: |
| Mochokidae |
| Subfamily: |
| Mochocinae |
| Distribution: |
Africa:
Congo
River basin, except Luapula River system and lower Congo. Type
locality: Kinshasa, Stanley Pool. |
| Size: |
| 20cm. (8ins) |
| Temp: |
| 23-27°C
(73 -81°F) |
| pH.: |
| 6.5 - 7.2 |
| Donation: |
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