Blotched upside-down catfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blotched upside-down catfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The blotched upside-down catfish (scientific name: Synodontis nigriventris) is a cool type of fish that swims upside down! It's found in the Congo Basin in parts of Africa, like Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. It's a small fish, but very interesting because of its unique swimming style.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
A Small, Unique Fish
The blotched upside-down catfish is quite small. It usually grows to about 9.6 centimeters (around 3.8 inches) long. Like other fish in its family, called Mochokidae, it has big eyes. It also has a large fin on its back and three pairs of barbels. Barbels are like whiskers that help the fish feel and find food.
Why It Swims Upside Down
These fish are special because they spend most of their time swimming upside down. Their bodies are even colored to help them do this! Usually, animals have darker backs and lighter bellies. This is called countershading. It helps them blend in. But the blotched upside-down catfish has a darker belly and a lighter back. This helps it hide when it's swimming upside down.
How Countershading Works
Imagine a predator looking up from below the fish. The fish's lighter back would blend in with the bright sky. But because this fish swims upside down, its darker belly faces up. This darker belly helps it blend in with the darker water below. This makes it harder for predators to see the fish from below.
How It Lives and Behaves
Nighttime Habits
Blotched upside-down catfish are mostly nocturnal. This means they are most active at night. During the day, they might rest. At night, they search for food. They eat things like insects, small crustaceans (like tiny shrimp), and even some plant bits.
Growing Up Upside Down
These fish lay eggs. When the baby fish hatch, they don't swim upside down right away. They start swimming upside down when they are about two months old. Adult fish swim and rest upside down in the water. They can even swim faster when they are upside down!
Where They Swim
These catfish often swim upside down near objects. They also like to be near the bottom of the water. The more things like rocks or plants around, the more they tend to swim upside down. When they are close to an object, they turn their belly side towards it. They rarely swim in the middle of the water. They prefer to be either at the bottom or near the surface.
Catching Food
Swimming upside down helps them catch food. When they swim upside down near the surface, they can easily grab insects or other prey floating on the water from underneath.
In the Aquarium
The blotched upside-down catfish is a great choice for home aquariums. This is because of its small size. It usually stays under 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) long. They are also very peaceful fish. This means they get along well with other fish in a tank.
See also
- List of freshwater aquarium fish species
