Bug-eyed squeaker
Synodontis pleurops
Also known as Congo bigeye squeaker, Bug-eyed synodontis
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 6.2–7.8
- Adult size
- 12.8 in
- 32.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 106 gal
- 400 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Mochokidae
- Origin
- Congo rapids region
Overview
The bug-eyed squeaker is a strong-swimming catfish from the Congo that needs a very large tank with current. It is best with a little experience.
Did you know
The bug-eyed squeaker's name, pleurops, comes from Greek words for side and eye. Its large, high set eyes help it see in the murky, fast moving water of the Congo rapids.
Caring for the bug-eyed squeaker
Give a bug-eyed squeaker a tank of at least 106 gal (400 L). It is a strong, active swimmer, so leave open floor space between the rocks and wood. Use a mix of smooth stones and bogwood for cover.
Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.2 to 7.8, soft to slightly hard. It appreciates current, so set up brisk flow and strong filtration to keep oxygen high. Feed it meaty sinking foods, catfish pellets and wafers, and frozen bloodworm or shrimp, ideally in the evening.
Keep one to a tank, since it does not shoal and older fish squabble with other bottom dwellers. It stays mostly peaceful, but it needs care in a community. House it with sturdy, mid sized companions rather than tiny fish it might treat as food. Aquarium breeding is unrecorded.
Good to know
The bug-eyed squeaker belongs to the family Mochokidae and is easy to recognize by its large head and unusually big eyes. George Albert Boulenger described it in 1899 from the Boyoma Falls in the Congo. It is also sold as the Congo bigeye squeaker or the bug-eyed synodontis.
In the wild
The bug-eyed squeaker comes from the fast, oxygen rich stretches of the upper Congo around the Boyoma Falls. There the water tumbles over rock.
Common questions
What size tank does a bug-eyed squeaker need?
A bug-eyed squeaker needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a bug-eyed squeaker need?
A bug-eyed squeaker is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.2–7.8.
What does a bug-eyed squeaker eat?
A bug-eyed squeaker eats meaty sinking foods, catfish pellets and wafers, and frozen bloodworm or shrimp. It is best fed in the evening.
How big does a bug-eyed squeaker get?
An adult bug-eyed squeaker reaches about 12.8 in (32.5 cm).
Related species
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Synodontis filamentosus
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Synodontis batensoda
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Synodontis angelicus
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