Glass catfish (Kryptopterus vitreolus) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Asian glass catfish, Phantom catfish, Ghost catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis (trade misidentification), Kryptopterus minor (trade misidentification)
Family
Siluridae (sheatfishes)
Origin
Peninsular Thailand: short coastal rivers south of the Isthmus of Kra draining to the Gulf of Thailand, and south-eastern Thailand.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
8 cm
Temperature
21–26°C
pH
5.5–6.5
Hardness
Soft
Minimum tank
100 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
peaceful

Care

The glass catfish is almost completely transparent, so you can see its skeleton and organs. It is a midwater shoaling fish, unlike most catfish, and does poorly kept alone or in pairs: keep a shoal of at least six (PlanetCatfish says at least four, preferably more). The 100-litre minimum given here is our estimate for a small shoal. It lives in slow, brown to black waters in the wild. Give it a well-planted tank with open swimming space and areas of both gentle current and still water; floating plants help to dim the light. Plants are essential to make it feel secure. PlanetCatfish gives 21–26 °C and pH 5.5–6.5. Soft, slightly acidic, clean and well-filtered water suits it best. It is sensitive to poor water quality, so add it to a mature tank. Names: for decades this fish was sold as Kryptopterus bicirrhis or K. minor. It was described as a separate species, K. vitreolus, in 2013. The true K. bicirrhis is a much larger fish (about 24.5 cm) with more anal-fin rays and is rarely traded. PlanetCatfish notes it is also sometimes confused with the African glass catfish, Parailia pellucida, which belongs to a different family. Sexing is unknown. PlanetCatfish gives 8 cm standard length, while FishBase gives 6.5 cm. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2019). Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=16); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Kryptopterus-vitreolus.html). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Feeds on small invertebrates in midwater. Offer live or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworm, daphnia and similar foods, plus good flake or micro-pellets. It takes prepared foods best when the food drifts past in a gentle current.

Breeding

Rarely bred and little is known. PlanetCatfish suggests it is probably an egg scatterer that gives no parental care. Sexing is unknown.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and timid. Keep with small, calm community fish such as tetras, rasboras, danios, small gouramis and corys. It may eat very small fry but is otherwise harmless. Avoid boisterous, fin-nipping or large fish that will stress it.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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