# Upside-down catfish = carnivorous??



## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

I have a 6" long upside-down catfish in a 100 gallon tank with various other smaller fish (cardinals, cories, harlequins, emperors). There was this one time where my school of 23 cardinals completely disappeared, maybe 4-5 a day, until there was just one left. Could the upside-down cat be the culprit? I didn't notice any other problems, and I hadn't added anything new to the tank in months, so I don't think it was disease. 

There haven't been any other mysterious disappearances since, but I have another 22-cardinal school in quarantine waiting to be added to that tank. Should I relocate the cat, or could there have been something else going on here? I never found any bodies.

I really like the cardinals, but I also really like the cat. Very cute, spotted, and long, luxurious fins. Also really long barbels...


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

upside down cats are carnivorous especially when they are older/ larger and the tetras are smaller/ younger. you can avoid losing any more by feeding more heavily or often so the fish doesn't get hungry during the day and want a quick snack


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## Nelumbo74 (May 2, 2008)

Not a good combination in my opinion, but good luck!


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

Update: I'm moving the synodontis europtis (which I guess is really what this guy is) into a 29 with a couple of blind cave fish and a few buenos aires tetras. All these guys have been guilty of muching on other inhabitants at one time or another. They're all big enough so none of them can eat any of the others, I think.

The 100 gallon will be reserved for cardinals, SAE's, cories, harlequin rasboras, and black phantom tetras. And, of course, all my new plants.


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## hoplo (May 14, 2007)

Large Synos and small tetras are definately a no no. If you still want fairly large-ish catfish you can go for some flagtail cats. Nice guys, don't eat their tetra tankmates although I've never tried shrimp with them.


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

Thanks for the info. I had no idea this fish would get this big! He's definitely not an upside-down cat like they said when I bought him. 

I moved him into a 29 with 2 large blind cave fish, 3 large buenos aires tetras, a lonely female swordtail (a rescue), and 2 hillstream loaches.

It was an adventure catching him and moving him to the other tank. The last time I netted him he was 1" long. 

He hides under driftwood when the lights are on, but when they go off he patrols the tank every which way... upside down, right side up, sideways... very interesting. He chases my blind cave fish but he doesn't have a chance since they're so big.

I was worried that he would be cramped in the 29, but he seems surprisingly happy there. I see him a lot more often now.

My school of cardinals has been moved to the 100 and they're settling in nicely. 

I also received some snowball shrimp which I have in a spare 20 gallon tank. Once they breed enough I'll move the adults into the 100.


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