# New to me (fish breed)



## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

Okay their called Glass something, i cant remember, but i spotted these 2 fish today, kinda different, and i would like to have some in one of my tanks one day, does anyone know what they are and what the care is for them? what other fish they can be with and a group of how many of them?


Here are pictures 
They both are competly see through besides their bones


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## ladayen (Jun 21, 2011)

The top ones are called glass catfish. 

The bottom ones are "Painted Glass" they are injected with ink like a tattoo or fed chemically laced food to have those colours. The process has an extremely high mortality rate and those that do survive it often have stunted growth, lowered immune systems and an overall shortened lifespan. I would encorage you to not buy these fish, or even buy from a store that orders them.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

ladayen said:


> The top ones are called glass catfish.
> 
> The bottom ones are "Painted Glass" they are injected with ink like a tattoo or fed chemically laced food to have those colours. The process has an extremely high mortality rate and those that do survive it often have stunted growth, lowered immune systems and an overall shortened lifespan. I would encorage you to not buy these fish, or even buy from a store that orders them.


 
Are the glass catfish natually like that? i wont buy the painted


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## ladayen (Jun 21, 2011)

Origin: Capuas River basin, western Borneo (Indonesia); Greater Sunda Island rivers. Found in gently-flowing streams and rivers having still water pools or margins; the fish rests in still water and stalks prey in gentle currents.


Read more: Glass Catfish (Kryptopterus minor) Profile

Yep they're all natural.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Glass cats also get to a good size, something like up to 4 inches each (I have never personally seen one that big yet), they also require a group of around 6+. They are pretty neat looking, but they do require a nice sized tank. They also dont do well with fast or pushy tankmates, and they dont hang out on tank bottoms like most catfish such as cory that we are use to seeing. 
I have thought about these guys on a few occasions, but for me at the time, practically clear fish didnt have much of an eye catching effect that I was looking for. I have gotten over that now, but dont have the space for them. They are nice to have if you can provide what they need.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

They are neat looking.

Not to go off on a rant, but I think the practice of using dyes or other substances to artificially color fish is potentially harmful and wrong. About the only exception would be HEALTHY, nutrient rich foods that enhance normal color.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> Glass cats also get to a good size, something like up to 4 inches each (I have never personally seen one that big yet), they also require a group of around 6+. They are pretty neat looking, but they do require a nice sized tank. They also dont do well with fast or pushy tankmates, and they dont hang out on tank bottoms like most catfish such as cory that we are use to seeing.
> I have thought about these guys on a few occasions, but for me at the time, practically clear fish didnt have much of an eye catching effect that I was looking for. I have gotten over that now, but dont have the space for them. They are nice to have if you can provide what they need.


 
How big of a tank for just one group, i've stopped restalking my 29 gallon cause everytime i do i get an outbreak of ich, so i just figure what fish i have is who i will keep, and after being gone for nearly a month, (8 days at first, came home for 3 days and left again for another 19 days) my fish reduced by only a couple more, so i down to like 4-6 fish, so im thinking about putting them in my 14 gallon and 10 gallon once my baby fish(50-60 when i left for the first week now only 15....thus why i try and save all the babies i get cause i knew my numbers would go way down soon enough, and now im waiting for my bad luck, at this time i usually get an outbreak of ich that kills the remainding of my babies) get big enough and doing some new fish in my 29, like maybe a group of the Class catfish, and maybe like a smaller group of anoth kind a fish that will go great with the cats


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

AbbeysDad said:


> They are neat looking.
> 
> Not to go off on a rant, but I think the practice of using dyes or other substances to artificially color fish is potentially harmful and wrong. About the only exception would be HEALTHY, nutrient rich foods that enhance normal color.


Glofish are also colored, but in a safe way. They're genetically modified. 

Back on topic- yes, glass catfish are awesome. If you like clear animals, try some ghost shrimp now.









or glass triangle tetra- basically the painted tetra but without the paint.









And the indian glassfish









Here's a better picture of a glass catfish so you can see them side by side-


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

redchigh said:


> Glofish are also colored, but in a safe way. They're genetically modified.
> 
> Back on topic- yes, glass catfish are awesome. If you like clear animals, try some ghost shrimp now.
> 
> ...


 
My next question was gonna be what are the painted without the paint ha. I think if the group would all do well together i would do a tank of colorless fish, I think it would look marvlous


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Your 29g would be enough room for a shoal of the glass cats and a few other fish.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> Your 29g would be enough room for a shoal of the glass cats and a few other fish.


 
What other fish would you suggest?


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Well, a few factors to consider on tankmates...
1- The Glass Cats are said to need a higher pH, of 7 or greater, if I read correctly. So, you would have to read through some profiles, or get input from members who know pH needs of fish off the top of their heads. 
2- Their temp is in the 70s so, any of the higher temp fish wouldnt work, which is okay since I have noticed a lot of higher temp fish, such as rams, need lower pH. 
3- They need calm tankmates and limited current... in that department it would be fish like rasbora and maybe cherry barb, and some of the calmer nicer tetra, such as neon tetra. 
4- They like soft to medium hard water, so livebearers are completely out due to this as well as them not being calm.
5- You could get away with them in the 29g, IMO, others may suggest longer due to the length needed, as they tend to be long. So, other fish would need to be smaller for sure, and limited in numbers, IMO.

I think Cherry barb are a nice fit, they do best though in larger groups though. But water parameter wise, they would work, and they are pretty calm fish.

Harlequin Rasbora would work if the pH is close to 7, but not higher.

