Poll's synodontis

Care at a glance

Overview

Poll's syno is a good-looking, mostly peaceful Tanganyikan catfish that suits a hard-water rift lake community with cichlids and other rock dwellers. It does well in a small group and can be a little territorial with other bottom catfish as it settles. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods, and some vegetable matter. Give it sand, rock caves, and a tank of at least 190 liters with high pH.

In the wild

Poll's synodontis is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, living along rocky littoral coasts down to around 20 meters in hard, alkaline, very stable water. It forages over rock and sand for invertebrates and small prey. Give it a fine sandy bed, piled rockwork with caves, and open sand, keeping the pH high at 8.0 to 9.0 and 22 to 26 degrees C.

Good to know

Synodontis polli reaches about 18 cm and is one of several closely similar Tanganyikan squeakers, differing from the smaller petricola group mainly in size and fin detail. It shows the family's bony head shield, locking spines, and habit of feeding upside down. There is no home breeding record, though wild fish are known nest parasites of mouthbrooding cichlids.

Did you know

In the lake, Tanganyikan squeakers like this one slip their eggs in among the spawns of mouthbrooding cichlids, letting the host raise their young alongside its own.

Related species

• 

  Lake Malawi syno

  Synodontis njassae

  7.5 in (19 cm)40 gal (150 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Bigeye squeaker

  Synodontis alberti

  7.9 in (20 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Featherfin squeaker

  Synodontis eupterus

  7.9 in (20 cm)45 gal (170 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Giant upside-down catfish

  Synodontis batensoda

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

• 

  Ocellated squeaker

  Synodontis ocellifer

  7.9 in (20 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
• Common syno

  Synodontis nigrita

  7.9 in (20 cm)55 gal (210 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)