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Glass Catfish
Kryptopterus vitreolus
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Siluridae
📍 Thailand & Malay Peninsula
A truly unique transparent fish whose internal skeleton and organs are visible through its body. Peaceful and shy, it prefers dim lighting, gentle current, and company of its own kind. A fascinating centrepiece for planted community tanks.
Care Guide
Diet
Glass catfish are carnivorous and require live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, and small insects. Feed small portions once daily, as they have small mouths and prefer live prey. Supplement with high-quality sinking pellets designed for catfish, though they may ignore dry foods initially.
Behavior
Glass catfish are peaceful, schooling fish that must be kept in groups of 6 or more to prevent stress and loss of appetite. They are primarily nocturnal and mid-water swimmers, spending much of their time in dimly lit areas among plants. In proper schools, they display fascinating synchronized swimming and are relatively inactive during daylight hours.
Breeding
Breeding glass catfish in captivity is extremely rare and difficult, with few documented successes in home aquariums. They require very specific conditions including soft, acidic water, dense vegetation, and low light to trigger spawning. Most specimens in the hobby are wild-caught, making captive breeding impractical for most hobbyists.
Tank Mates
Similar size, peaceful temperament, and preference for planted tanks with soft water
Small, peaceful schooling fish with identical water parameter requirements
Peaceful bottom-dweller that won't compete for food and prefers similar water conditions
Peaceful invertebrate that thrives in planted tanks; glass catfish are too large to predate on adults
Hardy plant that provides shelter and dim lighting preferred by glass catfish
Creates dense cover for security and helps maintain water quality in soft, acidic conditions
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, lethargy, rubbing against objects
Raise temperature gradually to 28-30°C, use ich medication, increase aeration, perform daily water changes
Bacterial Infection
Torn fins, cloudy eyes, sores on body, loss of appetite, erratic swimming
Improve water quality with frequent changes, use antibacterial medication, isolate affected fish if possible
Stress-Related Anorexia
Refusal to eat, hiding, fading coloration, lethargy, weight loss
Ensure group of 6+ fish, reduce tank disturbances, increase plant cover, maintain stable water parameters
Fin Rot
Frayed or deteriorating fins, discoloration at fin edges, lethargy
Perform frequent water changes, improve water quality, use fin rot medication, ensure adequate filtration
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Carnivore – frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, micro pellets
- lifespan
- 5–8 years
- max size
- 8 cm (3 in)
- tank size
- 20 gallons minimum
- school size
- 6+
- temperament
- Peaceful, schooling
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 2–10 dGH
- temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)