Zebra Danio also work regarding water parameters. They arent super calm fish, but they arent too boisterous that they would disturb the glass catfish.

I hope this helps some.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> Well, a few factors to consider on tankmates...
> 1- The Glass Cats are said to need a higher pH, of 7 or greater, if I read correctly. So, you would have to read through some profiles, or get input from members who know pH needs of fish off the top of their heads.
> 2- Their temp is in the 70s so, any of the higher temp fish wouldnt work, which is okay since I have noticed a lot of higher temp fish, such as rams, need lower pH.
> 3- They need calm tankmates and limited current... in that department it would be fish like rasbora and maybe cherry barb, and some of the calmer nicer tetra, such as neon tetra.
> ...


Well perfect  Cause im rebuilding/building my shoals for my danios (only have 5) and my cherry barbs (only have 3) and i just picked up 2 neons today cause i was given 1 yesterday along with some other fish, and tomorrow im picking up more fish to try and get all my shoals right

Need to get:
5 Pristella Tetras 
4 red eyed tetra
4 danios
3 cherry barbs
3 neon tetras
1 black skirted tetra still lol
oh and another Blue or gold Gourami boy, if they have a boy, but that isnt a needed just something i want lol

Im hoping i can talk to someone i know who works at an animal shelter to see if they hve any bigger tanks like maybe a 40 if im lucky, which will only cost me like 20 bucks, and see if they have some gravel, filter and heater that i can buy too, no idea how much that will cost me, ill find out tomorrow cause i asked if they have 2 heaters and 1 filter for the tanks i already have, cause one of my 10's i just set up has no heater, and my other 10 that is just sitting there has no heater or filter, or even rocks, but rocks shouldnt be an issue


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Yeah, with the glass cats in the 29g, you probably would only have enough room for one other shoal of small fish, and maybe a small group of bottom feeders. Otherwise a larger tank would be needed for all the fish you are talking about, maybe even larger than a 40g, a 55g+ sounds best for if you want all those fish together.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> Yeah, with the glass cats in the 29g, you probably would only have enough room for one other shoal of small fish, and maybe a small group of bottom feeders. Otherwise a larger tank would be needed for all the fish you are talking about, maybe even larger than a 40g, a 55g+ sounds best for if you want all those fish together.


 
Well now all i have in my 29 is 2 neons, 3 cherry barbs, 7 danios, 1 Blue Grouami, and 1 precilla tetra. I have moved around my fish again, my 20 gallon has my other 2 Gold Grouamis, and my 6 black skirted tetras


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

alysalouise said:


> Well now all i have in my 29 is 2 neons, 3 cherry barbs, 7 danios, 1 Blue Grouami, and 1 precilla tetra. I have moved around my fish again, my 20 gallon has my other 2 Gold Grouamis, and my 6 black skirted tetras


I am sure you already know this, but just in case I want to say...
1- A 20g is too small for 2 gold gourami, I personally wouldnt even think it enough space for one. The tetra are fine, and a few more could be beneficial to limit any outside the group nipping. 
2- cherry barbs, neons, and all tetra do best in a minimum group size of 6, high numbered groups being even better. It not only keeps nipping and aggression down in species prone to it, but it helps them feel safe, secure, and fills their social needs. 

Good size danio group. 
I dont know if I would trust a gourami with the glass cats, just my thought. I had an opaline, and although she was super gentle with her tankmates, I could have imagined her trying to eat a glass cat just by their appearance being so, clear. lol.

How do your three gourami get along? Blue Gourami as well as the gold, opaline, and other color patterns, just never seemed happy to me when with others of their species.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> I am sure you already know this, but just in case I want to say...
> 1- A 20g is too small for 2 gold gourami, I personally wouldnt even think it enough space for one. The tetra are fine, and a few more could be beneficial to limit any outside the group nipping.
> 2- cherry barbs, neons, and all tetra do best in a minimum group size of 6, high numbered groups being even better. It not only keeps nipping and aggression down in species prone to it, but it helps them feel safe, secure, and fills their social needs.
> 
> ...


 
My tetras and barbs groups are small due to losses, i know they do better in bigger groups and im working on that, but not having a job and parents not having money to pay me to do some chores right now kinda makes it hard to do so

Did not know Grouramis needed more room than a 20 gallon, but thats okay cause im starting a job here soon and once i save up enough i have already planned on getting another 55 gallon for my fresh water fish
My blue grourami was doing fine with the new one i added, then i added a second one and the big blue one started picking on the 2 new smaller ones because they were spawning so i moved them over to the 20 gallon, their still small, so they should be fine i there for a little while

And as far as the glass cats go its just a though not a for sure


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Glad to hear the plans. I figured you knew about the group needs, just wanted to mention it just in case.
I know you are doing good by your fish, and thats the most important thing.
And yes, while the golds are small, the 20g should be fine.
Good luck on the job!


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> Glad to hear the plans. I figured you knew about the group needs, just wanted to mention it just in case.
> I know you are doing good by your fish, and thats the most important thing.
> And yes, while the golds are small, the 20g should be fine.
> Good luck on the job!


Ya lol, and i figured so, cause they seem quite happy and dont look upset or anything, probably happy to be out of the tiny tanks they were in at the pet store, and im so excited to start my new job, ill have spring break winter break and summer break off like the rest of my friends that are in school. and pretty much will be working while their in school and will get off about the same time they get out so im happy with that


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Sounds like awesome work hours!!! Congrats!!!


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