Burmese Upside Down Catfish (Mystus leucophasus)

The Burmese or Asian Upside Down Catfish is a unique, medium-growing species of Bagrid found in the rivers of Myanmar in Southeast Asia. As the name implies, this unusual fish spends most of its life swimming upside down, with its mouth and ventral surface facing up towards the water’s surface, where it actively seeks out insects, crustaceans, and smaller fish as prey. In the aquarium, they are active, constant swimmers and tend to school in large groups as juveniles while adults are more solitary. With their unique swimming behavior and deep black coloration interspersed with blueish speckles, they make a fascinating addition to a community of similarly-sized fish but aggressive tankmates should be avoided.