Upside Down Catfish

[betta blue]

Hi! I've just gone through a lot of this site to try to figure out the true name of a wonderful catfish I saw at my LFS. They only call it an upside down catfish without the latin name. They have had them now for 3 months and they have not grown at all. They are about 1", 2.5 cm. and swim upside down all the time. I'm having trouble determining it's real name but really like them. Can you tell me what species you think it is and then I can research more. I think I can give them a home. They are a mottley grey.

As a PS: I'm looking for another tank for my common plec...it took me 6 months to find his current home of 90 gal. He's 9in. now...growing slower than the first year I've had him...but I'm having trouble finding a tank that is 2 feet wide. His current tank is only 18in wide, 24in high and 48in length. He's doing okay in his current environment but I know he's going to grow. Can anyone tell me how much time I have to find something bigger for him?

Thx,
Shar

[Suckermouth]

Synodontis nigriventris

is the common upside down catfish and it stays small.

Synodontis nigrita

is also commonly sold as an upside down catfish.

Having not kept a common plec to that size before I can't comment on that for sure. You should have at least another year, if not more, though. That's just an opinion, though, not a fact.

[Birger]

Should be

Synodontis nigriventris

as stated above...it is a great little fish as long a they are not competing to much with others and are a good size to have as a small group(5 or more) and watch the interaction between them

http://www.aquariumillusions.com/ has aquariums in a size you are looking for if you have never been there it is worth a look around

Birger

[Silurus]

Before you go down and pick up the fish, just make sure you're not getting

Mystus leucophasis

.

[betta blue]

Thx Birger! I didn't respond to your temperature question...actually, I think Edmonton was colder than Canmore with windchill and I've heard we are about to get another bout of extreme cold weather. Today was minus 30 something with windchill. But we're in the same province!

Back to my question, the LFS has 3 of the little guys...synodontis nigreventis?...can they survivie in a ten gal? or for how long as they are roughly 1in. They are with a Betta that misses the two clown loaches that I transfered to the 90 gal. I still have snails in the tank they will be introduced to. In my readings, the synodontis nigreventis may eat them...bonus for me if they do.

I appreciate the info on Aquariums Illusion...haven't been there before and will go if nothing more to see if they can help me more to make my aquariums healthy, but cost of a "new aquarium" that size is more than I can afford ...rather find a used one...this is becoming a science project...don't even want to think the days, months I've spent on the internet reading about fish disease, different community fish, etc. I've had live plants since my first aquarium a year and a half ago. The plants are living but not doing great. It's my next focus. I cherish this site cause I'm definately prone to catfish...1 common plec, 1 twig, 2 glass catfish, 2 bristlenoses including an albino...all a year to a year and a half with exception of the twig that I've only had for 6 months.

I need so much help!
Shar

[betta blue]

Thank you Silurus...that was my problem trying to determine how big being told it's an upside down catfish...without the LFS knowing the latin name for them...I saw the mystus leucophasis on this site but not sure if I can determine if they are mystus leucophasis or synodontis nigriventis. My question is that they have lived in a tank at the LFS for 3 months and haven't grown...still roughly 1 in. (my clown loaches are not growing fast either). They are a mottly grey and always upside down. I've watched them now for the past three months and have never seen them right side up. Is there something else I should look for? to differentiate the types?

Shar

Shar

[Marc van Arc]

Is there something else I should look for? to differentiate the types?

Synodontis nigriventris

has 6 barbels (none on the nose) of which the smaller ones are feathered (or branched).

Mystus leucophasis

has 8 barbels (2 on the nose) which aren't feathered (or branched).

I would expect it is Synodontis for the fact that they haven't grown in that time.

[Richard B]

marc is right - Mystus leucophasis would have shown significant growth from a 1" fish over 3 months

[betta blue]

Thank you for your information. I plan on buying the three they have.

[MatsP]

The next size up from a 90g is a 125g in the US. They are, if memory serves, 4 x 2 x 2 ft. Bigger than that is usually custom made - particularly if you actually want more floor-space rather than just more volume of water. Although this is not necessarily more expensive [per volume of water], it usually means more searching for a reliable aquarium builder. If you do have a custom tank built, you should consider having it drilled and a sump-tank installed. It makes water changes a doddle [just wait while sufficient water has filled into into the sump. Any surplus will, if the sump is correctly done, automatically run into the overflow drain].

Note that a 150g tank is just a longer 90g format tank - so it's not bigger floor-width.

