African glass cat

Parailia pellucida

Also known as African glass catfish

FreshwaterFish

African glass cat (Parailia pellucida) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.5–7.2
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 40 gal (150 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Nile, Niger, and Congo basins, Africa
Family: Schilbeidae

Overview

A slender, semi-transparent catfish that hangs and hovers in midwater in a loose shoal. It is a schooling fish that frets on its own, so keep a group of six or more, and ideally ten, to keep it settled and out in the open. It is peaceful and a little timid, best matched with other calm, similarly sized community fish rather than boisterous or very large ones. Feed small foods it can take from the water column: frozen daphnia, cyclops, baby brine shrimp, chopped bloodworm and fine dried foods. Give the group a planted, dimly lit tank of around 150 liters with gentle flow and open midwater to hover in.

In the wild

The African glass cat lives in the slow, shaded waters of large rivers and lakes across tropical Africa, including the Nile, Niger and Congo basins. Recreate that with warm water, about 23 to 28 C, and soft to neutral conditions around pH 6.5 to 7.2. Dim, tannin-tinted water suits it, so use driftwood, leaf litter and floating or tall plants to soften the light, with a soft substrate and gentle, steady filtration.

Good to know

Parailia pellucida is a schilbeid catfish reaching about 10 to 12 centimeters. Its body is semi-transparent, more so in young fish, with faint dark bars showing along the flank, and it carries several pairs of long barbels. It feeds on small drifting invertebrates and crustaceans. It is not known to breed in home aquaria. It is one of Africa's few transparent catfishes, built for a life spent hanging in open midwater.

Did you know

Transparency evolved twice over. Africa produced this see-through catfish in the family Schilbeidae, while Asia arrived at the same trick separately, in the unrelated glass catfish of the genus Kryptopterus.