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Occurs in deep water close to the shore and is similar to Synodontis batensoda but lacks the fin and body spots and has membraned maxillary barbels. Was always known in the early years of the hobby as Hemisynodontis membranaceus with the monotypic genera by Bleeker in 1862 but it is now being excepted as Synodontis (Lévèque et al., 1992, Willoughby 1994 and Danke et al., 1999). Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: gill slits extending downwards beyond pelvic-fin insertions to the midline of isthmus; maxillary barbels not longer than head, lacking tubercles and ramifications, but with a broad, black membrane extending over their entire length; mandibular barbels with a broad black membrane; outer and inner mandibular barbels with few and simple ramifications, and membranous at tips; mandibular teeth short, numbering 8-16; pectoral-fin spines more strongly denticulate on inner than on outer margin; dorsal-fin spine smooth, except for weak serrations present on posterior margin in some specimens; humeral process deep, short, granular and not keeled ventrally; adipose fin high, long and contiguous to rayed dorsal fin. Colouration: typically inverted colour, the back being uniformly whitish-grey and the belly black; fins greyish, without spots; maxillary and mandibular barbels (particularly the outer pair) bordered by a broad, black membrane. Aquarium Care: It is a peaceful and hardy fish even though it does grow quite big, but I have found that it really is a gentle giant. Do give it a decent size tank and I would suggest a 4ft being the minimum with an aquascape consisting of rockwork or pipes for it to retire too, and large plants such as Giant Valis (Vallisneria gigantea) that grow partly along the water surface, and then you could witness it eating in its inverted position. Diet: The usual feeding for Synodontis species, being good quality flake food, tablet food, frozen bloodworm, shrimp and prawns. In its natural habitat it feeds on plankton and detritus. May also feed on surface insects, chironomid larvae, benthic crustaceans, and mollusks.

Moustache Catfish

Hemisynodontis membranaceus, Pimelodus membranaceus, Synodontis guentheri

Mochokidae

Africa: Chad, Niger (including the Bénoué) Senegal, Gambia and Volta basins; also the Nile in northern Africa. Type locality: Fl. Nil (Egypte).

35.5cm. (14½ins)

22-26°C (71-79°F)

6.5-7.5.

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Northern Area Catfish Group; Information Sheet 01.
Olaosebikan, B.D. and A. Raji, 1998. Field guide to Nigerian freshwater fishes. Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa, Nigeria. 106 p.
Seegers, L. 2008 The catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification and maintenance. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany. 604 p.
Willoughby, N. G. 1994. The taxonomy of the genus Synodontis (Pisces: Siluroidea) in Lake Kainji, Nigeria. The African Journal of Tropical Hydrobiology and Fisheries v. 5 (no. 1): 25-30.