The Upside-down Catfish is an omnivore and are not picky when it comes to feeding. Good quality dried food, Frozen and live are all accepted. These fish also enjoy vegetables such as shelled peas and cucumber, which they will rasp at with their teeth in their lower jaw.
What do upside-down catfish eat?
In the wild, the Upside-Down Catfish search for food on the undersides of large leaves and logs, however in the tank they feed on insects at the water surface. These fish are omnivores so that you can feed your fish with any food from dry to frozen ones.
What does a catfish eat?
The catfish feeds mainly at night. In the wild it basically feeds on insects (fallen on the water surface), crustaceans and plant food. But it has an inferior mouth, that’s why quite often the fish has to swim upside-down to gather the food from the water surface. This is how the fish got its name.
What are the best upside-down catfish tank mates?
The ideal Upside-Down Catfish tank mates can be: 1 Dwarf cichlids 2 African tetras 3 Small mormyrids
How do you breed an upside down catfish?
Upside-down catfish prefer cave spawning. Offer an overturned clay flower pot or two or even some PVC pipe as a possible spawning location. Condition the breeders with live foods. Soften the water and use a sprinkler to add colder water to the tank, mimicking spring rains, to increase your odds for successful breeding.
Will upside-down catfish eat plants?
Feeding. Upside-down catfish are omnivores, preying on insects near the surface, while also consuming crustaceans and plant matter.
What do Burmese upside-down catfish eat?
As the name implies, this unusual fish spends most of its life swimming upside down, with its mouth and ventral surface facing up towards the water's surface, where it actively seeks out insects, crustaceans, and smaller fish as prey.
How long do upside-down catfish live for?
15 yearsUpside-down catfish have been carved into Egyptian tomb walls dating back 4,000 years. Today, they're more often found in aquariums, where they can live up to 15 years and grow to be 4 inches long.
How big does a upside-down catfish grow?
about 4 inchesThe upside-down catfish is a peaceful, schooling fish that grows to about 4 inches in length and is ideally suited for a community tank with other species of a similar temperament.
Do upside-down catfish eat snails?
Snails, as well as large Vampire Shrimp, Flower/Bamboo shrimp, and possibly large Amano Shrimp can be kept with the Upside-Down Catfish, but dwarf shrimp, microrasboras, and neon tetras may be eaten. All larger tankmates will be ignored.
Will upside-down catfish eat guppies?
Guppies are colorful and small shoaling fish that are peaceful and great additions to the community aquarium. Since they are small in size, adults are better suited to aquariums with upside-down catfish since this lowers the risk of the guppies being eaten.
Do upside-down catfish sting?
– Are Upside Down Catfish Venomous? No, they aren't, but they can sting you with their barbs if you pick them up by hand. The pectoral and dorsal spines of the Upside Down Catfish can cause serious injury. Despite their peaceful disposition, these fish will kill their predators when worst comes to worst.
Do upside-down catfish change color?
At night, the fish are very active and the body becomes pale. The change in color is more noticeable in the dorsal than the ventral skin.
Are upside-down catfish nocturnal?
Like many other catfish species, the Upside Down Catfish is largely nocturnal. They will spend most of their time hiding during the day.
Why is my fish floating upside down but still alive?
The impaired buoyancy in fish is caused by a malfunction of their swim bladder. When affected by Swim Bladder Disorder fish will often lose the ability to properly swim. They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive.
How do you take care of a catfish?
5:186:48Everything about CatFish || [Types-Caring-Feeding] - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlace stable water quality and parameters are critical to the health of catfish. Some catfish preferMorePlace stable water quality and parameters are critical to the health of catfish. Some catfish prefer to live in schools but can be happy alone such as goalies.
Species Summary
Upside Down Catfish ( Synodontis nigriventris) are certainly one of the quirkiest creatures that you can add to your tank! They exhibit some strange behavior that’s not normally seen in tropical fish. Rather than swimming upright, these freshwater fish spend most of their time swimming upside down!
Appearance
These unique fish are very similar in appearance to other freshwater aquarium catfish. They have that same familiar profile complete with three pairs of barbels on their face.
Average Size
The average size of Upside Down Catfish is between 3 and 4 inches in length. These creatures are on the smaller side compared to other catfish species.
