my pregnant upsidedown catfish

Question
We have noticed that our catfish has become pregnant just recently and we dont know if we should segragate the male and the female away fromthe others and can you give us a descriptionon what a pregnant catfish should look like so we are certain please can u answer asap as we think she is about to drop
many thanks
hannah

Answer
Dear Hannah,
There have been limited reportings of Upside down catfish spawning in the aquarium. But it has been done. Females are larger and much more plumper than the males and their coloration is also paler. An overturned flowerpot or even some clean pvc pipe or two maybe used as a spawning location. The parent fish can be left in the spawning take as they will tend to the brood. After three days, the eggs hatch and the young catfish fry feed off their yolk sac for 4 more days. Now upon the fourth day, they begin eating freshly hatched brine shrimp. Finally in two months they will begin swimming upside down fashion of the grown catfish.

I would try giving your catfish a suitable spawning place and hope for the best! They may surprise you and spawn!!

I hope this helps and Best wishes!!!!
Karen~