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Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis nigriventris

Freshwater West and central Africa Usually captive bred

Famous for its quirky habit of swimming inverted, this mottled African catfish grazes the undersides of leaves, roots, and driftwood for morsels. They are peaceful and gregarious nocturnal scavengers. Provide sheltered overhangs, dim illumination, and keep them in a small group to encourage daylight activity.

Also called: Blotched upsidedown catfish, Back-swimming congo catfish, Upsidedown cat, Up-side-down catfish.

9.5 cm adult length, drawn to scale. torpedo body.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 4 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 9.5 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 80 L, at least 60 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 15 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 2 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 22 to 27 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 6 to 7.5 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 4 to 15, KH 2 to 8 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Low Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Dim Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size At least 4, ideally 6 Kept alone or in small numbers it hides, fades or turns on tankmates.
Temperament Peaceful Not territorial.
Swims in All levels Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 8 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Suits a first tank A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Upside-Down Catfish is an omnivore that swims in all levels of the tank. It is safe with plants. Give it plenty of cover.

Tankmates

Works with

No close matches in the data. Check the pair tool.

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.