Upside Down Catfish Care
For the most part, Upside Down Catfish care is a task that’s considered to be fairly easy. They are surprisingly resilient, aren’t too fussy, and not high-maintenance like some other species out there.
Food & Diet
Upside Down Catfish are omnivores by nature. In the wild, they will typically skim the surface of the water for insect larvae. Then, they’ll make their way back down and eat whatever they can find under driftwood and plant leaves.
Behavior & Temperament
Like many other catfish species, the Upside Down Catfish is largely nocturnal. They will spend most of their time hiding during the day. That’s why it’s so important to add rocks, caves, and driftwood!
Upside Down Catfish Tank Mates
Because these catfish are on the smaller side, you need to avoid any fish that could potentially see them as prey. Avoid all aggressive fish and stick to similarly-sized peaceful ones.
Characteristics, Origin, and Helpful Information for Hobbyists
Shirlie Sharpe is an aquatic expert and writer with over three decades of experience keeping and raising ornamental fish. She has consulted with The Minnesota Zoo and the National Aquarium. Shirlie has also authored a book on setting up aquariums.
Origin and Distribution
This fish originates in Central Africa in the Central Congo River basin from Kinshasa to Basonga. It is also found in Cameroon. It inhabits the densely vegetated areas at and around the banks of rivers.
Colors and Markings
Considered a dwarf catfish, Synodontis nigriventris reach an adult size of only three to four inches. Like other members of the Mochikidae family, they have large eyes, a large adipose fin, a forked tail, and three pairs of barbels. Their light brown colored body is covered with dark brown blotches of various sizes.
Tankmates
Upside-down catfish are good community fish. A peaceful species, they can be combined with many other species successfully. Despite its amicable nature, it is still a carnivore that will eat very small fish.
Upside-Down Catfish Habitat and Care
Well suited to the aquarium environment, the upside-down catfish is easy to care for. Aquarium temperature is not critical but water should be moderately soft and with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. As they are very sensitive to nitrates, good water conditions are necessary. Frequent partial water changes are needed to keep them healthy.
Upside-Down Catfish Diet and Feeding
In nature, the upside-down catfish feeds primarily on insects at the surface of the water, and it often scavages the undersides of submerged branches and logs for worms, insects, and micro-organisms. Swimming upside-down makes these areas easier to access. Omnivores, they will also graze on the available algae to supplement their diet.
Gender Differences
Females are larger, paler in coloration, and have plumper more rounded bodies, particularly when ready to spawn.
How they look like?
Upside-down catfish are light brown with dark brown blotches of various sizes. This color variation helps them to camouflage in their surroundings.
Is Upside Down Catfish aggressive?
No. Upright down catfish are very peaceful species that can live with any other non-aggressive fish species.
Upside Down Catfish behavior
Upside down catfish are nocturnal species. They mostly become active at night and stay hidden during day time.
How long do Upside Down Catfish live?
Upside-down catfish can live up to 5 years in optimum water conditions. However, this may change due to several reasons.
Upside Down Catfish care
Although these fish are mostly wild-caught ones, they can adapt well in the aquarium environment.
Upside Down Catfish breeding
Breeding upside-down catfish is somewhat tricky. Most fish sold at stores are either wild-caught ones or bred using reproductive hormones.
Special tips
Always house these fish in groups to avoid stress and unwanted health problems.
What Makes a Good Tank Mate for Upside-down Catfish?
Other catfish like the corydoras are ultimately one of the better tank mate options for upside-down catfish. Another good tank mate for upside-down catfish is any tropical species of shoaling fish such as mollies and platys.
Where Do Upside-down Catfish Prefer to Live in the Aquarium?
Upside-down catfish prefer to stay near the top level of the aquarium. This makes it easy for them to eat food from the surface. It can be confusing at first to get used to the appearance of the upside-down catfish, but once you understand how they swim and feed, it becomes easier to not constantly believe that your catfish is upside-down.
3 Benefits of Having Tank Mates for Upside-down Catfish in Your Aquarium
It helps to provide them with enrichment and companionship. This can help make an aquarium feel less empty.
