Readers Respond: Have you kept a Upside Down Catfish?

Responses: 91

By Shirlie Sharpe, About.com Guide

when my husband & I began dating we bought a Synodontis. We had other fish but kept them in separate tanks for fear of ick or some other disease. Those tanks came & went but this! upside down catfish lived happily by himself for over 25 years! Just passed yesterday. I had no idea a fish could live that long. He was one of the most unique & interesting pets we have owned.
—Guest mfwz44

I bought two upside down catfish awhile ago, and they have been perfect. I wish I see them more, but the ones that I have are very peaceful, and mind their own business. I absolutely love them.
—Guest Fishers

A julii fish is about an inch and it does not need a big tank. It needs about 10 gallons of water and it needs to be fed 3 times a day !!
—Guest guest 2012

I bought an upside down catfish from work, mostly because it was a strange fish, and for some reason I’m drawn to strange fish. she went in with a 29 gallon tank, with lots of live plants and places to hide, she found the Chinese lantern, and that became her spot, she grew so round, that she couldn’t fit inside the lantern, this fish became my favorite, she was in with a school of Neons, some female Bettas and a few Corys, she kept to herself, but was always fun to see, never bothered any of the other fish, i highly recommend this fish to anyone who likes strange fish, or small catfish.
—Guest matthew

I recently got an awesome looking upside down catfish in my 55 gal tank. Im now having second thoughts because he is so aggressive towards the other fish in the tank. There is one gold fish (about twice his size), an angle fish, and 2 cichlids. He terrorizes them all, but hasn't killed anyone yet.....
—Guest steve

Had 2 in 20 gal. tank. Loss air flow, 2 dead zebra loaches, thought 2 dead up-siders also two tetras. Put where all dead fish go, first netted nose down on bottom, next went for the one floating on top, belly up (white belly ) and as soon as the net touch him he came alive. First though, we now flushed live cat, with brown loach. Bad day.
—mrdaryl

I have a 10 gallon tank and have had an upside down catfish for about 3 years. I have two glass fish, two rasbora's and two swordtail fish. They have all lived in harmony. My catfish comes out at night and lives in a cave during the day. I have found him floating up near the top of the tank a couple times, but have learned he is ok. He/she has NEVER been aggressive towards any of the other fish. Perhaps because there has always been plenty of food for him to eat. My tank has been around for a long time, so I am able to put plenty of food in without it causing issues to my water quality. My catfish is a joy to watch at night time, and I hope to have him for a long time. Oh, and he is only about 3-4 inches.
—Guest P. Hanson

I keep 1 6yr old painted turtle 5 upside cats 3 4"clown loach 5 different Africans fish 2 kinds. Breed all the time I'm always giving my babies away
—Guest yes

upside down cats are a schooling animal. if you don't give them a school to swim in they start to show erratic behavior. make sure you keep them in groups of 3 to 6 and they'll leave everything else alone. and... if your cat is bigger than 5 inches, its not a true upside down cat. it's a hybrid and will surely be a tank serial killer.
—Guest breeder

Mine is in a 65 gallon aquarium by itsewlf and that is a little small. devils need 70 gallons for 1. 1 Oscar needs a 70 gallon aquarium. Just had to say that. Mine does laps around the aquarium. mine is 8 inches long. It is a cool fish.
—Guest Gc

My upside down catfish lying belly up at the bottom of the tank unmoving for like three minutes after I walked in so I think it's dead so I go to get him out using my hand because I don't have a net right as I touch him he scares me and starts doing laps around the tank as usual.but my catfish is kind to his cory cat and two green barb niebors
—Guest Fisher

I bought the real Synodontis Nigriventris that are non-aggressive and have remained the same size (1.5" to 2") for the past 5 years in my 100 gallon tank. They are a joy to watch, when they come out of their hiding spaces, and aid in keeping the tank clean of food that the fish can't get to. They live with neon tetras, glow tetras, zebra danios, bumble bees, mollies, platys, guppies, angels, a dwarf rubber-nosed pleco, and ghost shrimp. No issues with them and definitely hardy fish. Be sure to get the right one as mentioned earlier in the posts and you'll enjoy them. I've seen others at the pet store that were surrendered because of their aggressiveness and size, they looked the similar, but had no white or pale markings, which could explain why they are about 5". They aren't Synodontis Nigriventris, but another kind. Mine are cute little pot-bellied guys that never bother the other fish and are actually playful amongst each other and with my pleco that is 3". Good luck!
—Guest cogata

My upside-down catfish (not a hybrid) is more than 10 years old and bigger than 6" long. He/she does not eat or bother small fish. During the 10+ years he/she lived in a 10 gallon tank, he/she mostly stayed in his/her cave during the day and came out at night. In the new 38 gallon tank with many companions, he/she really likes the more powerful water filter and usually stays near or under it rather than in the cave. A nice long-term companion.
—Guest Michelle

I have 2 Catfish and 7 black Mollys. Now I have 2 fat Catfish and 1 Molly. Never get cats.
—Guest tank man

My catfish keeps on hiding in the tower of my castle. It also has little white spots on it. Is it ich or spines on him
—Guest logan

Shirlie Sharpe
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