I Rescued an Imposter Fish

[littleextra]

Hello all! Long story short...I'm in the beginning stages of setting up a 40 gallon tank (I've had them in the past). I was asked if I wanted to rescue an upside down catfish (in imminent danger of being flushed alive--Seriously!!) so I agreed. I have had upside down catfish before with no problem, and he would fit nicely into the tank I was envisioning. When I picked up the fish (he came with a tank), I realized that this was not an ordinary upside down catfish, but an Asian/Burmese Upside Down Catfish (Mystus leucophasus). Poor thing has been kept in a 5 gallon tank, no heater, disgusting, filter, etc. Despite this, he looks pretty good and is about 3 inches. I got a proper filter, heater, etc. and am slowly cleaning up this disgusting tank.

I am not very familiar with this fish other than what I have been able to read online--all of this just happened within the past day or two. Will a 40 gallon be big enough for this fish? My visions of a community tank are evaporating quickly. If anyone has any advice on eventual tankmates, tank size, etc. for this guy/girl...I would appreciate it.

No good deed.....

Thank you so much.

 

[Uberhoust]

I really don't know anything about the fish but a quick survey online suggests it is not an appropriate fish for a 40 gallon tank. According to SF it is not a community fish though you might be able to keep it with large Mbunas. https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/mystus-leucophasis/ I would try to rehome it, are you going to be happy raising a fish and forgoing a community tank because someone else made a poor choice?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I really don't know anything about the fish but a quick survey online suggests it is not an appropriate fish for a 40 gallon tank. According to SF it is not a community fish though you might be able to keep it with large Mbunas. https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/mystus-leucophasis/ I would try to rehome it, are you going to be happy raising a fish and forgoing a community tank because someone else made a poor choice?

"Habitat: It inhabits rivers"

LOL....I like SF, but their info on this fish is a little sparse, to say the least....