Tank mates for upside-down catfish

We checked upside-down catfish against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for upside-down catfish include betta fish, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, bristlenose pleco and bronze corydoras. Avoid cherry shrimp, common goldfish and fancy goldfish: upside-down catfish eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.

Upside-down catfish: 24–27°C (75–81°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 9.5 cm (3.7 in), minimum tank 29 gallons (110 L). Full upside-down catfish care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (81)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (38)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Neon tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like upside-down catfish.
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller upside-down catfish.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Denison barb · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–27°C).
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Pictus catfish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Senegal bichir · 90+ gal
    • Senegal bichir may eat upside-down catfish, especially young or small ones.
    • Senegal bichir is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller upside-down catfish.
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like upside-down catfish.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Upside-down catfish may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Endler's livebearer · 10+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish may eat Endler's livebearers, especially young or small ones.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller upside-down catfish.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda garra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Rubber lip pleco · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Scissortail rasbora · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Severum is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller upside-down catfish.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Turquoise rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Checkerboard barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Flame tetra · 15+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish may eat flame tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.

Avoid Bad tank mates (30)

  • Cherry shrimp: Upside-down catfish eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Upside-down catfish 24–27°C (75–81°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
  • Fancy goldfish: They need different temperatures: Upside-down catfish 24–27°C (75–81°F), fancy goldfish 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat upside-down catfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Celestial pearl danio: Upside-down catfish can eat celestial pearl danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chili rasbora: Upside-down catfish can eat chili rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Upside-down catfish 24–27°C (75–81°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Dojo loach: They need different temperatures: Upside-down catfish 24–27°C (75–81°F), dojo loach 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Ember tetra: Upside-down catfish can eat ember tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish.
  • Pea puffer: Upside-down catfish can eat pea puffers: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Pygmy corydoras: Upside-down catfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: They need different temperatures: Upside-down catfish 24–27°C (75–81°F), white cloud mountain minnow 16–22°C (61–72°F).
  • Crystal red shrimp: Upside-down catfish eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat upside-down catfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful upside-down catfish.
  • Kubotai rasbora: Upside-down catfish can eat kubotai rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Rosy loach: Upside-down catfish can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Scarlet badis: Upside-down catfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Upside-down catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Dwarf rasbora: Upside-down catfish can eat dwarf rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green neon tetra: Upside-down catfish can eat green neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Least killifish: Upside-down catfish can eat least killifish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with upside-down catfish?

Good tank mates for upside-down catfish include betta fish, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, bristlenose pleco and bronze corydoras. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat upside-down catfish.

Can upside-down catfish live with angelfish?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–27°C (75–81°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can upside-down catfish live with bettas?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–27°C (75–81°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can upside-down catfish live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can upside-down catfish live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.