Breeding Upside-Down Catfish (Synodontis Nigriventris) In The Aquarium

Location

This freshwater fish lives in tropical tributaries of Congo River and Niger River.

Body description

Colour of the body is gray-creamy. There is a lot of dark brown or black spots on the sides of the fish. These spots may create a transverse stripes. This species have large eyes which are really close to each other, a wide fat fin, forked caudal fin and 3 pairs of barbels. The fins have a light-dark stripes. This fish has darker under-side than back of the body because it swims upside-down when it feeds and hunts for insects and mosquito larvae. Female is larger and less colourful than male. Her genital papilla has an oval shape.

Temperament and behaviour

This is a shoal, friendly and peaceful fish. It is mostly active at night and you should feed them then. The fish like to feed on algae on a wide leaves of plants. This species prefers to live in groups of few fish.

Aquarium decoration

This species like spacious tanks with a lot of plants, floating plants, dimmed light, hiding-places among roots, rocks, caves. You should do as many places to hide as you have fish - one hiding place per fish. The adult fish are loners.

Breeding

This is an oviparous species. It breeds in the rainy season, so you can stimulate fish to spawn by this way. Pair of the fish is ready to spawn when their colors of the body change to yellow-white. Then their spots are more contrast. Female lays the roe on a hard surface e.g. pots, caves, roots. The eggs hatch after a week. The fry starts to swim and feed 4 days later. The young start to swim upside-dawn after about 2 months. The fry grows slowly.