Stocking Fish Tips: Make sure that any new fish you are planning to add to your tank will be compatible with the current inhabitants. You need to look at temperament, water parameters and tank size requirements. For instance, please don’t put a common pleco in anything under 55 gallons.
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The featherfin squeaker (Synodontis eupterus) is a species of Synodontis catfish. The fish’s habitat is located in Chad, Niger. Also known simply as featherfin catfish. Featherfin squeakers are called such due to their ability to make noises to communicate with one another and also for their high feather-like fin which is valued by many hobbyists. Wild specimens are usually around 6–8 inches (150–200 mm). These fish are usually kept singly in aquaria due to their territorial and aggressive nature when they reach maturity, but several can be kept in large, public aquaria.
General info
Featherfin squeakers are very hardy and easy to care for, but still not recommended for beginners due to the problems they might cause, saying that they are territorial. If housing these with other bottom dwellers, each should have a cave for itself and must be located as far away from each other as possible. As with any fish, the tank water should always be clean and at a balanced pH, kH of 2–15 and a warm water temperature, around 25 to 28 degrees Celsius (77 to 82 °F). The absolute minimum tank size should be 30 gallons (110 L), sparsely or densely planted with live or fake plants, it doesn’t really matter, as long as it has big enough caves to hide in.
Diet
These are omnivorous and should be given a good quality flake food as the staple, or even better sinking catfish pellets. An occasional feeding of spirulina flakes or algae wafers would ensure the vegetable part of their diet. Once weekly feeding of bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp and other meaty foods will complete the perfect diet. They should be fed before lights on and off, because like most catfish, it is nocturnal, which means it feeds at night.
Tankmates
The only category that really matters is that bottom dwelling tankmates should have their own territories, especially this one. Reports have been made that it is kept successfully with corydoras catfish without any problems. Due to its rather bold and aggressive nature, it is a perfect bottom dweller for cichlid tanks, but there should be an extra cave when introducing one, ’cause it might steal a cichlid’s cave.
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