Glass Catfish

Without a doubt, the Glass Catfish is an oddball fish that will catch the eye of anyone looking into an aquarium containing it. There are many types of Glass Catfish and the two types that are most easily confused are Kryptopterus vitreolus and Kryptopterus Bichirris. The main difference between the two is their size; K. Minor is 2.5 inches while K. Bichirris can reach a size of 6.5 inches. K. Minor is a very beautiful catfish with an absent dorsal fin and lack of body pigmentation.

The first thing to notice about the Glass catfish is that it has transparent flesh, which allows us to see the spinal cord and internal organs. This transparent fish is also a picky eater; it has been known not to accept flake foods with ease. It is better to look for a local fish store that has trained their Glass Cats to eat flakes and freeze dried foods. To keep them in optimum shape, every once in a while they should get a treat of live or frozen brine shrimp or daphnia. Another trick to make flake and freeze dried food more attractive to the Glass Cat, is to place the food near a current, to stimulate feeding response.

The Glass Catfish is a very delicate fish; it is very sensitive of fluctuating water parameters, and should be placed in a fully cycled aquarium with low nitrates. The Glass Cat is a very peaceful, timid and delicate fish. It should be kept only with peaceful tank mates, and a school of at least 6. They do best in larger, planted tanks with plenty of hiding spots. If they are kept with aggressive mates or are kept in a small school they will become white in color and die of stress.