Cuckoo Catfish

Cuckoo Catfish

Synodontis multipunctatus

Also known as: Multi Catfish, Cuckoo Squeaker

💧 Freshwater ⚡ Semi-aggressive 🟡 Moderate 🍽️ Omnivore Schooling (3+)

Lake Tanganyika catfish famous for its 'cuckoo' breeding strategy — it sneaks eggs among mouthbrooding cichlid eggs so the cichlid raises its young.

Tank Size

40 gal
minimum (55+ preferred)

Temperature

75–82°F
24–28°C

pH Range

7.5–9
water acidity

Max Size

7"
17.8 cm

Lifespan

15–25 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Bottom
preferred zone

Care Notes

Requires hard, alkaline water. Keep with African cichlids from the rift lakes. Long-lived and robust once established.

Feeding

Sinking pellets, frozen foods, algae wafers. Unfussy eater that feeds actively at night.

Compatible Tank Mates

None identified.

Use Caution With

Black Skirt Tetra 2.5" Serpae Tetra 1.75" Congo Tetra 3.5" Glowlight Tetra 1.5" Harlequin Rasbora 2" Zebra Danio 2" Bloodfin Tetra 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" Celestial Pearl Danio 1" 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"

Check Compatibility

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