TankBud

Giant upside-down catfish

Synodontis batensoda

Also known as Upside-down squeaker, Bishop catfish, Giant squeaker

FreshwaterFish

Giant upside-down catfish (Synodontis batensoda)
Benutzer:Haps · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Mochokidae
Origin
Found across the Nile basin and rivers of northern and western Africa.

Overview

The giant upside-down catfish is a large, boisterous squeaker for a big tank of robust fish. Its care is moderately demanding.

Did you know

The giant upside-down catfish has reversed counter-shading, dark below and pale above, unlike normal fish. This is an adaptation to a life spent swimming inverted, and it helps camouflage the fish.

Caring for the giant upside-down catfish

Give a giant upside-down catfish a roomy tank of at least 79 gal (300 L). It grows large, so leave open swimming space. Add wood and rock cover, and set up moderate flow.

Keep the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods and vegetable matter. Expect an active, hungry fish that can be pushy at feeding time, though it rarely does real harm.

It is boisterous but mostly peaceful, and it is fine alone or in a group. Keep it with robust tank mates rather than a small community.

Good to know

The giant upside-down catfish is a deep-bodied squeaker and one of the larger members of the genus. Some reports put wild fish close to 50 cm. It has the bony head shield and locking spines of the family Mochokidae. It is also sold as the bishop catfish, the giant squeaker or the upside-down squeaker.

In the wild

The giant upside-down catfish ranges widely across the Nile and other river systems of northern and western Africa. It lives in open water and along the bottom of large rivers and floodplains. It spends much of its time swimming inverted near the surface and among cover.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The giant upside-down catfish is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a giant upside-down catfish need?

A giant upside-down catfish needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a giant upside-down catfish need?

A giant upside-down catfish is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a giant upside-down catfish eat?

A giant upside-down catfish eats sinking pellets, frozen foods and vegetable matter. It is an active, hungry feeder that can be pushy at feeding time.

How big does a giant upside-down catfish get?

An adult giant upside-down catfish reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

Related species