Striped glass catfish
Kryptopterus macrocephalus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 70–79°F
- 21–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 36 gal
- 135 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Siluridae
- Origin
- Thailand
Overview
The striped glass catfish is a peaceful, shy shoaling fish that hangs in open midwater rather than resting on the bottom. It is easy to keep in a proper group.
Did you know
The striped glass catfish is often mixed up with the fully see-through glass catfish sold in shops. It is only partly transparent, with a pinkish body, faint stripes and a noticeably larger head.
Caring for the striped glass catfish
Give striped glass catfish a well-planted, dimly lit tank of at least 36 gal (135 L). Add driftwood and some floating plants to soften the light, and leave open water in the middle for the group to gather.
Keep the water at 70 to 79°F (21 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0, with gentle flow. Keep it stable and clean, since sudden changes stress this delicate fish. Offer small foods that stay in the water column, such as frozen bloodworms, daphnia, cyclops and fine sinking pellets.
Keep them in a group of at least six so they feel safe. Alone or in small numbers, a striped glass catfish hides, stops feeding and fades. In a proper shoal, it drifts calmly in the current.
It mixes well with small, gentle community fish and leaves alone anything it cannot eat. It is not known to breed in home aquariums.
Good to know
Kryptopterus macrocephalus belongs to Siluridae, the sheatfishes, and is a close relative of the familiar clear glass catfish. Like others in the family, it has a long anal fin along its underside and little or no dorsal fin. In the wild it feeds on small invertebrates in midwater.
In the wild
The striped glass catfish comes from Thailand and nearby parts of Southeast Asia. It lives in slow-moving, well-vegetated rivers and streams, often in soft, slightly acidic water.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The striped glass catfish is a peaceful, schooling 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Marbled hatchetfish
Carnegiella strigata
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 32 gal (120 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Red lizard whiptail
Rineloricaria lanceolata
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
Forest halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 34 gal (130 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a striped glass catfish need?
A striped glass catfish needs at least 36 gal (135 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a striped glass catfish need?
A striped glass catfish is comfortable at 70–79°F (21–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.
What does a striped glass catfish eat?
A striped glass catfish eats small foods that stay in the water column. Offer it frozen bloodworms, daphnia, cyclops and fine sinking pellets.
How big does a striped glass catfish get?
An adult striped glass catfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
Does a striped glass catfish need a group?
Yes. A striped glass catfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
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Kryptopterus vitreolus
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Kryptopterus bicirrhis
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