Granulated synodontis

Care at a glance

Overview

The granulated syno is a legendary, costly catfish that grows to a good size and turns territorial and aggressive toward other bottom dwellers as an adult, so it is usually kept as a single specimen. It suits a large hard-water Tanganyikan setup with robust cichlids that can hold their own. It demands clean, stable, alkaline water and reacts badly to neglect. Feed quality sinking foods, frozen items, and some greens, and plan on a tank of at least 300 liters.

In the wild

Synodontis granulosus is a prized endemic of Lake Tanganyika, living over rocky coasts in hard, alkaline, oxygen-rich water. It needs a large, mature tank with piled rockwork, a sandy floor, high pH, and pristine stable conditions at 23 to 27 degrees C. It is intolerant of poor water quality, so heavy filtration and consistency matter.

Good to know

This squeaker reaches around 27 cm and has a slate-gray to olive body with a fine granular skin texture and, in juveniles, a spotted pattern that fades with age. It is one of the most sought-after and expensive Synodontis in the hobby. Wild fish grow slowly, and there is no home breeding record.

Did you know

It is one of the holy grail catfish of the hobby, with adults commanding high prices, partly because it is slow-growing, rarely exported, and never yet bred in captivity.

Related species

• 

  Cuckoo squeaker

  Synodontis multipunctatus

  9.8 in (25 cm)50 gal (190 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Giant upside-down catfish

  Synodontis batensoda

  11.8 in (30 cm)79 gal (300 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Lake Malawi syno

  Synodontis njassae

  7.5 in (19 cm)40 gal (150 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
• Poll's synodontis

  Synodontis polli

  7.1 in (18 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  One-spot synodontis

  Synodontis notatus

  9.8 in (25 cm)53 gal (200 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Decorated squeaker

  Synodontis decorus

  11.8 in (30 cm)53 gal (200 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)