# Need help with cichlid and Synodontis



## cyfan964 (Apr 17, 2007)

I'm assuming it's some sort of Cynotilapia maybe?



Can someone tell me what kind of Synodontis this is?



I'm going to include this picture of my Labidochromis caeruleus just because I like it 



I appreciate the help.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

The syno looks like a eupterus to me (also called featherfin)


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## cyfan964 (Apr 17, 2007)

It's not a eupterus... I've had them before.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

Looks very much like a eupterus but...the spots look too large and infrequent and the dorsal fin seems to be lacking the feathery rays. Anyone a Syno. expert?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

No Syno expert but there are a lot of hybrid Synos about these days, they seem to out number the pure species here and are a lot cheaper.
I can say for sure I think it is not a pure Rift Lake Syno.
Those all have black and white dorsal, no brown and a typical Y shape mark on the tail.
There does seem to be a bit of that marking on the tail but not fully there.
The red eye is that just the photo or is it real?
That might help.


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## cyfan964 (Apr 17, 2007)

The red is just from the flash, but there is kind of a brownish tinge to the eye. I would highly doubt it to be a cross. The place I got it from is known for having great Synodontis and I think I paid like $75 a piece for them. I have two of them. Problem is the place is a long way from me and they don't have any way to be contacted.

Anyone know what the cichlid is? I can get the Synodontis identified in a catfish forum, I just thought someone here might know.

As previously mentioned it is definiely not a eupterus. They have more spots, the spots are smaller and closer together, and have more "feathery" fins. Also their overall color tends to be a richer brown. These guys are more of a tan.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Cynotilapia sp at a guess but very young and not a type I can pin down as a pure locality.
I am going to shut up about the Syno, I know what I think it is but an expert opinion would be better.


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## ArmeyGal (Mar 24, 2004)

The mbuna is a afra but I have no clue as to which varient.

The syno is more then likely the syno nigriventris. They can have blotches for their colors or spots.

Sorry I wasnt more help on the afra. There are so many of them and I never bothered to learn the variant colorations. :lol: They are some of the calmer of the mbunas tho... :lol:


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

the catfish kinda looks like synodontis ocellifer, maybe mixed with something else


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## yellow (Mar 3, 2004)

The Czeck Republic is currantly exporting lots of hybrd synos at the moment into the UK and Ireland. Nearly every time our shop gets an order at the moment we get a bag of free hybrids, usually petrcola or multipunctas hybrids. That does look to have euruptus in it but the colour looks more like a rift syno.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I believe the syno is an ocellifer.

Without knowing the species of Cynotilapia when you purchase it, it can be very difficult to pin it down later on.

It looks vaguely like some Mbambas I had from Chitende Island but the dark line in the dorsal looks a bit "strong" to me.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I think that is the Syno too (now).
The characteristic to look for when comparing with other similar spotted species is the adipose fin. In S. ocellifer it is very long running almost from caudal to dorsal fin.

West Africa, various river basins from Senegal to Chad (Senegal, Gambia, Volta, Chad, Niger basins)

I knew it was no pure Rift Lake Syno. :wink:

I would still have its purity checked out by a catfish expert if looking to breed. :thumb:


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## cyfan964 (Apr 17, 2007)

What are the odds the cichlid is this guy?

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/ ... 1235764088

and

http://www.safhl.net/davesfish/images/M ... lireya.jpg

I've had him for about a year. Could that aquabid sale be right? Mine looks almost IDENTICAL to that.


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## cyfan964 (Apr 17, 2007)

sorry... repeat post.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Not a _Met_. sp. "Red Top Gallireya" Gallireya Reef.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm leaning toward cichlidaholic on the little blue barred guy. To me he has strong labidochromis characteristics but not exactly like a single species. Looks to have characteristics of mbamba but I agree the submarginal band is stronger (fore to aft) than those I have seen.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Just for clarification, here is a pic of a wild zebra long pelvic Galireya...(Notice the solid yellow dorsal and the yellow on the belly.)










And here is a pic I scrounged around and found of an adult F1 Cynotilapia Mbamba Chitende Island:










I'm afraid this fish is neither of these species, at least not pure.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I apologize cichlidaholic, I thought you were refering to Labidochromis mbamba! I do think that the head and mouth structure favors Labidochromis over Cynotilapia or Metriaclima. And it does at least *partially* resemble a Labidochromis mbamba at least in my opinion.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

etcbrown said:


> I apologize cichlidaholic, I thought you were refering to Labidochromis mbamba! I do think that the head and mouth structure favors Labidochromis over Cynotilapia or Metriaclima. And it does at least *partially* resemble a Labidochromis mbamba at least in my opinion.


No problem, that's why I posted a pic...I thought we might be talking about two different species, but certainly no need to apologize! :thumb:

As you can see, I was wrong, anyway. I hadn't had those fish in a long time and once I pulled up the pic to post it, I knew I missed it!


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