I started trying to breed the Synodontis Multipunctatus about two years ago and I finally got them to breed. Synodontis Multipunctatus is also called the Cukoo Cat because of its strange breeding behavior. These catfish will use mouthbrooding cichlids to hatch their own eggs. It is one of the only fish I know that exhibits a method of spawning known as brood parasitism.
I set up a 125 gallon community tank with three male and two female Synodontis along with various mouthbrooding cichlids. One of the species in the tank being a Copadichromis Borleyi. I noticed the catfish would come out when any fish would even think of spawning and create much confusion on the rock the cichlids were trying to spawn on. The catfish must smell the hormones the cichlids are releasing. The catfish will wait for a female cichlid to release her egg and then the female catfish will eat the cichlid egg and drop her own. The female cichlid will then wait for the male to fertilize the egg and she will circle around and pick the catfish egg up thinking it is hers.
I saw my Borleyi holding eggs in her mouth and was hoping that she did in fact pick up some catfish eggs. Synodontis eggs will hatch in three days compared to the 15 or more days to hatch the cichlid eggs. After the Synodontis eggs hatch, they will start to eat the cichlid eggs in the females mouth. I had not bred the Borleyi yet and did not want to take a chance that she did not have catfish eggs so I did not strip them after three days. Instead, I waited and after about 12 days I saw the Borleyi did not look like she was holding anymore. I fed my fish and the Borleyi did not eat so I guessed she was still holding. I caught her and stripped two Synodontis Multipunctatus from her. The babies were translucent tan color, super tiny, and black in the stomach area. They are certainly not easy to find in a tank. Because the Borleyis bucal cavity got smaller rather than larger, I would expect the catfish babies ate any eggs the Borleyi was holding and possibly even their brothers or sisters.
Next time I will strip them earlier and hope for more catfish babies.