Amphibians
Axolotls
Caecilian Worm
Chaco Toad
Mud Puppies
Newts General
Newts Eastern
Newts Golden
Newts Mandarin
Salamanders
Suriname Toad
Tadpoles
Terrarium I
Terrarium II
USA Toads
Water Dogs
Misc. Toads

Frogs
Bull
Clawed
Dumpy
Dwarf
Fire-Belly
Floating
Green Tree
Leopard
Pac Man
Pipa pipa
Pyxie
Red-Eyed Tree
Tomato
Misc Frogs 
Misc Frogs II
Misc Frogs III
Misc Frogs IV

Animals
Bunnies
Bunnies II 
Chinchillas
Degus
Ferrets
Gerbils
Guinea Pig
Hamsters I
Hamsters II
Hamsters III
Hamsters IV
Hamsters V
Hedgehogs
Kittens
Kids & Kittens
Mice
Mice Pets II
Parasites
Rats I
Rats II
Rats, Hairless
S-T Opossums
Sugar Gliders
Water Bottles

Bugs
Crabby 500
Crab 04 Results
Centipedes
Cray/Lobsters
Crayfish II
Crayfish III
Cray, Yucatan
Fiddler Crabs
Shrimp, Algae
Shrimp, Aqua
Shrimp, Red
Shrimp, Flower
Shrimp, Ghost
Shrimp, Rudolph
Hermit Crabs
Hermit Crabs II
Madagas Roach
Mantids
Mini-Clams
Mini-Crabs
Giant Millipedes
Red Claw Crabs
Reiman Butterfly
Snail, Apple
Snail, Colombian
Snail, Land
Snail, Malaysian
Snail, Mystery
Snail, Trapdoor 
Scorpions
Tarantulas
Tarantula Night 2006
TarantulaWeen VII
Misc. Bugs
Misc Bugs II

Birds
Breeding Tips
Canaries
Cockatiels
Dove, Diamond
Dove, Ringneck
Finches
Love Birds
Parakeets
Pelleted Foods
Quaker Parrots
Parrot Pictures
Parrot Pix II
Dave's Parrots

Lizards
Alligators
Anoles
Bearded Dragon
Calotes
Chamel, Jackson
Chamel, Panther
Chamel, Veiled
Crested Geckos
Gecko, Golden
Gecko, House
Gecko, Leopard
Gecko, Tokay
Horned "Toads"
Iguana New
Iguana Dragons
Iguana Q&A I
Iguana Q&A II
Iguana Training
Iguana Update
Knight Anoles
Monitors, Nile
Monitors, Savana
Monitors, Water
Salmonella
Skinks
Skinks Blue-Tongue
Tegus
Uromastyx maliensis
Water Dragon
Misc Lizards
Misc Lizards 2
Misc Lizards 3
Misc Lizards 4
Misc Lizards 5

Snakes
Anacondas
Boa, Rosy
Boa, Red-Tail
Corn Snake
Garter Snake
Green Snake
Kids/Corn Snakes
Kids/Red-Tail Boas

Kids at Pet Expo 1

Kids at Pet Expo 2

Kids at Pet Expo 3

Kids at Pet Expo 4

Kids at Pet Expo 5
King & Milk
Python, Ball
Python, Burmese
Snakesgiving
Snakesgiving II
Misc. Snake Pix

Turtles
Box, Asian
Box, USA
Races
Snapping

Sulcata
Water

Live Foods
Blackworms
Blood Worms
Br Shrimp I
Br Shrimp II
Crayfish 1
Crayfish 2
Crayfish 3 
Crickets
Daphnia
Earthworms
Feeder Goldfish
Fruit Flies
Ghost Shrimp

Glass Worms

Grindal Worms
Infusoria
Mealworms
Microworms
Rosy Reds

Super Worms

Wax Worms
White Clouds

Decorating
Bubbles
Driftwood
Gravel
Plastic Plants
Rocks
Slow Growing Plants

Miscellaneous
How to Start
How to Add New Fish
How to Keep Healthy
Which Fish Get Along?
10 Questions to Ask
What is Ich?
Under Gravel Filters
Cloudy Water
Cool Water Tanks
Gravel Vacuums
Preventing Disease
Feeding to the Max
Frozen Foods
Green Water
Nasty Chemicals
Overfeeding
Power Filters
Rift Lake Salts
Quarantine Tank
Mini-Tank
2nd Av Bait

Aquatic Plants
Amazon Swords
More Swords
Sword Plants III
Anubias
Aponogetons
A. boivinianus
A. fenestralis
A. ulvaceous
Aquarium/Bog
Banana Plant
Bolbitis
Bunch
Bunch Plants II
Cryptocorynes
Crystalwort
Dwarf Lily
Grassy
Grassy II
Hornwort
Hygrophila
Lace
Java Lance Fern
Java Moss
Moss Balls
Onion
Vermiculite
Watersprite

LA
He prefers to hide during the day.  You can even move him in this tube.

Origins.  Originally from most of the Congo River basin.  However, we're seeing smaller Synodontis decorus showing up on wholesale lists which leads us to believe someone's breeding them somewhere.  But, who knows?

LA
In fact, you have to "pour" this nine-incher out of his tube.

LA
They get the "decorus" in their name from the long first ray in their dorsal fin.

LA
Synodontis decorus also sport very attractive polka dots.

Decorus Name.  As they hit about three inches, the first ray in their dorsal fin starts growing longer.  You won't see it on the little guys, but it is quite apparent as they grow toward maturity.

LA
Not all mid-size decorus sport the long dorsal banner.

LA
Decorus adapt to low pH water with tannins in it.

LA
If there is a hiding place, your Synodontis decorus will find it.

LA
To get a picture, you need to remove his hideout.

LA

LA
Put it back, and he quickly returns to his hidey-hole. .

LA

LA
Dorsal view.

LA
Side view.

LA
Ventral view.

LA
Four-inch Synodontis do not threaten adult-size tetras.

LA

LA
Young decorus in two-inch flower pot.  Little guys hide even more.

LA
Another Synodontis decorus about the same size.

LA
Usually each prefers his own hideout.

LA
Little guys will not come out -- not even for live California blackworms.

LA
1.25-inch Synodontis decorus.  Somebody's spawning them somewhere.

LA
Disconsolate Synodontis decorus because he has no place to hide.

LA
Sometimes you have to force the little guys out.

LA
Lots of variation in that dorsal banner.

LA
No hiding place, so he's looking for one.

LA
His striking black and white motif almost blends into natural gravel.

LA
Synodontis decorus stand out nicely in a planted aquaria.

Good with Plants.  Some catfish bulldoze their way through aquaria.  Even the larger Synodontis decorus remain "plant friendly."  They make good community fish in planted aquaria.  They don't pester any fish larger than bite-size.

LA
They mix really well with African cichlids.  No surprise there.

LA
Cute in the face also.

LA
Decorus have different barbels than most other Synodontis.  Otherwise, they are quite similar.

LA
10-inch Synodontis decorus.

LA
Same guy -- a little scratched up.

LA
Same guy.

LA
Same guy.

LA
4-inch synodontis decorus.

Last Word.  You can't go wrong with a Synodontis decorus (if you can afford him).  LA

Pond Info 
Blank Park Zoo
Bob Humphrey's Ponds
Cattails
Maffett Reservoir
DMACC's Pond
D.M. Botanical Center
D.M. Water Works
Dr. Ervanian's Garden
Duckweed
Dwarf Lily
Ewing Park "Pond"
Jan & Chris's Water Garden
John McDonald's Pond
Hall's Four Acres
Klines' Water Garden
Landscaper Effects
Mini-Pond Pics
Pioneer Corn's Pond
Pond Fish Predators
Pond on 38th Street 
Pond Pics
Pond Plants
More Pond Plants
Pond Plants III
Reiman Ponds
River Scenes
Riverview Island
Selin's Water Gardens
Selin's Japanese Garden
Tom's Used Cars Pond
Urbandale Duck Pond
Water Hyacinth
Water Lettuce
Wild Ponds