any ika , ▁which ▁has ▁an ▁observed ▁temperature ▁range ▁of ▁, ▁an ▁approximate ▁p H ▁of ▁ 8 . 5 ▁– ▁ 9 , ▁and ▁d H ▁range ▁of ▁ 4 - 1 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁fish ▁inhab its ▁the ▁litt oral ▁to ▁b enth ic ▁zones ▁in ▁the ▁lake , ▁over ▁shell , ▁sand , ▁and ▁mud ▁bottom s , ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁found ▁at ▁depth s ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁, ▁but ▁most ▁commonly ▁between ▁. ▁The ▁re product ive ▁hab its ▁of ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁species ▁of ▁Syn od ont is ▁are ▁not ▁known , ▁beyond ▁some ▁instances ▁of ▁obtain ing ▁egg ▁counts ▁from ▁grav id ▁females . ▁Sp aw ning ▁likely ▁occurs ▁during ▁the ▁flo oding ▁season ▁between ▁July ▁and ▁October , ▁and ▁pairs ▁sw im ▁in ▁un ison ▁during ▁sp aw ning . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁whole , ▁species ▁of ▁Syn od ont is ▁are ▁om n iv ores , ▁cons uming ▁insect ▁lar va e , ▁alg ae , ▁g ast rop ods , ▁b ival ves , ▁sp ong es , ▁cr ust ace ans , ▁and ▁the ▁eggs ▁of ▁other ▁fish es . ▁ ▁The ▁growth ▁rate ▁is ▁rapid ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁year , ▁then ▁slow s ▁down ▁as ▁the ▁fish ▁age . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁gran ulos us ▁Category : Cat fish ▁of ▁Africa ▁Category : F ish ▁of ▁Lake ▁Tang any ika ▁Category : F ish ▁of ▁Bur und i ▁Category : F ish ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁of ▁the