NOT SO ANGELIC(US) Text by David Marshall (Ryedale Aquarist Society) Photographs
as credited Background We begin our article with a look at two species
of Synodontis that are very popular in the aquarium hobby. Synodontis angelicus The
Polka-dot catfish occurs naturally in the Malebo (Stanley) Pool area of Zaire.
Colour varies with populations from those that have dull grey bodies speckled
with white spots through to those whose bodies are a brilliant jet black and adorned
with spots of the brightest yellow. Although the majority of textbooks still give
20cm (8") as the maximum size attained by these fish, specimens greatly in
advance of this size are known. These fish are lively and boisterous in temperament. Synodontis
schoutedeni The Marbled catfish originates from the surroundings of the
Cameroon stretch of the Congo River. There is much variability in the colour pattern
between individuals. Generally the pattern can be described as being of a brown
or black background with waves of yellow or white in the foreground. This fish
also attains a size of 20cm - but often less in aquaria. The
hybrid
During the autumn of 2006 a local aquatic retailer, who knows of
my passion for 'all things Synodontis' told me that he had ordered a Synodontis
angelicus, through a Czech Republic aquarium fish consolidator, for a fellow 'good
customer'. The 'angelicus' arrived with a note informing the retailer that the
available fish was actually a cross between angelicus and schoutedeni. The retailer
had hoped to keep this fish long enough for me to see but the person who ordered
it accepted delivery straightaway, been highly satisfied with this beautiful hybrid. A
few weeks later, and at a different outlet, my eyes were drawn to a label that
proclaimed 'Synodontis species'. When the beautiful little fish emerged from its
favourite tube I realised that it was something different and the patterning of
the fins (clearly angelicus) and foreground white waves on the body (clearly schoutedeni)
gave away the hybrid identity. The assistant quickly had it caught and 'bagged'
for me. On
arriving home the angelicus hybrid, as I refer to it, was placed into a 60x30x30cm
aquarium with a Synodontis petricola x nigrita hybrid, small Mystus gulio, several
young Ancistrus and 2 male and 5 female Dutch Pearl Mouthbrooders (themselves
a hybrid specie of Oreochromis) from my 4th generation of these lovely fish. As
the photographs show the body of my angelicus hybrid has a typical young angelicus
shape with fins to match. The foreground shows no spotting but has a lovely bright
white (sometimes taking on a golden hue) schoutedeni pattern. I
have no idea as to exactly what the young angelicus hybrid was fed with in Eastern
Europe but with me it would only eat vegetable-based flaked foods (as can be the
case with both wild caught and aquarium bred Synodontis decorus). Today this little
beauty takes all types of flaked foods, granular foods, catfish pellets and small
pieces of both prawn and Thai crabstick. Growth has been on par with a
young schoutedeni. In behaviour 'his' actions are less boisterous than angelicus
and he hides away much less than can be expected from schoutedeni. Now in a 90x30x30cm
aquarium, and in more mixed company than when 'he' first arrived, he is not a
complete model of good behaviour but is more placid than many of the Synodontis
hybrids of Eastern European origin. Talking
with several aquatic retailers revealed that all of the first 'batches' of this
angelicus hybrid were identical in colour pattern etc. to the fish in my care
but the situation is now changing with a whole range of patterning showing through
in new 'batches'. How is the hybrid created? There are many accounts
of Synodontis from the African Rift Valley lakes spawning in aquaria but sadly,
and probably with the exception of eupterus and nigriventris; very few accounts
exist of aquarium spawnings of riverine species. Schoutedeni is one of several
riverine species (which also includes alberti, atterimus and ocellifer), which
will, however, reproduce very easily through a process of hormone stimulization.
In the past several attempts were made to reproduce angelicus, itself of riverine
origin, in this way but until very recently, success was very limited. It would
appear, therefore, that more success is gained through making an angelicus x schoutedeni
cross and this would make strong economic sense as from the little we know about
Synodontis breeding in Eastern Europe the fish breeders find the fry of crossed
Synodontis are much stronger and healthier (as is the case with mongrel dogs)
to raise than those of a single species spawning. Little wonder then that
on ethical grounds the production of hybrid Synodontis is a very thorny issue
that causes great differences and debate among Aquarists'. Personally I feel that
there is a need to catalogue as many of the hybrid Synodontis (which is not a
'one person project' as some seem to appear in one area of the World and not in
others depending on where a particular consolidator has customers) as we can as
some, for example 'species' Ice (an ocellifer variant) and the brightly coloured
njassae crossed with 'Czech pardalis', seem to arrive with us as 'one time only
shipments' and it is not to say that the production of any form of hybrid fish
will continue in the long term? Finally I do not think that anyone looking
at the photographs that accompany this article could argue that the angelicus
crossed with schoutedeni hybrid is not a beautiful fish.
.
|