Featherfin squeaker care
Synodontis eupterus · The White Nile, Volta and Niger basins and Lake Chad, Africa
Featherfin squeakers are spotted African catfish with a tall, feathery dorsal fin, named for the squeaking sounds they make.
- Tank size
- 75 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 11.8 in (standard length of wild fish, without the tail)
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 18 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 20 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 75 gallon
48½ × 18½ × 21⅛ in outsideHow to keep featherfin squeakers
Featherfin squeakers are spotted African catfish with a tall, feathery dorsal fin, named for the squeaking sounds they make. Wild fish reach about a foot; keep one in a 75 gallon or larger tank with caves and tankmates too big to swallow, and feed sinking food after dark.
Diet: Omnivore: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, blanched vegetables. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Featherfin squeaker tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Kissing gourami
12 in · 75+ gal · 72–82 °F
Blood parrot cichlid
8 in · 55+ gal · 76–80 °F
Severum
8 in · 55+ gal · 75–84 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Rosy barb
6 in · 29+ gal · 64–77 °F
Denison barb
6 in · 55+ gal · 64–77 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult featherfin squeakers eat fish under about 2 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a featherfin squeaker tank needs
A tank of 75 US gallons or more (such as the 75 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 300
Rated by the maker for 55–75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon featherfin squeaker tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Marineland Penguin PRO 375
Rated by the maker for up to 75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon featherfin squeaker tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 200
Featherfin squeakers need 72 to 79 °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 featherfin squeakers.
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 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 75 gallon tank · Heaters for a 75 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 featherfin squeaker problems
- Small fish and shrimp get eaten at night.
- Two in a small tank fight over caves; give each its own.
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 eupterus. 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.
- Featherfin squeaker Silex6, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kissing gourami 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Severum Trisha M Shears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Denison barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, 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
.jpg){kind=link}
