Glass catfish

Kryptopterus bicirrhis

FAMILY

Siluridae

TAXONOMY

Silurus bicirrhis Valenciennes, 1840, Java, Indonesia.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

English: Phantom glass catfish; Spanish: Bagre vítreo.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length 5.9 in (15 cm). Body naked, strongly compressed; dorsal profile arched with a nuchal concavity; dorsal fin rudimentary, represented by only one short ray; adipose fin absent; anal fin base very elongate, with 55–68 rays; pectoral fins longer than head; pelvic fins small; caudal fin forked; mouth very small, oblique; one pair of barbels on lower jaw, maxillary barbels elongate, reaching to the anal fin; eye large, subcutaneous. Body translucent, internal features such as blood vessels and backbone visible, gut covered by a silvery peritoneum; depending on light the body may reflect iridescent colors, ranging from yellow to violet, or even fluorescent blue in twilight.

DISTRIBUTION

Asia in Mekong, Chao Phraya and Xe Bangfai basins, Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and Borneo.

HABITAT

Freshwater. Benthopelagic in large rivers and flooded plains, favors turbid shady waters.

BEHAVIOR

Free-swimming, shoaling species. In captivity, the group stays in a dark corner during light hours, only disturbed by individuals changing places.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

A diurnal carnivore, feeds on pelagic and planktonic invertebrates, such as hemipterans, other insects, worms, and crustaceans, and small fishes. In captivity only takes floating items, it never disturbs the bottom looking for food.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Has not been spawned in captivity. No information from the wild.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Not listed by the IUCN.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

An important aquarium species. Also used to make the fish sauce prahoc.

Glass catfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Siluriformes Family: Siluridae Genus: Kryptopterus Species: K. bicirrhis
Binomial name
Kryptopterus bicirrhis Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1839

The glass catfish or ghost fish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, is a transparent freshwater aquarium fish. Body lengths can range up to 15 cm (6 in), but are usually less in aquarium specimens.

Native to Southeast Asia, these catfish prefer tanks with open swimming areas with a moderate current, and planted areas to provide shelter. Timid fish, they should always be kept as a group, and 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 fish have a reputation for being finicky eaters; they prefer live food such as mosquito larvae, but can be weaned to flake food with time. They are different from other catfish because they live in the mid - upper region of the body of water. They are transparent and most of their gut is located near the head. The glass catfish turns milky white when dead, suggesting it does something during its life to keep it transparent. If you look at a live glass catfish with a magnifying glass you can see its heart beating.

References

• "Kryptopterus bicirrhis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 10 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.

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