Upside down catfish

[Cichlidgirl91]

I've done a little bit of research on these guys and was wondering... What kind of african cichlids make the best "hosts" for UD catfish?
Oh, and another (but not as important) question! How do UD catfish get their eggs in with the cichlid eggs? I thought that the cichlids laid the eggs and then immediately picked them up in their mouth... That wouldn't give the catfish much time to put their eggs in with the rest.
Enlighten me

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

Now I'm reading that they lay their eggs in PVC pipes and clay flowerpots...
I'm really confused. Maybe I'll just keep them and not try to breed them

 

[fishdance]

Are you refering to Synodontis multipunctatus? or S. nigriventris? multipunctatus are oportunistic breeders but do not need mouthbrooders to spawn. Using cichlids is much easier though. Any mouthbrooding cichlid will do but rotate the cichlids as they wise up pretty fast. Use any prolific breeders (species) which are easy to rob eggs from.

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

I was talking about S. nigriventris. Maybe I got them mixed up... Do S. nigriventris lay their eggs with the cichlid eggs or is it just S. multipunctatus? So you think Labidos could work? I'm wanting to have an african cichlid (and UD catfish) tank in my 55.
So, any type of mouthbrooder works? There's not a cichlid that is the "best host?"

 

[fishdance]

Sy. nigriventris are not cuckoo spawners so mouthbrooding cichlids would only hinder catfish spawns. Some reports have Sy. nigriventris laying in pipes. I had this article bookmarked but there is probably more recent info available.
http://articles.gpasi.org/synodontis.html