Species Profile

Cuckoo Catfish

Synodontis petricola

Catfishpeaceful

Adult size

4″

Minimum tank

30 gal

Temperature

75–81°F

7.5–8.5

Schooling

Group of 3+

Water level

bottom

Diet

Sinking pellets, frozen, live

Notes

Smaller Lake Tanganyikan catfish that pairs with mouthbrooding cichlids in nature, slipping its eggs into their broods. True brood parasite. In aquariums, the social behavior remains; lives well alongside Tanganyikan cichlids.

Build a tank →Photo credits

Photo: de:user:Nerezza / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0