- Synodontis nigriventris
-
Upside-down catfish 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Siluriformes Family: Mochokidae Genus: Synodontis Species: S. nigriventis Binomial name Synodontis nigriventris
David, 1936Upside-down catfish, Synodontis nigriventris, is a species of catfish. It is particularly noteworthy because of its habit of swimming upside down most of the time. Upside-down catfish originate from the Central Congo basin of Africa.[1]
Contents
Appearance and anatomy
Upside-down catfish are small, reaching a maximum of 9.6 centimetres (4 in).[1] Like other members of the mochikidae family, they have large eyes, a large dorsal fin and three pair of barbels. Upside-down catfish are adapted to spend most of their time upside-down. This is reflected in the fish's pigmentation—their bellies are darker than their backs, a form of countershading.[2]
Ecology
These fish are mostly nocturnal, and feed on insects, crustaceans, and plant matter.[1] These fish lay eggs.[1] The young fish do not swim upside-down until they are about two months old.[3]
In the aquarium
The upside-down catfish is well suited to aquariums because of its small size (typically 9 or 10 cm or less) and peaceful demeanor.[2] They should be kept in schools of 3 minimum for best effect. They should be fed a variety of good quality flake food, tablet food, frozen bloodworm and livefood as daphnia. Provide caves or ledges to them to loaf in.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Synodontis nigriventris" in FishBase. May 2007 version.
- ^ a b Axelrod, Herbert R. (1996). Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-543-1.
- ^ Sanford, Gina (1999). Aquarium Owner's Guide. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-4614-6.
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