black upside down catfish?

**Gisela** · 07-21-2010, 09:34 PM

Hi Guys, I made my decision today for my 125 gallon, just need some identification help. I was at Walmart and usually don't buy fish there. But they give up the fish, because renovation. That's when I saw this two black 2.5 and 3 inches long catfishes, which were in the tank with some regular Pictus catfish. I asked what they were and was told some kind of upside down catfish. That is true, even they look a lot like Pictus with their long whiskers, they swim upside down. They are now in my Quaranine tank, until I will put them in my 125 gallon. Does anyone know a black upside down catfish. I also wonder how big they will get.

**gm72** · 07-21-2010, 09:49 PM

I have 2 in my 220. One is about 8", the other larger, perhaps 10". Nocturnal usually. Provide hiding spaces. They eat any food I put in there but seem to prefer Hikari sinking wafers.

Edit: I edited because I underestimated their size. Just took a peek and these measurements are pretty accurate.

**Gisela** · 07-21-2010, 10:10 PM

Thanks so much for the information. Do you know their exact name? I can't find them in my books, only the normal upside down catfish. I just wonder how they made it to Walmart. Never even saw them in my LFS, which delivers my 125 Gallon tank tonight. Excited!

**Gisela** · 07-22-2010, 12:26 AM

Oh Boy, found them in the Internet. They are Mystus leucophasis, Family: Bagridae, Genus: Mystus, Species: leucophasis, also known as Giant Black Upside Down Asian Catfish (Burma). They get 5 - 7 inches long. They are rare and go for $50 at fishauctions. And I got them for under five bucks!!

**Sursion** · 07-22-2010, 03:48 AM

How many did you get? Breed them and make millions

**gm72** · 07-22-2010, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Gisela

Oh Boy, found them in the Internet. They are Mystus leucophasis, Family: Bagridae, Genus: Mystus, Species: leucophasis, also known as Giant Black Upside Down Asian Catfish (Burma). They get 5 - 7 inches long. They are rare and go for $50 at fishauctions. And I got them for under five bucks!!

Well whatever the proper name of the fish I can promise you they get more than 5-7 inches long, mine are much larger than that.

**Gisela** · 07-22-2010, 01:26 PM

I got two. How big is yours and how old? I put them in a 125 gallon tank with one common pleco (now 12 inch.) and 6 clownloaches (3.5 -5 inch - one year old).

**toddnbecka** · 07-22-2010, 05:33 PM

They aren't really rare (nothing Wal-Mart sells is, they come from Asian fish farms) and are available at Wal-Mart fairly often. However, they are highly conspecific-aggressive. Think of them the same as African cichlids like Tropheus or demasoni. If you keep a large group of 10 or more the aggression gets spread around enough that none are killed. Keeping 2 (or any number less than 8) in the same tank will eventually end up as one, and the rest will have killed each other off. A large tank full of them makes quite a display, and they will breed in that sort of setup.
They are very hardy fish, and mix well with large cichlids because they're tough enough to defend their own territory and bite back when pushed.

**Gisela** · 07-22-2010, 09:28 PM

Will they be o.k. with my large common pleco and my 6 clowns? I also wanted to add larger Rainbowfish and Congo Tetras. Or what do you recommend as schooling fish with them in the 125 Gallon.

**toddnbecka** · 07-23-2010, 03:55 AM

One of them will be ok, the other isn't likely to survive if left in the same tank. I don't think they'll bother schooling fish, they're mainly concerned about territory and food.