Fish Id - Giant Asian Upside-down Cat?

[3matthew3]

Is this a Giant Asian Upside-Down catfish?

that's all I could find that looks like it... got silver diamond flecks on body sides. About 6 inches... grew from about 2 inches (in about 4 months).

 

[CFC]

Thats is a Asian Upsidedown Catfish, scientific name Mystus leucophasis.

They are a very aggressive catfish which grows to an average of around 10 inches in an aquarium, they are predators which will eat other fish under half their own size and will attack larger fish if they feel threatened by them.

 

[teddyman5]

Not always the case.I have one in a 85 gallon with synos, corys, angels, bleeding hearts and a few black widows.?He's 8" and has never been any trouble.

 

[CFC]

On the other hand i have one that lives in a 180 gallon with a jardini arowana, a golden dorado, 4 shovelnose catfish, a 18" ornate bichir and a monsterous Cephalosiluris nigricauda and happily holds its own with them all.

 

[3matthew3]

I've had mine for probably 6 months... was misinformed, when I bought him... said it was some sort of synodontis... max size 6 inches.... but mine is already 6-7 inches... in a tank with 2 Rainbowfish, a brown african knifefish, Gold Sevrum, Pictus cat, 2 Geophagus Cichlids, albino african frog, and a Pleco... mainly will cause a little problem with the Pleco... Pleco will roam into/take over his hiding space, they will quarrel... but it has caused no other problems with my other fish... I thought that is what it was... do they tend to get more aggressive with age, or will it probably continue to be OK? It is a beautiful fish. Very fun fish to feed Aglae waffers to... will really come out to grab them with his HUGE mouth.

Recently picked up that Peruvian Blue Shark.... supposedly aggressive, yet mine is super timid and just constantly swims around... (about 4.5 inches) with 2 small platys, 2 tetras, and a Gourami... kinda was hoping he would be an aggressive fish to keep in a solitary tank... but kind of uneventful... but scared to drop him into a community tank, due to eveything I have read.

Guess not all the info you come across is a everytime answer.

 

[§tudz]

your are right, I've had agressive neons, lol

fish can be very different, they have personalities.

can I ask what is a Peruvian Blue Shark?

The closed thing I can find to that is the whale catfish, also known as the 'Peruvian Shark catfish' which comes in several colour morphs : blue, green, and stripes.

Here's a link to what I think you mean?
linky

if its not that one, it could grow huge... they look like mekong catfish, which could cause you some trouble

 

[CFC]

I think comparing a 10" Cetopsis catfish with an 8 foot Pangasius species is a bit extreem None of the Cetopsis species get very large.

As for Cetopsis aggression small prey is not what they go in for, put them in with something larger and you get to see the real horror of what these cats are designed to do. Their natural feeding technique is to burrow into the flesh of larger animals and eat them inside out, they are mostly scavengers that feed off the carcasses of larger dead fish or mammals but they will also attack living animals if they are unable to get away. They are also better kept in small groups similar to how you would keep red belly pirahna's.

 

[§tudz]

hehehe! I know it was extreme was more a bit of humour on my part

I forgot to add the parasitic tendencies of these fish.

IMO not the nicest look cat around either

 

[3matthew3]

your are right, I've had agressive neons, lol

fish can be very different, they have personalities.

can I ask what is a Peruvian Blue Shark?

The closed thing I can find to that is the whale catfish, also known as the 'Peruvian Shark catfish' which comes in several colour morphs : blue, green, and stripes.

Here's a link to what I think you mean?
linky

if its not that one, it could grow huge... they look like mekong catfish, which could cause you some trouble

Yeah I have a whale catfish, called a "Blue Shark" at my local LFS... He is pretty timid... likes CRAB meat tho... will go crazy for that stuff... the pic I posted about is my Asian Upside-Down cat. Mystus L-something.... very cool and calm cat... mine is about 7 or so inches in the first year. Everything you read says they are extremely predatory... must've got a nice one...

I think comparing a 10" Cetopsis catfish with an 8 foot Pangasius species is a bit extreem None of the Cetopsis species get very large.

As for Cetopsis aggression small prey is not what they go in for, put them in with something larger and you get to see the real horror of what these cats are designed to do. Their natural feeding technique is to burrow into the flesh of larger animals and eat them inside out, they are mostly scavengers that feed off the carcasses of larger dead fish or mammals but they will also attack living animals if they are unable to get away. They are also better kept in small groups similar to how you would keep red belly pirahna's.

I recently saw a vid of the Cetopsis species feeding in a group... I only have one at the moment... Would definitely like to get more... seems like they cause a feeding frenzy when in a group (like the Pirahna). Are the Cetopsis pretty common in the Aqua trade? I've only seen them once (when I bought mine) for $40 a piece, which was steep, I'm sure... but I was REALLY intrigued by the odd look of the fish!

3Matthew3

Is it typically OK to introduce more into a tank after one has been solitary for a couple of months? -At least in the Pirahna family or other aggresive fish, as it seems no one ever has any first hand experience with the Cetopsis species.

here's a link to that Video that somebody posted of them eating in a group... pretty INSANE!
Cetopsis Feeding Frenzy

 

[clown knife]

Here is a little pang if you want to see one....

This is 19ft...

 

[KathyM]

That's not anywhere near 19ft. If it was, that guy at the back would have to have an armspan like those gangly aliens in Close Encounters. 9ft, maybe.