Glass Catfish

About

Found in rivers and streams from Thailand through Indonesia, this obscure sheatfish, Kryptopterus limpok, belongs to the same genus as the familiar glass catfish but is almost never seen in the ornamental trade. One way to identify it among its relatives is the remarkably long chin barbel, which extends well past the tip of the pectoral fin. A feature that sets it apart from other Kryptopterus species at a glance. In the wild it feeds on small fish, freshwater prawns, and insect larvae, and that carnivorous tendency carries over into aquarium life. Smaller tankmates are genuinely at risk, so keeping it with comparably sized, peaceful cyprinids, loaches, or other catfishes makes the most sense. Despite being a predator of small prey, it is quite timid overall and does not hold its own against boisterous or aggressive fish. This species is gregarious by nature, forming loose schools, so a group of four or more is really the way to go. A lone specimen tends to be withdrawn and stressed. The care level is considered beginner-friendly given its tolerance of a reasonably wide range of water conditions, though the large tank requirement for a proper school should be factored in before purchase.