True Upside Down Cat

Name: True Upside Down Cat
Brand: Brooklands
SKU: TG209
Price: 39.9 NZD
Availability: InStock

SKU TG209

$39.90

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True Upside Down Cat

Product Details

True Upside-Down Catfish (Synodontis nigriventris)

NOT AVAILABLE TO SHIP - In-store Only

Overview: The True Upside-Down Catfish is one of the most famous and baffling oddball fish in the aquarium world. True to its name, it spends roughly 90% of its life swimming completely inverted (belly up, back down). To aid in this remarkable camouflage lifestyle, nature flipped their coloration: unlike most fish which have dark backs and light bellies, this catfish has a dark brown belly and a lighter, mottled tan back. When they hang upside down under a log, predators looking up from below or down from above are completely tricked by the camouflage.

⚠️ The Big "True" Warning: Make sure you are buying Synodontis nigriventris. Many unscrupulous or uneducated stores sell other African Synodontis species (like the Featherfin Catfish) under this name. While those other species can swim upside down occasionally as juveniles, they quickly grow into 20–30 cm aggressive monsters. The True Upside-Down Catfish stays beautifully small and peaceful!

Origins: They are native to the dense, heavily vegetated riverbanks and floodplains of the Congo River Basin in Central Africa (spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, and Cameroon). They evolved their inverted swimming style to effortlessly graze on insect larvae and biofilm growing on the undersides of submerged logs, roots, and broad plant leaves.

Personality: These catfish are peaceful, highly social, and a bit secretive. During peak daylight hours, they are quite shy and will "roost" upside down in tightly packed clusters beneath driftwood branches. However, once feeding time begins or the lights dim, they become incredibly active, hovering and darting smoothly along the surface and mid-water columns like tiny brown blimps.

Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful (Excellent community fish)
Diet: Omnivore (Very unpicky; happily eats sinking catfish pellets, high-quality flakes, and frozen foods like bloodworms or brine shrimp. Uniquely, they will readily skim flakes right off the water's surface while swimming completely upside down!)
Max Size: 7 – 10 cm (Females grow slightly larger and noticeably rounder than males)
Family: Mochokidae
Tank Size: 80 – 100 Litres minimum for a small group.
Temperature: 24°C – 28°C
pH: 6.0 – 7.5
Should be kept in groups? Yes, strictly. They are highly gregarious shoaling fish. You must keep them in a group of at least 3 to 4 (ideally 5 or more). If kept completely alone, they suffer from severe anxiety, stay permanently hidden, and will fail to thrive.

Pro Tip (Aquascaping): To see this fish's natural behavior at its absolute best, your tank layout must feature plenty of shelter with flat ceilings. Arrange pieces of driftwood to create dark overhangs, or plant broad-leaved species like Anubias or Amazon Swords. The catfish will instantly claim the undersides of these leaves and branches as their primary home base.