Dwarf Petricola Catfish

Dwarf Petricola Catfish

Synodontis lucipinnis

Also known as: Dwarf Petricola, False Petricola

💧 Freshwater ✌️ Peaceful 🟢 Easy 🍽️ Omnivore Schooling (3+)

Often confused with S. petricola but stays even smaller. Perfect for smaller African cichlid setups. Active and social.

Tank Size

20 gal
minimum (30+ preferred)

Temperature

75–82°F
24–28°C

pH Range

7.5–9
water acidity

Max Size

3"
7.6 cm

Lifespan

8–12 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Bottom
preferred zone

Care Notes

Needs hard, alkaline water matching Lake Tanganyika conditions. Keep in groups of 3+. More commonly sold than the true petricola.

Feeding

Sinking pellets, frozen foods, and algae wafers.

Compatible Tank Mates

Bloodfin Tetra 2" Red Eye Tetra 2.5" Pearl Danio 2.5" Gold Pristella Tetra 1.8" Synodontis Petricola 4" Endler's Livebearer 1.5" Platy 2.5" Swordtail 4" Rosy Barb 4" Least Killifish 1" Balloon Molly 3" Lyretail Molly 5"

Use Caution With

Black Skirt Tetra 2.5" Serpae Tetra 1.75" Congo Tetra 3.5" Glowlight Tetra 1.5" Harlequin Rasbora 2" Celestial Pearl Danio 1" Zebra Danio 2" Lemon Tetra 1.5" Black Neon Tetra 1.5" Diamond Tetra 2.5" Buenos Aires Tetra 3" Scissortail Rasbora 3.5"

Incompatible With

Neon Tetra 1.5" Cardinal Tetra 2" Rummy Nose Tetra 2" Ember Tetra 0.8" Chili Rasbora 0.7" White Cloud Mountain Minnow 1.5" Green Neon Tetra 1" Red Phantom Tetra 1.5" Espei Rasbora 1.5" Phoenix Rasbora 0.8" Exclamation Point Rasbora 0.7" Silver Hatchetfish 2.5"

Check Compatibility

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