Conclusion
There are plenty of ideal tank mates for the upside-down catfish. Narrowing down your options is a good idea if you want to find the best tank mates for your shoal of upside-down catfish.
Habitat in the wild
The fish is spread in the midstream of Knogo river basin including Pool Malebo, Kasai River and Ubangi River. Also there is information that the fish was encountered in Kouilou Department of the Republic of the Congo. It was artificially introduced to Philippines.
Description
The males grow up to 6 cm (2,36 in) long, the females are up to 9,6 cm (3.8 in). The lifespan is 7-9 years.
Difficulties in keeping
Synodontis nigriventris in general is a peaceful and calm fish, but it may show territory dependence and fight with the species of its kind and eat small tank dwellers, whose size allows to eat them.
Feeding
These fish are omnivorous and they eat frozen, live and dry food. You can also add some vegetable component into the diet – peas, cucumbers will do. Unlike most of representatives of the kind Synodontis nigriventris usually feeds upside-down near water surface.
Tank mates
It is one of the most peaceful representatives of its kind. The fish can dwell together with majority of not aggressive species, but not with predators.
Gender differences: male vs female
Gender dimorphism is feebly marked: the female has more spots on its body, the male is smaller and thinner than the female.
Breeding
The catfish becomes reproductive at the age of 2—3 years old. For breeding you will need a tank from 50 liters capacity with various shelters and floating tank plants.
Species Summary
Appearance
Average Size
- The average size of Upside Down Catfish is between 3 and 4 inches in length.These creatures are on the smaller side compared to other catfish species. While they might not reach the enormous sizes of some other catfish, this can prove to be quite useful in your aquarium. You can easily pair them with other tropical fish of a similar size. We’ll get into that later. Author Note:Their size can …
Upside Down Catfish Care
- For the most part, Upside Down Catfish care is a task that’s considered to be fairly easy. They are surprisingly resilient, aren’t too fussy, and not high-maintenance like some other species out there. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can pop them into any old tank. They do have some care requirements that you need to abide by. Sticking to some established guidelines will ensure that …
Food & Diet
- Upside Down Catfish are omnivores by nature. In the wild, they will typically skim the surface of the water for insect larvae. Then, they’ll make their way back down and eat whatever they can find under driftwood and plant leaves. In captivity, most fish are willing to accept whatever you give them. They do best on balanced diets that are rich in p...
Behavior & Temperament
- Like many other catfish species, the Upside Down Catfish is largely nocturnal. They will spend most of their time hiding during the day. That’s why it’s so important to add rocks, caves, and driftwood! Once the sun sets, the fish will become more active. They don’t limit themselves to just one part of the water column, so be prepared to see them swimming everywhere! These fish are …
Upside Down Catfish Tank Mates
- Because these catfish are on the smaller side, you need to avoid any fish that could potentially see them as prey. Avoid all aggressive fish and stick to similarly-sized peaceful ones. It’s not just the health of your Upside Down Catfish you have to worry about with large aggressive fish. Remember those sharp rays we mentioned earlier? Well, your catfish will use them if they are ev…
Breeding
- Breeding Upside Down Catfish is very difficult. Most of the fish you see in stores are either wild-caught or bred using reproductive hormones. Some aquarists have been able to successfully breed these fish, but it’s hit or miss. They are egg-laying fish that will usually spawn when spring rains occur. The best way to increase your chances of successful spawning is to recreate those …
Want to Mix It Up A bit?
- We hope this guide has not only educated you on Upside Down Catfish care, but also convinced you to give this species a shot! They’re low-maintenance, durable, and a blast to observe. We know plenty of aquarists who swear they’ll always keep a tank of these fish no matter what. If you have a question about something we didn’t cover in this guide we’re more than happy to help yo…
Description
Distribution and habitat
Physical characteristics
Behavior
Prevention
Examples
Advantages
Habitat
Usage
Diet
- In nature, the upside-down catfish feeds primarily on insects at the surface of the water, and it often grazes on the undersides of submerged branches and logs. Swimming upside-down makes these areas more accessible. They will also graze on algae to supplement their diet. You can also feed it vegetable matter in the form of shelled peas and cucumbe...
Morphology
Life cycle
Quotes