TankBud

Mekong glass sheatfish

Kryptopterus limpok

Also known as Limpok glass catfish, Mekong misker cat

FreshwaterFish

Mekong glass sheatfish (Kryptopterus limpok)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Siluridae
Origin
Mekong and Chao Phraya basins

Overview

The Mekong glass sheatfish is a large, mostly peaceful catfish for a long, roomy tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The Mekong glass sheatfish is essentially the familiar two-inch glass catfish scaled up many times over. In larger fish, the see-through body of youth gives way to a heavier, silvered adult.

Caring for the Mekong glass sheatfish

Give the Mekong glass sheatfish length rather than height, in a long tank of at least 119 gal (450 L). Leave open midwater swimming space, with driftwood and a few plants to break sightlines rather than fill the tank. Keep the light subdued.

Keep the water warm, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, with a steady, gentle to moderate current. They hang in the current in loose formation. Clean, well-oxygenated water and low nitrate keep the group in good order.

Feed meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, prawn and small sinking pellets. They take their food from the water column.

Mekong glass sheatfish are social, and a group of five or more keeps them confident and out in the open. They are large predators and will eat small fish, so pair them with sturdier midwater and bottom tank mates of reasonable size. No captive spawning has been documented.

Good to know

Kryptopterus limpok is a silurid that swims and feeds in open water rather than on the bottom, which is unusual for a catfish. It is also sold as the limpok glass catfish or Mekong misker cat.

In the wild

The Mekong glass sheatfish ranges widely through the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins and other large Southeast Asian rivers. It favors flowing, often turbid water carrying suspended sediment.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Mekong glass sheatfish is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Mekong glass sheatfish need?

A Mekong glass sheatfish needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Mekong glass sheatfish need?

A Mekong glass sheatfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Mekong glass sheatfish eat?

A Mekong glass sheatfish eats meaty foods, such as frozen bloodworm, prawn and small sinking pellets, taken from the water column. It is a large predator and will eat small fish.

How big does a Mekong glass sheatfish get?

An adult Mekong glass sheatfish reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

Related species