Malay glass catfish

About

Found in lowland rivers, peat swamp edges, and seasonally flooded forests across Peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, and parts of Indonesia, Ompok eugeneiatus is a slender, softwater catfish that doesn't show up in the hobby all that often. Which is a shame, because it's genuinely well-suited to a peaceful community of medium to large fish. Despite a calm temperament, it carries a mouth full of sharp teeth and will make a meal of anything small enough to swallow whole, so tankmates should be chosen with that in mind. Medium to large cyprinids, similarly-sized catfish, and peaceful cichlids all work well as companions. What makes this species particularly interesting is its social nature. It actively prefers the company of its own kind and really does better when kept in a group of at least four individuals, behaving more naturally and with less timidity when numbers are up. In the wild it feeds on insects, and in captivity it's a carnivore that should be offered meaty foods. Breeding hasn't been documented in aquariums yet. For a keeper with a roomy tank and an interest in understated Southeast Asian species, this is a rewarding catfish that rarely gets the attention it deserves.