One of the first fish I ever kept was a glass catfish named Casper. Predictably, he died because of sub-standard care (I was only 13 at the time) and I was afraid to brave glass catfish care again for nearly a decade. I recently rediscovered this under-appreciated beauty, and I'm glad to have the skills necessary to care for them properly.
When cared for correctly, glass catfish can reward fishkeepers with years of beauty and entertainment.
Know these facts about glass catfish before purchasing them.
Adult Size
Glass catfish stay small; adults rarely exceed three inches in length.
Tank Size
The glass catfish requires a 29-gallon aquarium or greater. Larger tanks accommodate the social and swimming needs of this relatively delicate freshwater fish.
Social Behavior
Many fishkeepers fail to keep these social animals in the group sizes necessary to maintain their health. Glass catfish need to live in schools of 8 or more individuals.
Tank Mates
The glass catfish is easily bullied by hardier, more aggressive species. Keep it with other gentle, social species with similar water-quality needs.
Life Span
When kept properly, glass catfish can live surprisingly long life-spans. Some have lived to be 8 years or older.
Diet
The glass catfish will not eat flake food unless they have been carefully trained to accept it. Feed glass catfish a steady diet of daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp. Frozen food is acceptable, but some won't eat it unless it's wriggling.
Breeding
The glass catfish will not breed in captivity. All pet-store specimens are wild-caught.
Water Parameters
Glass catfish are very sensitive to water conditions, so excellent filtration is a must. Do not allow nitrates to fluctuate above 10 ppm; keep ammonia undetectable. This species thrives in a narrow pH range of 6.5-7.
Temperature
The glass catfish can easily become dangerously hot or dangerously cold. Aim for a target temperature between 72-78 degrees.
Variations
No domesticated strains of glass catfish exist.
No comments:
Post a Comment