fish · Mochokidae
Cuckoo synodontis
Synodontis multipunctatus
Wild range: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia); type locality Sumbu, Lake Tanganyika (Africa)
At a glance: Cuckoo synodontis care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Cuckoo synodontis?
The compiled profile lists 24.0–28.0 °C for Cuckoo synodontis (Synodontis multipunctatus). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Cuckoo synodontis?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 55.0 US gallons (208.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Cuckoo synodontis?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 7.5–8.5. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
Lake Tanganyika endemic mochokid of rocky and sandy littoral to deep muddy bottoms (FishBase, Planet Catfish, AquaInfo). Forms large schools in the wild; aquarium fish are often captive-bred. Famous as the only well-documented brood-parasitic catfish: it times spawning to mouthbrooding cichlids and leaves its eggs for the host to incubate (Seriously Fish, Planet Catfish, FishBase).
Where they are found
Catalog primary locked as Synodontis multipunctatus Boulenger, 1898 per trade, inventory, ITIS TSN 681638 (valid), FishBase SpecCode 9596 (accepted), Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes Current status Valid as Synodontis multipunctatus Boulenger 1898 (type locality Sumbu, Lake Tanganyika; CoF spid 49598; Mochokidae: Mochokinae; gender of Synodontis treated as masculine), Planet Catfish species_id 95, NCBI txid 392947, and IUCN Least Concern (FishBase Ref. 130435 Version 2025-2; assessed 2025-02-28; ScotCat citing Sibomana 2025; historical assessment e.T60815A12411850). Homotypic / gender-variant synonym Synodontis multipunctata (used by Seriously Fish and some databases) retained in aliases. Synodontis grandiops Wright & Page 2006 was described as a smaller lookalike (7 vs 8 soft pectoral rays); Englmaier et al. 2024 revise Tanganyika Synodontis and treat S. grandiops as a junior synonym of S. multipunctatus (ScotCat; CoF cites Englmaier et al. 2024) — grandiops retained in aliases/notes as the historical lookalike name still seen in older hobby literature. Distinct from catalog upside-down-catfish (*S. nigriventris*), featherfin-catfish (*S. eupterus*), angelicus-synodontis (*S. angelicus*), and still-missing pygmy-synodontis (*S. petricola* / lucipinnis complex). Trade/common names: Cuckoo synodontis, Cuckoo catfish, Cuckoo squeaker, Many-spotted synodontis, Multipunk. Order locked Siluriformes to match sibling Synodontis catalog rows.
Aquarium care
Classic Lake Tanganyika cuckoo catfish / cuckoo synodontis for rift-lake aquaria (Seriously Fish, Planet Catfish, AquaInfo, ScotCat, LiveAquaria, Tropical Tank). Lock ≥55 US gal / ~208 L for a small group (LiveAquaria 50 gal min; AquaInfo ≥150 cm / ~59" footprint for ≥5; Seriously Fish ~108 L / 29 US gal on 120×30 cm base noted as footprint floor but too small for a practical group of 15 cm adults with cichlid hosts — locked 55 US gal practical colony floor matching sibling rift companions). Sand substrate and piled rockwork with caves and open swim lanes; dimmer lighting brings them out more often (SF, Planet Catfish, AquaInfo). Water: locked 24–28°C, pH 7.5–8.5, GH 15–25 (Seriously Fish 24–28 / 7.5–8.5 / 15–35; FishBase wild 21–25 / dH 15–35; Planet Catfish 25–26 / 7.8–8.2; Tropical Tank 22–26 / 7.5–8.5; ScotCat 23–25 / 7.2–8.2; LiveAquaria 24–28 / 7.5–9.0; AquaInfo pH 8–9 / GH 7–11 for Tanganyika / CB softer noted — locked overlapping aquarium band 24–28 / 7.5–8.5 / 15–25; FishBase/ScotCat cooler wild temps, AquaInfo soft CB GH, and SF upper GH 35 noted but not required). Strong filtration, low nitrates, regular water changes; moderate flow with oxygenation (Planet Catfish, LiveAquaria, ScotCat). Keep a group of ≥4 (ideally 5+); singles hide (SF, Planet Catfish, AquaInfo).
Feeding
Wild diet is largely zoobenthos with specialization on the Tanganyika snail Neothauma tanganyicense plus crustaceans and insect larvae (FishBase, Planet Catfish, ScotCat, AquaInfo). In aquaria treat as omnivore with a meaty bias: sinking pellets/wafers, frozen/live foods (bloodworm, mysis, brine shrimp), and occasional vegetable matter / algae wafers (Seriously Fish, AquaInfo, ScotCat, Tropical Tank, LiveAquaria). Feed toward lights-out if the group is shy; they readily become daytime-active in secure groups.
Compatibility
Peaceful toward similarly sized rift-lake cichlids and other Synodontis; may eat very small fish/fry (Planet Catfish, Seriously Fish, ScotCat, Tropical Tank). Ideal companion for Tanganyika or Malawi hard-water communities; LiveAquaria rates semi-aggressive — locked peaceful with size caveat. Not for soft-water community tetras/rasboras. Schooling true — keep ≥4. Communitysafe true at the 55 gal floor with appropriate tankmates; nanook false.
Breeding
Unique vertebrate brood parasite (Seriously Fish, Planet Catfish, FishBase, AquaInfo, ScotCat, Tropical Tank). Pair(s) of S. multipunctatus rush a spawning mouthbrooding cichlid, eat many host eggs, and deposit their own; the host female buccal-incubates mixed eggs. Synodontis eggs hatch in ~48–72 hours and the fry consume remaining host eggs/larvae; host typically releases fry around ~21 days (AquaInfo, Seriously Fish). Aquarium hosts are usually Lake Malawi/Victoria haplochromines (Utaka etc.) because many Tanganyika hosts have learned avoidance (Seriously Fish, AquaInfo). Condition adults on live/frozen foods; keep nitrates very low. Spawning without a host is uncommon but recorded (Seriously Fish). Fry take Artemia nauplii after release; watch for cannibalism among fry (LiveAquaria, Aquatic Community).
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.