Glass catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

These are true schooling fish. Keep at least six, and a group of eight or more looks much better and keeps them calm. A lone glass catfish or a small group will hide, stress, and often waste away. They hang in the middle of the water column, frequently facing into the flow, and they are peaceful with other calm fish. Aim for the low to mid 20s C and a pH around 6 to 7. Feed small live and frozen foods like daphnia and baby brine shrimp, along with fine micro pellets.

In the wild

Glass catfish come from slow rivers and forest streams in Thailand. The water there is soft, slightly acidic, and shaded, with gentle flow. Give them a planted tank with some open swimming space, subdued lighting, and a soft current. Driftwood and tannins help them settle in and feel secure.

Good to know

This is a catfish in the family Siluridae. Adults reach about 7 cm. The transparent body is real, not a trick of the light. You can see the spine and internal organs through the flesh. Breeding in home aquariums is essentially undocumented, and most fish in the trade are wild caught.

Did you know

They hold a slight head-up, tail-down posture while hovering in place, almost suspended in the water. Watch under angled light and you can see flashes of color refracted through the clear body.

Related species

• 

  Striped glass catfish

  Kryptopterus macrocephalus

  3.5 in (9 cm)36 gal (135 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  True glass catfish

  Kryptopterus bicirrhis

  5.9 in (15 cm)26 gal (100 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  Borneo glass catfish

  Ompok eugeneiatus

  6.5 in (16.5 cm)45 gal (170 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)
• Butter catfish

  Ompok bimaculatus

  17.7 in (45 cm)53 gal (200 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)

• 

  Wallago catfish

  Wallago attu

  59.1 in (150 cm)528 gal (2,000 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Dwarf rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia maccullochi

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)