Catfish changer is well known to experienced aquarists. This fish came to lovers of the underwater world in the middle of the last century. Catfish of this species have a unique ability - they swim upside down, like dead fish. From here their name went. Only during feeding do they occupy a normal position for all fish.
Catwalker: habitat
Representatives of the species Synodontis nigriventris belong to the order Siluriformes, the family Mochokidae (fringed carp order). Originally a cute fish from tropical Africa. At home, she lives in densely overgrown areas of Cameroon and Congo. Most often found in tributaries of the Lekini and Congo rivers, in lakes with clear and clear water. In Europe, the aquarium catwalk (photo you can see in this article) appeared in 1950.
External signs
The generic name of this fish, Synodontis, means “fused teeth,” and the name of the species nigriventris means “dark abdomen.” As a rule, fish pigmentation of the back is slightly darker than the abdomen. This hides them from predatory fish and birds. Changeling - aquarium catfish, which, unlike most fish, has a darker abdomen. This allows the fish to move upside down at the very surface of the water. It is funny that, moving along the walls of the aquarium, the catfish turns its abdomen towards the glass.
Changeling - the only catfish in which the skin is devoid of bone plates. His skin is strong, covered with mucous secretion. The catfish-changer (photo, sizes can be found in all publications on aquarium) has an elongated, stocky, somewhat flattened body from the sides. The profile of the abdomen is curved slightly less than the back.
On the head are three pairs of whiskers (tactile). Thanks to them, the fish is well oriented in the underwater kingdom. Eyes are large. The mouth is the lower one, which allows the changeling to produce fodder equally successfully, both at the bottom of the reservoir and at the surface of the water.
The tail fin is two-bladed. The dorsal fin has a triangular shape, with a powerful first ray. The most common color is grayish-beige with black-brown spots that are scattered throughout the body and fins in a chaotic manner.
Black catfish (mystus leucophasis), which is often called the black killer whale, is rarely sold. In addition to the color, it practically does not differ from the classical representatives of the catfish - four pairs of antennae, which reach a length of more than half the body, a powerful dorsal fin, a typical body shape for a predator. In the aquarium, black catfish grows up to twenty centimeters, and under natural conditions, the length of its body can reach even thirty cm.
Sexual differences and sizes
Female changeling catfish have larger spots, the male is noticeably slimmer and smaller than the female (up to 6 cm, and females - 9.5 cm). Changeling live in an aquarium up to ten years, although there have been cases of longer life of catfish.
If you decide to buy such a fish, you should know that the synodontis, which have a rather spectacular color, attractive body shape and quite a considerable size, are almost invisible in the aquarium. This is due to their habit of hiding. If there are not enough shelters in the aquarium, then the fish feel uncomfortable, become lethargic and inactive.
Content
Synodontis - creatures unpretentious in content. Nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account that in the natural environment they live in transparent and clean reservoirs, therefore at home they should select water of the appropriate parameters:
- neutral pH - 6.5-7.5;
- temperature - +24 ... + 26 ° C;
- water hardness - 4-15 °.
The catwalk, a photo of which you can see below, needs additional filtration and aeration of the water. In addition, it is necessary to carry out a 30% water change once a week.
Aquarium decoration
Changeling - aquarium catfish, the skin of which does not have bone plates. In addition, he has a rather delicate mustache and lips. All this requires a special approach to the selection of soil. It should not be too sharp and large. Rounded pebbles or coarse river sand may be the best option.
At the back of the aquarium, place dense vegetation. In it catfish will hunt at night. For this purpose, plants with hard and large leaves are suitable. In the foreground, special artificial discoveries are usually placed:
- large stones;
- grottoes;
- ceramic tubes;
- driftwood;
- small flower pots (without bottom).
Caring for the shifter, you have to catch it from time to time with the help of a net. This must be done very carefully, as the synodontis dissolves spiky fins, which are very easy to damage. Often for this purpose, experienced aquarists use suitable-sized glass jars, to which special handles are attached.
Cat-changeling is a calm and peaceful fish that prefers to live in a pack. During the day he hides in shelters, activity manifests itself at night. For this fish, an aquarium with a volume of at least fifty liters is suitable.
Feeding
Under natural conditions, the catfish changeling feeds on insects that fall on the surface of the water, but since it has a lower mouth, it often has to collect food by swimming upside down. These fish prefer to receive food at home from the surface of the water. It can be feed of both animal and vegetable origin. Often used and combined mixtures.
Somik is a pretty voracious fish, so if you do not control its nutrition, unwanted fat deposits may appear. Fish accept all types of feed (including live ones) - shrimp meat, bloodworms, tubule, minced meat, dry feed from well-established producers, finely chopped vegetables (cucumbers, zucchini). Due to the tendency to overeat, they need fasting days (1-2 times a week).
Behavior
We have already said that the most active cat-shifter at night. He does not like daylight, so he hides from him in artificial shelters. Despite the quite peaceful disposition, the shifter can stand up for himself. He easily gets along with more aggressive neighbors - cyclides. And smaller fish species (neons, guppies) are better not to hook on catfish, since the synodontis hunts at night, and can attack its neighbors. Contain Changeling small flocks (5-7 individuals). If you are going to have catfish, but you already have smaller fish, then speckled catfish or “suckers” are more suitable for you - they certainly will not offend anyone.
Catfish changeling: breeding
Synodontis reaches puberty by 2-3 years. To create conditions for spawning, you need to get an aquarium with a capacity of 50 l, equip it, as we described earlier. Water should have the following characteristics:
- pH 7;
- stiffness - 10 °;
- temperature - +27 ° C.
Owners of these fish should know that they rarely reproduce in aquariums, so hormonal injections must be used to stimulate spawning. First isolate the female from the male, providing the fish with intensive nutrition containing at least thirty percent of the plant food.
During spawning, the male pursues his beloved, swimming upside down after her, at some point the fish stop for a moment, and caviar appears in the water. Its size does not exceed two millimeters. It has a light yellow color. The female tosses about a thousand eggs at a time, which are washed off by the water stream. In this regard, after spawning is completed, it is necessary to stop the flow in the aquarium, and remove the producers.
Fry
The incubation period lasts 172 hours, fry that are born into the world react negatively to sunlight. Therefore, the pond should be darkened. They begin to eat and swim on the fifth day. The fry are fed live dust.
Young synodontis at first swim, like ordinary fish in an aquarium. Only after ten weeks do they turn into real shifters - they turn upside down and swim like adult fish. It should be noted that juveniles are growing rather slowly, so owners should be patient.