Upsidedown Catfish

[White Whale]

About 2 years ago I bought the cutest little upsidedown catfish and she has her own 5.5g tank. She was small enough to hide in one of the small decor caves that was big enough for a female betta. However, as time passed on, she grew. She has been 5+" for a few months now. I mean, I thought these fish were supposed to grow to an average of 3.5". She is over 5" now. What could have caused her growth spurt? Now her dorsal is about as tall as her length when I got her. Is it possible the pet store mislabeled her? She's really big compared to the other UDC, which I had for about almost a year now and he's barely 3".

I have fed her 4 algae discs every other day. It used to be one disc per inch.

She's a shy girl with a voracious appetite. I used to have algae problems on the gravel, but she seems to have cleaned that up.

(Pictures in the near future)

 

[3matthew3]

If your fish resembles this...

You actually have a Asian Upside-Down Catfish ( Mystus leucophasis )

I bought mine at my LFS and it was labeled as some sort of Syno catfish... but they were definitely mistaken.
That pic is old, and mine is about 7" now (after about 6 months, was 2" when I bought him)

If yours is black with diamond flecks on it's sides... this is what it is... supposedly a major predator, but mine is very timid to in my community tank, and I've never had any problems... just keeps getting bigger and fatter tho...

Just a thought,
3Matthew3

About 2 years ago I bought the cutest little upsidedown catfish and she has her own 5.5g tank. She was small enough to hide in one of the small decor caves that was big enough for a female betta. However, as time passed on, she grew. She has been 5+" for a few months now. I mean, I thought these fish were supposed to grow to an average of 3.5". She is over 5" now. What could have caused her growth spurt? Now her dorsal is about as tall as her length when I got her. Is it possible the pet store mislabeled her? She's really big compared to the other UDC, which I had for about almost a year now and he's barely 3".

I have fed her 4 algae discs every other day. It used to be one disc per inch.

She's a shy girl with a voracious appetite. I used to have algae problems on the gravel, but she seems to have cleaned that up.

(Pictures in the near future)

 

[White Whale]

Thanx for the reply.

I posted a pic of her 2 years ago. This was her when I first got her, she is no bigger than a white cloud (awww):

Now she's a monster. She's not all black. Right now she's brown with black dots. She lost her juvenile blotch pattern a while ago.

I fed her nothing but Hikari Algae disks.

 

[jollysue]

She's lovely. Maybe the girls get bigger than the boys? Do you have a more recent pic?

 

[White Whale]

Ok, I found out she is not nigriventris, but the larger eupterus. Can anyone tell me about this species? Thanx.

Man, I better get on the ball in setting up my 29g.

 

[jollysue]

She's worth more...

 

[White Whale]

What do you mean worth more?

 

[jayjay]

They are more expensive to buy, more valuable. It would need a 30g, with no other bottom dwellers, maybe a few upper dwellers.

 

[White Whale]

They are more expensive to buy, more valuable.

For reals? OMG! All this time I've had her in a 5g thinking she was a normal UDC.

This is her now:

And this is her tank: (the tiger barb is my cousin's; I'm watching it for her while she's overseas)

I'm such a terrible owner.....

 

[jayjay]

Yeah 5g is too small. The 29g isn't big enough IMO, 3' long tank at least, bigger tank to keep it with other bottom dwellers.

 

[White Whale]

Dang, I don't have enough room for a 3' tank/ Like I said, I bought her from the LFS because she was labeled a UDC and those are supposed to be no longer than 4" max. I am in the process of getting a 29g. It would be her, a 3" UDC, and a bumblebee goby that would be the bottom dwellers. I have one pencilfish and 4 of these silver tetra with a black tail base edged by white tips. I dunno what they are called, but they are pretty aggressive for tetra and eat meat.

These guys: They are about 1.25" long

 

[jollysue]

Wow!!!! She is georgeous!

Have you considered a double tank stand. Fosters and Smith has them. Try to find a tank with the larger footprint for the bottom fish.

here

 

[summerdragon]

I just bought 4 of the tetras in the picture, mine look exactly the same but not silver, more brass like... I'm the store they where calling them "brass tetra" but you say they are eating meat And aggressive??? So far mine have been VERY hyper, and zipping around with my danios, hungry, but peacefull, however I just got them a few days ago, time will show there true temperment..... hope I don't end up with mean fish, grrrrrrrrrrrr..... On topic: beautiful cat fish, too bad about its unpredictable size ..............

 

[Gankutsuou]

8 inch max, usually stays about 6 inch average.

I'd say I haven't had any problems yet with my other bottom dwellers, but I bet I will in the future. I had onyl head that it was agressive towards other species of itself, not actual other bottom dwellers like peacock eels and no problems yet so long as plenty of hiding is made for both.

 

[QuotheRaven]

stunning fish looks happy and healthy