Polli Want a Catfish?

Synodontis polli is the scientific name for a fish more commonly called the White Polli. It is also occasionally seen in Local Fish Stores labeled as Poll's Syno (or Synodontis). The fish was named for Max Poll, a prominent Belgian ichthyologist who extensively studied cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and published what has been called “the most important work on that fauna to date.” S. polli is also occasionally mislabeled as Synodontis eurystomus, a scientific name that is no longer scientifically correct for either of the species it once represented, though has still not found its way out of the hobby, or regulations, which means you will still see it here and there. The White Polli's distinctive appearance, stark coloration, peaceful nature, and interesting behavior make it a popular choice among all of us freshwater fish geeks.

In the wild, these fish hail from Lake Tanganyika in Africa, which is why they got named for Max, and have been reported at several locations in the lake. They are a bottom dwelling fish and can be found at considerable depth, getting collected anywhere from 60' to over 250' down (FYI, Tanganyika is 4820 feet deep!!!). They are usually found in large groups.

The White Pollis we have in stock are aquacultured and as a result are a little more accepting of a wider variety of aquarium conditions, lighting and food than their wild counterparts, who were already a pretty adaptable bunch. These fish are pretty likely to get at least four inches long and could get as big as five and a bit. So, while a single Polli could be kept in a tank as small as 30 gallons, a group four or five would need at least a 55. They'll like a fine, soft sand that mimics the substrate that would be their wild preference. You should include plenty of smooth rocks and driftwood as cover.

Synodontis polli likes water that is clean, hard, warm and relatively high in pH. A pH between 7.5 and 9.0 is the norm for these fish, with a temperature between 75 and 82 Fahrenheit. Frequent water changes and strong filtration can help you keep your nitrates under 15-20ppm, which is about as high as is tolerable, and less would be better. As aquacultured specimens, the hardness is the least important of these parameters, and these fish should be pretty adaptable in this regard.

Some Synodontis require a good bit of vegetation and algal matter in their diet, but the Polli will completely ignore offerings like zucchini. The vast majority of their diet will be meat based (very little algae grows at the depths they come from). The White Polli will accept the Nutramar Complete sinking pellet, and we feed them this in house. They also get a mix of Gamma Frozen foods, like Bloodworm, Tubifex, White Mosquito Larvae, Brine Plus Spirulina, and Mysis, etc. S. Polli will relish opportunities for live food like small worms, tubifex and brine shrimp. They are very opportunistic and would not hesitate to eat a small fish they could catch, something to keep in mind when choosing tankmates as well.

Wild specimens are used to very dimly lit conditions, something you won't need to worry about with aquacultured specimens, making them a better option for planted aquariums; where they will fit well, and are not likely to be a problem for your plants. In regard to other fish, these are very peaceful with most other fish and are robust enough to be kept with some of the more peaceful rift lake Cichlids, like Shelldwellers, even some fish like Convicts, Yellow Labs, Haps and Aulonocara. Other good tankmates might be things like Barbs, Spiny Eels, or even bigger Tetras. Obviously, it is possible to spawn Synodontis pollis in captivity, because the fish we're offering are aquacultured. However, this is a fairly recent development. If you take a gander around the internet, you'll see plenty of sources that tell you this has never been done, and a few more saying that it's only been done by a select number of aquarists and scientists. It's possible that this could be done in the home environment, and it's also totally possible that this might happen on accident in your tank. All that being said, trying to do in intentionally and with repeatable results is outside the scope of most hobbyists and certainly this article.

Synodontis polli is a unique and fascinating fish that can add a touch of personality to any aquarium. Their peaceful nature, high activity level and distinctive appearance will endear them to everyone who sees your aquarium. They are active fish that given enough hiding spaces, will be very comfortable in the home aquarium and provide hours of entertainment through their exploring, and social behaviors. Ask your local fish store to get you some sustainably aquacultured White Pollis (or Polls Syno) from Aquatropic today!