Squeaker

About

The squeaker (Synodontis multipunctata) is probably best known for one of the most devious reproductive tricks in freshwater fishkeeping: brood parasitism. Native to Lake Tanganyika, where it roams muddy lake bottoms down to considerable depths feeding on invertebrates and snails, this heavily spotted catfish has evolved a strategy of timing its own spawning to coincide with that of mouthbrooding cichlids. The catfish slips its eggs in among the cichlid's clutch, the eggs hatch faster than the host's, and the young catfish consume both the cichlid eggs and early fry while being unwittingly guarded by the duped parent. Many Tanganyikan cichlids appear to have developed a learned wariness of this species over time, which is why hobbyists breeding them in captivity often use Malawi or Victorian haplochromines as host fish instead. In the aquarium, squeakers are reasonably straightforward to keep. A solid choice for someone moving into Rift Lake setups. They do best in groups of four or more, since solitary individuals tend to hide constantly. While they can hold their own with robust cichlids, they will make short work of anything small enough to fit in their mouths. Many specimens available today are captive bred, which speaks to how regularly this fascinating species reproduces in home aquaria.