Dwarf Polli Catfish

The polli synodontis, or Poll's synodontis, are considered a dwarf species, though this fish grows to four inches in Lake Tanganyika. Petricola fish are small Synodontis. These fish are tan with black spots. They have white lines. These fish are similar to dwarf petricola but the coloration is olive with black spots. Dwarf Petricola catfish are omnivores, and should be offered both meaty foods and vegetation. This can be in the form of flakes, pellets, and freeze-dried or frozen foods like bloodworms and blackworms. They are peaceful fish and can be kept in most community aquariums. Many can tolerate a wide range of water conditions, including hard water and high pH, and of course all synodontis can be kept in African cichlid aquariums.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Give them caves, rocks or driftwood to hide in, and good filtration. They are most active at night.

Feeding: Feed sinking pellets once a day, ideally in the evening. They also enjoy frozen foods like bloodworms.

Tankmates: They get along with most fish of similar size, including many cichlids. They may eat very small fish.

Good to know: Dwarf synodontis are a great fit for African cichlid tanks, where they clean up food that falls to the bottom.