fish · Mochokidae
Pygmy synodontis
Synodontis petricola
Wild range: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia); type locality Kashekezi, northern Lake Tanganyika. The former S. lucipinnis type locality is Musende Rocks, Zambian shore (Planet Catfish; Aquarist Atlas / Catalog of Fishes; Fishkeeper; Wikipedia). (Africa)
At a glance: Pygmy synodontis care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Pygmy synodontis?
The compiled profile lists 24.0–27.0 °C for Pygmy synodontis (Synodontis petricola). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Pygmy synodontis?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 47.6 US gallons (180.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Pygmy 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
A small, leopard-spotted Lake Tanganyika squeaker catfish (Mochokidae), the 'pygmy' or 'dwarf' Synodontis of the trade. It has a copper-brown to cream body covered in irregular black spots, bright white barbels, and solid white leading rays on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Social and more visible by day than most Synodontis when kept in a group, it suits hard-water Rift Lake tanks.
Where they are found
Catalog primary Synodontis petricola Matthes, 1959: valid in ITIS (TSN 681650), accepted in GBIF (2344304), valid in the Catalog of Fishes (via Aquarist Atlas) and used by FishBase, Planet Catfish, Seriously Fish and the trade. Trade naming: 'Pygmy synodontis', 'Pygmy leopard catfish' (Planet Catfish), 'Dwarf lake synodontis' / 'False cuckoo synodontis' (Seriously Fish), 'Petricola catfish' (Fishkeeper). 'Pygmy synodontis' and 'S. petricola' in the trade cover both S. petricola sensu stricto and the smaller, larger-head-spotted form described as Synodontis lucipinnis Wright & Page, 2006 (sold as 'Dwarf petricola' or S. sp. 'Petricola dwarf'); fish labelled S. petricola are often that form. Englmaier et al. (2024, Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 202: zlae130) found no genetic or consistent morphological separation and treat S. lucipinnis as a junior synonym of S. petricola, and the Catalog of Fishes follows this (ScotCat; Aquarist Atlas). GBIF still lists S. lucipinnis as accepted and Fishkeeper keeps a separate lucipinnis card, so older labels persist. Synodontis multimaculatus is also given as a synonym (FishBase via Atlarium; ScotCat). Not the cuckoo catfish: FishBase's common name 'Cuckoo catfish' for this species is a misapplication; the true cuckoo synodontis is S. multipunctatus (catalog cuckoo-synodontis), which has dark-edged fins and a white-tipped rear dorsal rather than white leading fin rays. Other lookalikes are S. polli (larger, irregular spots, longer snout) and S. grandiops (now a synonym of S. multipunctatus). Max 11.5 cm SL / 13.5 cm TL in museum specimens (Wright & Page 2006).
Aquarium care
Plan at least 180 L / about 48 US gal with a 100 cm (40 in) footprint for a group (Atlarium ≥180 L; Aquarist Atlas 55 gal for a social group; AcuarioSano 200 L). Seriously Fish's 90 × 30 cm (~81 L) base and the 30-gal minimums on some sites are floors for a few fish, not the recommended set-up. Keep it in hard, alkaline Rift Lake water at 24–27°C, pH 7.5–8.5 and 10–25 dGH (Seriously Fish; Fishkeeper; Atlarium; Aquarist Atlas; Planet Catfish), and don't let pH fall below about 7.4 (Atlarium). Use soft sand or smooth fine gravel to protect the barbels, with plenty of rockwork forming caves and crevices, open swimming space at the front, and dim or diffused light. It needs efficient filtration, good oxygenation, moderate flow and frequent water changes to keep nitrate low. The skin is scaleless, so it is sensitive to copper and many medications. Its serrated, locking fin spines snag in nets, so move it in a container.
Feeding
Omnivore and an easy, greedy feeder. Offer sinking catfish pellets or tablets and algae/spirulina wafers as staples, plus frozen bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, Mysis and daphnia, and vegetables such as blanched cucumber, courgette and shelled peas. It is prone to bloating, so don't overfeed dry food and avoid floating foods. Make sure food reaches the bottom past cichlid tankmates (Seriously Fish; Fishkeeper; Aquarist Atlas; Atlarium; Planet Catfish).
Compatibility
One of the most peaceful Synodontis. It is social, so keep 4 or more; single fish hide constantly (Seriously Fish 4+; Aquarist Atlas 4+; Fishkeeper/Atlarium 5–6 ideal). Good tankmates are hard-water fish such as Tanganyikan cichlids (Neolamprologus, Julidochromis, Altolamprologus, Tropheus), Malawi mbuna, rainbowfish and robust livebearers. It will eat fry, dwarf shrimp and fish under about 3 cm at night. It does not belong in a soft, acidic community. community_safe true with the hard-water caveat; not for nano tanks.
Breeding
Bred fairly often. Ripe females are rounder in the belly than males; the fish are too small for reliable venting. Condition a pair or group on live and frozen food. Spawning follows chasing by the male, who wraps around the female, often after a large, slightly cooler water change. Aquarists collect the eggs in a bowl of marbles under an inverted flowerpot or in a cave, or move the adults out afterwards because they eat their eggs. Eggs hatch in about 24 hours (up to 48–78 hours reported) and the fry are free-swimming 2–3 days later. Feed infusoria first, then baby brine shrimp and powdered flake. The fry grow slowly, reaching about 2.5 cm in the first year. Some spawn into the brood of mouthbrooding cichlids. Planet Catfish notes that many reported spawns may involve the former 'lucipinnis' form (Seriously Fish; Fishkeeper; Aquarist Atlas; Planet Catfish).
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.