--
Mats

[Suckermouth]

The next size up from a 90g is a 125g in the US. They are, if memory serves, 4 x 2 x 2 ft. Bigger than that is usually custom made - particularly if you actually want more floor-space rather than just more volume of water. Although this is not necessarily more expensive [per volume of water], it usually means more searching for a reliable aquarium builder. If you do have a custom tank built, you should consider having it drilled and a sump-tank installed. It makes water changes a doddle [just wait while sufficient water has filled into into the sump. Any surplus will, if the sump is correctly done, automatically run into the overflow drain].

Note that a 150g tank is just a longer 90g format tank - so it's not bigger floor-width.

--
Mats

My All-Glass 125 is 6' x 1.5' x 2'. The All-Glass 120 is 4' x 2' x 2', though. There is also supposedly a 100; the dimensions are similar to the 125 but is shallower: 6' x 1.5' x ~1.5'. Then of course there's the 150 which is the 125 but deeper: 6' x 1.5' x <2.5'. All-Glass's largest standard aquarium is the 180, 6' x 2' x 2'.

The link below I found gives dimensions of these aquaria in inches:
http://www.alysta.com/books/fishtank.htm

[MatsP]

Yes, of course, it's a 120 I was thinking of, rather than a 125.

--
Mats

[betta blue]

Thank you for the info about tanks. I'm so new to this all...afraid I'm "hooked" on fish but my husband isn't. I asked this before...but will again...so how long do I have for my plec who is currently 9" and is living in a 90 gal tank (48"l x 18"w x 24"h)?

Thx,
Shar

[betta blue]

PS: The basement is a potential...but I have an atrium with a concrete floor so can handle the weight. It's not finished so it's another reason I'm asking how long I have. Once putting an aquarium larger than a 90 gal. will mean I don't want to move it again and to make sure where it goes, it can stay there for a long time. Thank you for explaining the sump to me...I'm finding water changes on a 90 gal. quite heavy lifting...I have 2 five gal. containers to do it. I only do it once a week. With substrate and top, I estimate that there is only 70 gal. of water in it. Originally it was just my plec and a stick catfish, added 4 clown loaches that were shy and was advised to add "dither fish" which are 4 platy's and 5 mollies. I hope I haven't repeated myself too much...just looking for info.

Shar

[andywoolloo]

Oh my gooodness, changing water on that size tank in buckets!! you poor thing! you need a python!!

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... ython&Np=1

to figure what length one u need to measure from your tank to the nearest sink, ie bathroom or kitchen or whatever. It is a life saver!!! It comes with an adapter to fit your sink.

Sorry I can't answer your other questions.

[betta blue]

Thank you andywoolloo! I don't really understand what a python is. I'm pretty stupid here...but if I hook it up to my taps, it's clorine? Right after I do water changes, I refill all my containers that in the next couple of days, should get rid of the chlorine in the water. I then bring the containers up to household temperatures from a "cold atrium" before I pour them into my tanks. I looked onto the site you sent but don't understand how I get rid of the chlorine from the tap and also how to bring the temperature up. Sorry if I'm so stupid...as you read...I'm just trying to understand all of this and ask stupid questions regularly. Guess I lucked out with fish still surviving without knowing what I'm doing . I totally appreciate your understanding on what a pain of pouring 5 gal. containers into my tank that is 2 feet above the floor and then two feet above that. If there's any easier way of doing water changes...just found out about sump pumps but don't actually understand them..I have sooo much to learn...feel like all my fish are doing okay and hanging in there, so am now concentrating on my plants I always have had that aren't doing great...but easier water changes in the 90 would be muchly, muchly appreciated.

Knew I loved this site!

Shar

[Silurus]

This is a Python.

[betta blue]

Thanks Silurus but I've gone onto the site you recommended and I still don't understand the chlorine and temperature questions. Can you explain those two issues for me? Do you just pour the chlorine water into a freshwater tank and try to douse it with aqua plus as fast as you can? Do you need to heat your tap? I use a gravel vacuum to empty the tank into 5 gal. tanks (labeled for only that). Do that twice, use the water for my plants...but there is more water from the aquariums than my plants can use and I have a lot of inside plants. In the spring, I will be able to use it all with the outside plants.

Shar

[Silurus]

Sorry, I wasn't really thinking when I wrote that last post...

This thread should answer your questions regarding the use of a python and temperature/chlorine issues.