How to Breed Upside-Down Catfish
Upside-down catfish are small freshwater fish. Like all catfish, they have whiskers known as barbels. Upside-down catfish are native to Africa. They swim upside down. Their body markings are opposite of most other fish. Upside-down catfish are peaceful and sociable. They take well to an aquarium environment.
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Instructions
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Start with at least a 10-gallon tank. Catfish need room. Upside-down catfish normally live in small schools. Adults average 4 inches in length. Upside-down catfish are tropical fish. They require warm freshwater. Keep your aquarium at 72 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH level should be 6 to 7.5. This means your upside-down catfish prefer water that is slightly acidic. Upside-down catfish are different from other familiar varieties of catfish. They do not demand murky or cloudy water.
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Decorate your tank with plenty of aquatic plants. Upside-down catfish need places to hide. Make caves out of rocks. Install small arches of stone. Drop in bits of bog-wood. Bog-wood, or driftwood, is wood that has lain in the water for several weeks. Real bog-wood is costly. You can purchase synthetic bog-wood at fish stores and pet shops. Keep your water clean. Wild upside-down catfish are surface feeders.
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Feed your upside-down catfish a varied diet. Algae and insect larvae are natural favorites. Your catfish will also eat almost any kind of fresh or frozen fish food. Hiding places are absolutely essential for breeding. In the wild, upside-down catfish breed at the time of the spring rains. The spring rains cause chemical changes in the water that induce breeding. You can try to stimulate breeding by simulating these changes. Soften the water in your tank. Bring the dGH down to the bottom of their normal range of 4 to 15. The dGH level is the measure of the amount of calcium or magnesium oxide in the water. You can purchase a "water softening pillow" from a fish store.
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Give your fish live food to further encourage breeding. Female upside-down catfish are larger and paler than males. Their bodies are also plumper and more rounded. Females will deposit their egg pouches in the best hiding places. The fry, or young, hatch after 2 days. Fry continue to feed from the yolk sack for another 4 days. Feed them brine shrimp. Young fish will swim like normal fish. At 2 months, they will begin to swim upside-down. Keep conditions optimal to increase your chances of breeding.
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Tips & Warnings
Upside-down catfish are difficult to breed in captivity. You can be successful, but it takes patience and time.
