Kryptopterus vitreolus, known commonly as the glass catfish, the glass cat, the ghost catfish, or the phantom catfish, is a small species of translucent-bodied, social glass catfish in the family Siluridae. It is endemic to the freshwater rivers and streams of Thailand and possibly Malaysia. They are a timid and social species which lives in schools of 6 or more individuals, they are carnivores feeding upon small invertebrates such as insect larvae, worms, tiny shrimps, and zooplankton. Reaching around 2.6 to 3.1 inches (6.5 to 8cms) in length, glass catfish are a small scaleless freshwater-dwelling catfish with two long sensory barbels. Their bodies are transparent because The species' skin is made of a "plywood"-like structure of collagen fibrils, which allows for light to enter and diffract through the muscles. The majority of their organs are located near the head; with a magnifying glass, the heart can be seen beating. When the light strikes this fish at a certain angle, it can create an iridescent, rainbow effect. During acute periods of illness or after death, the tissues turn a milky-white. Additionally the glass catfish possess electroreceptor organs which are extremely responsive to electromagnetic fields, and it is thought they use this in conjunction with there barbells to navigate there surroundings in low light conditions. Little is known about there breeding habits. And under ideal condition a glass catfish may live upwards of 8 years.
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Thank you to anyone who tunes in every day to see my fish facts! Learning about our beautiful aquatic cousins is wonderful, let's hope I can talk about what I've learned for ages to come :)
Anyway. Without further ado....
Glass catfish! (Kryptopterus vitreolus)
These peculiar fish are almost completely transparent, giving them names like ghost catfish or phantom catfish. Under certain lighting conditions they will even shine an iridescent rainbow colour! They live in schools of up to hundreds of individual fish, including other species.
Here is also picture of their beautiful iridescent colour! Both pictures were taken by @aliquid-de-magis of their very own glass catfish. Thank you!
Kryptopterus vitreolus, known in the aquarium trade traditionally as the glass catfish and also as the ghost catfish or phantom catfish, is a small species of Asian glass catfish. It is endemic to Thailand, where found in rivers south of the Isthmus of Kra that drain into the Gulf of Thailand and river basins in the Cardamom Mountains.
This is a transparent freshwater catfish with two long barbels. Standard lengths may range up to 3.1 inches but usually only reach around 2.6 inches in total length. They are transparent because, like all catfish, they are scaleless, and catfish within the genus Kryptopterus lack body pigment. Most of their organs are located near the head; with a magnifying glass, their heart can be seen beating. When the light strikes the fish just right, it can create an iridescent rainbow color. During strong illness and after death, they turn milky white. The scientific species name vitreolus is derived from the Latin vitreus, which means glass.
Native to rivers in Thailand, glass catfish prefer tanks with open swimming areas with a moderate current and planted areas that provide shelter. Due to their timid and non-aggressive nature, they should always be kept in a group of at least five; they can be kept with other fish species of similar size and temperament.
Glass catfish are highly sensitive to changes in water quality and pH. The pH should be slightly acidic (around 6.5), water hardness should be low (less than 20, ideally less than 10 °dGH) and the water temperature should be around 25 °C (77 °F). They have a reputation for being finicky eaters; they prefer live food such as mosquito (Culicidae) larvae, bloodworms (Chironomidae larvae) and brine shrimp (Artemia), but can be weaned to flake food with time.
Kryptopterus species are different from most other catfish because they are free-swimming and live in the mid to upper region of the water. Glass catfish commonly favor dark places to being out in the open light. A small school of them may hide under elevated rocks, logs, or the shadow of plants. Sometimes, however, one or two may venture out into the open and swim in the upper level of the water. They can be enticed to do this more often if the flow of water in the tank is arranged so that their favorite hiding spots are sheltered, while a gentle current flows in the open areas. Thus, they will move in the open especially at feeding time, as they like to go after food drifting in the current. A generous growth of aquatic plants is necessary for their well-being, and floating plants can filter bright light, which they seem to find unpleasant.
Breeding has reputedly been achieved in the aquarium, but is not documented. The aquarium trade in K. vitreolus generally relies on wild-caught specimens, and there are concerns that this may be unsustainable due to the volume and its limited range. Unlike many other aquarium fish, it is not known to be bred at commercial facilities.
