Synodontis nigriventris
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| Upside-down catfish | ||||||||||||||
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| Synodontis nigriventris David, 1936 |
Upside-down catfish, Synodontis nigriventris, is a species of catfish, particularly noteworthy for its habit of swimming upside down most of the time. Upside-down catfish originate from the Central Congo basin of Africa.[1]
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[edit] Appearance and anatomy
Upside-down catfish are small, reaching a maximum of 9.6 centimetres (4 in).[1] Upside-down catfish are adapted to spending 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]
[edit] 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]
[edit] 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] It fares best in schools of up to half a dozen.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "Synodontis nigriventris". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
- ^ a b Axelrod, Herbert R. (1996). Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications.
- ^ Sanford, Gina (1999). Aquarium Owner's Guide. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-4614-6.
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