Valentine Synodontis hybrid

[Frank Castle]

Yea so I found out the little tiny syno I got a few weeks ago are called "Valentine" and the only thing I can find Googling them is they are hybrids of decorus and multipunctatus, 2 species I have never owned. I own several Eupterus so I know Synos fairly well, but is there any help people who have kept these guys can offer or just general knowledge that might be useful to me? I checked it out on Planet Catfish, however even then, information was rather sparse.

They do in fact fit the picture to a "T", so at least I feel like they are the 2 species that they are "suppose to be". They are not being kept w/ any other Synodontis species, as I don't want 3-way hybrid Synos regardless that I never bred Cats, there could always be a 1st time, and I don't want it to be THIS, but they certainly make a vry attractive little fish in my fry tank, even at 1.5" they have great patterns and color.

Thanks in advance

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The most common hybrid syno for the last decade.

On PCF they are under syno hybrid #1. Note variable appearance both specimen to specimen and with age. They will change drastically with age:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=42768&hilit=syno

Valentine, valentiana, jaguar, zebra syno and other silly made up names.

No one really knows their parentage. It may not necessarily be just two synos. It's a trade secret, a know-how. Only folks in Czech Republic, or wherever they are made in Eastern Europe, know.

Experts guess from looks they definitely have a eupterus in the lineage, maybe an occelifer (a large female with lots of eggs increases production too).

 

[slayer5590]

Viktor, valentine is actually listed as hybrid#5 on pcf.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It is, thanks for pointing out. But I have seen #1 under that name often too. Hybrid makers and vendors usually don't care what to call their frankensteins and they will give them the name that gets them sold the fastest.

They can call them whatever they want and send different hybrid synos under the same name when vendors order them off their lists.

This whole hybrid thing is a turn off, put mildly. Just my opinion.

This may elaborate the issues, including animal cruelty involved in production and hobby pollution, not to mention people playing gods for no good reason other than to make $$ off of our habit for perpetually wanting new and different stuff all the time to ward off boredom / to keep being interested in the hobby and entertained: http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28659&hilit=syno+hybrid+thread