Cuckoo catfish care
Synodontis multipunctatus · Lake Tanganyika, Africa
Cuckoo catfish are spotted Synodontis from Lake Tanganyika and the only fish known to be brood parasites: they scatter their eggs among those of mouthbrooding cichlids, which carry the catfish eggs in their mouths.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 81 °F (24 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- 4 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 6 in (in aquariums; up to about 11 in in the lake)
- pH
- 7.5 to 9
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep cuckoo catfish
Cuckoo catfish are spotted Synodontis from Lake Tanganyika and the only fish known to be brood parasites: they scatter their eggs among those of mouthbrooding cichlids, which carry the catfish eggs in their mouths. Keep four or more in a 55 gallon or larger tank of hard, alkaline water with rocks and caves, usually with African cichlids.
Diet: Omnivore: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Cuckoo catfish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Yellow lab cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–82 °F
Rainbow cichlid
6 in · 30+ gal · 72–84 °F
Acei cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 74–82 °F
Blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Red rainbowfish
5.9 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: cuckoo catfish need 75 to 81 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Discus: No shared temperature: cuckoo catfish need 75 to 81 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Oscar: Oscars are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as cuckoo catfish.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: No shared temperature: cuckoo catfish need 75 to 81 °F, fancy goldfish 64 to 74 °F.
Cherry shrimp: Cuckoo catfish eat shrimp.
What a cuckoo catfish tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon cuckoo catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Seachem Tidal 55
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon cuckoo catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Cuckoo catfish need 75 to 81 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding cuckoo catfish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 81 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 55 gallon tank · Heaters for a 55 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common cuckoo catfish problems
- Their fry hatch in the cichlid's mouth and eat the cichlid's own eggs; breeding them costs the host its brood.
- Alone they hide and squabble over caves; a group of four or more is calmer.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Synodontis multipunctatus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Cuckoo catfish Mario Rubio García, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue acara Loïc Tremblay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red rainbowfish Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oscar H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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