Chocolatestriped Squeaker

About

The chocolatestriped squeaker (Synodontis flavitaeniata) is one of the more distinctively patterned members of a genus that already has plenty of personality to go around. It hails from the middle Congo River basin, including Pool Malebo and the Ubangi and Kasai drainages, where it likely breeds in seasonally flooded areas rich with micro-organisms. In the aquarium, it tends to be recognized immediately by its bold chocolate-and-orange banding and, perhaps less obviously, by its feathery filamentous maxillary barbels. A feature shared by only two other Synodontis species. Coloration and patterning can vary noticeably between individual fish, but it remains easy to identify once you know what you're looking at. Temperamentally it's a solid community fish, peaceful enough to mix with Alestiid tetras, gouramis, Pelvicachromis, mormyrids, and larger rasboras or barbs. One caveat: anything small enough to swallow is at risk, so tankmates under two inches or so are better kept elsewhere. Boisterous species like Rift Lake cichlids are best avoided too. Multiple individuals can be kept together as long as each has its own shelter to retreat to. This is one Syno that rewards careful tank maintenance. It's more sensitive to water quality lapses than many of its relatives, so keeping up with water changes is non-negotiable.