Featherfin Squeaker Cat

Remarks: The featherfin squeaker cat is one of the largest species of synodontis. Hailing from multiple different rivers in West Africa, they can be found in many different biotopes resulting in a very adaptable species. As they have been bred in captivity for many years, this has made them even more hardy and tolerant of a wide range of parameters.   However, this species is not suited for most community aquariums. This is due to their large size, typically reaching 8" in captivity but some reaching 12", and their territorial behavior. Despite being a shoaling species, like all synodontis, that does best when kept in groups of three or more, featherfin squeaker cats command large amounts of territory for each fish and thus can get aggressive with their own kind and conspecifics. To combat this, featherfin squeaker cats should be kept in a tank that is at least 150 gallons if keeping just one and at least 250 gallons if keeping a small group.    Their large size and boisterous attitude make the featherfin squeaker cat a good choice for a bottom-dweller that can handle its own against large, African cichlids. Most large haps won't attempt to harass them as long as the catfish isn't smaller than the cichlid by much. If kept in the right conditions, these large catfish can make a beautiful and active addition for the lower levels of a large aquarium. Their flowing fins from which they derive their common name combined with their leopard pattern make them a truly amazing synodontis.