Dhont's Catfish Care Guide
Synodontis dhonti is a large upside-down catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika, suited to hard alkaline rift-lake aquariums with caves.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Synodontis dhonti is a catfish of the family Mochokidae, the squeakers or upside-down catfishes. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is known from the Kilewa area. Reported standard length reaches 32.5 cm, with a total length near 39.5 cm. The species name honours M.G. Dhont-De Bie, who took part in the collecting expedition.
Taxonomy
- Family: Mochokidae
- Genus: Synodontis
- Scientific name: Synodontis dhonti
- Describer: Boulenger, 1917
Habitat
The fish occurs in Lake Tanganyika, where it has been recorded over rocky shorelines as well as sandy and shell-covered bottoms. Tanganyika water is hard and alkaline. FishBase classifies the species as benthopelagic in a tropical freshwater lake.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L
- Temperature: 24–27 °C
- pH: 7.8–9
- GH: 10–20 °dGH
- Adult size: 20–25 cm
- Lifespan: 8–15 years
Diet
Synodontis dhonti is omnivorous. In the wild the genus consumes insect larvae, algae, gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crustaceans and the eggs of other fishes. Aquarium specimens accept a varied diet; feeding is typically offered once daily.
Compatibility
A bottom-dwelling, mostly nocturnal species that becomes territorial as it matures. It is kept with robust rift-lake tankmates such as African cichlids. Very small fishes are unsuitable as companions. Caves and dim lighting suit its nocturnal habits.
Breeding
The species is oviparous and shows distinct pairing during breeding, with spawning associated with the flooding season between July and October. Captive breeding is not commonly reported.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed 23 February 2025.
Synodontis dhonti Breeding Guide
Overview
Synodontis dhonti is a mochokid catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it is recorded from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It occupies rocky shorelines as well as sandy and shell-covered bottoms. The largest documented specimen measured 32.5 cm standard length (about 39.5 cm total length). Like other members of the genus it is omnivorous, taking insect larvae, algae, gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crustaceans and the eggs of other fishes.
Sexing
Reliable visual sexing is not described in the available sources. Females tend to be slightly larger than males of comparable age, but this difference is not a dependable field marker.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
For the genus, spawning is reported to occur during the flooding season, broadly between July and October, with pairs swimming in unison during spawning. Many Synodontis reproduce in step with the rising water of the rainy season. These observations are general to the genus; specific spawning data for Synodontis dhonti is not available.
Egg & Fry Care
No documented account of egg or fry development exists for this species. Reproductive knowledge for the genus is generally limited to egg counts obtained from gravid females, so no fry-rearing procedure can be described from the sources.
Common Challenges
The principal obstacle is the absence of an established spawning method. Synodontis dhonti reaches a large adult size and is territorial as a mature fish, which compounds the difficulty of pairing and conditioning in captivity. Several Lake Tanganyika Synodontis belong to the lineage that includes the brood-parasitic cuckoo catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus), which spawns alongside mouthbrooding cichlids; however, that brood-parasitic strategy is documented for S. multipunctatus and not for S. dhonti.