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Scary glass cats.
3/2/08
Hi guys,
not really sure if i should be concerned, but today I bought 6 glass catfish
(Kryptopterus minor) that the other fish in my tank seem to HATE! I have a fully
planted 55 gallon aquarium with 6 black phantom tetras, and 8 Neons, along with
a beta, 3 Otos, and a couple dozen cherry shrimp. Today i bought a small shoal
of glass cats and the minute i released them into the tank, everyone else became
completely stressed out! The glass cats are swimming around, exploring the tank,
riding the current of the filter, and for the most part minding their own
business. My black phantom tetras have all gone in defense mode and the whole
school has retreated to a cave for the whole day. I've never seen them act so
upset. they will not even eat food which makes me worried. My neon tetras are
schooling tightly again and avoid the glass cats at all costs, hiding in the
Hairgrass, something ive never seen!
I've been watching them very closely, and the glass cats have been behaving, but
all the other fish stay on the opposite end of the tank. Everything ive read
says that they are community tank fish, so i don't understand what is stressing
the tank out. Any insight would be appreciated
thanks so much,
peter
<Hello Peter. I wouldn't worry about this. Sounds as if the fish are alarmed
that things have changed, that's all. As you rightly say, Kryptopterus minor are
good community fish and unlikely to harm their tankmates. Give it a few days
before panicking too much. Sometimes turning out the lights when introducing
fish helps a lot, and another useful tip is to feed the fish after you add the
new fish. This gets the fish thinking with their stomachs instead of their
little fishy brains! Cheers, Neale.>
Glass Catfish Picture 4/27/07
Hi,
<Hello Matt>
A while back I got this picture of one of my glass cats (Kryptopterus
bicirrhis). It's probably the best picture of a fish I've taken as it
came out so incredibly clear. I was wondering if you wanted it for use
on the site. If so, you're welcome to use it where ever you wish.
<Thank you. Will post with credit to you>
The one I've attached here is a cut down low quality version for the
purposes of file size. If you want the original (it's a couple of Mb)
just let me know an email address I can send it to and I'll be happy to
forward it. Alternatively I can put it on my web space for you to save.
<This will be fine>
Thanks Matt.
<Again, thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner> |
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Feeding Ghost Glass Cattish 9/6/06
Hello. I am having trouble feeding my ghost catfish. I understand that
they sense food with their feelers because they're pretty much blind. The
thing is I can't seem to get the food to touch their feelers or have them
sense the presence of food. I have tried live blackworms and flake foods.
Once in a while if I get lucky the food lands on their feelers and they'll
eat.
Majority of the time they are hiding behind some plants at the bottom of my
aquarium. I currently have 3 of them but I plan to buy 2 more. Is there any
method to feed them? I hate having to pollute the water with too much food
trying to get them to eat. These have to be one of the hardest fish to feed
and care for. Even my black ghost knife takes flakes happily because it
smells or sense food with its electricity. Thanks in advance. Tommy
< They basically wait in a slow moving area against the current and wait for
food to hit their mouths before they eat. Prepare some food in a small dish
or glass . Mix with a little water. Suck it up in a turkey baster or syringe
and squirt the food water mixture towards the waiting mouths of the glass
catfish. Eventually they will fatten up and learn to get floating
foods.-Chuck>
FW restart: Tankmates for glass cats, etc 8/12/06
Hey guys and gals,
Due to me being a bad human,
<But looking to improve...>
I'm going to be restarting my tank. I have a 29 gallon freshwater that I've let
get pretty nasty. It's currently stocked with two male Golden Wonder killifish,
two Australian Rainbows (probably splendida australis), a 10" pleco,
<Yikes... I'd trade in for a smaller model, species>
and a glass catfish. The pleco will soon, with luck, be going to a new home that
recently lost one, as I know he's now way too big for this aquarium.
<Oh! Good>
Of the killies and the rainbows, one of each pair is definitely larger and more
aggressive. I've never seen them after the catfish, but something has been - I
found the second catfish dead this morning, and the remaining one has very
little left of his tail fins. I've noted tail damage on them both lately, but
I'm moving in too late for the one :( Any idea who is more likely to be the
culprit?
<Mmm, about even twixt these species... would have to catch someone "in the
act">
My current plan is this: I'm going to move the catfish to a 1-gallon tank by
itself. I'll start up my 10-gallon backup tank and cycle it. When it's done,
I'll overhaul the 29-gallon and start it cycling to bring it back up to full
use.
I understand that the glass catfish are often very sensitive to changes in water
quality,
<Yes>
which is one reason I figured to keep it off by itself, along with the
mysterious attacker problem. I know now (I didn't research before I got them)
that they are schooling fish. Should I go ahead and get one or two more for it
to "room" with in the 1-gallon during all this, to save stress from being alone,
or would the crowding be worse stress?
<Mmm, for this species, another "toss up" proposition... One gallon period is
too small to keep stable... but this catfish can be crowded with its own kind>
I know the killies are good for cycling. Are the rainbows sturdy enough to use
for cycling or are they best kept in the old tank till the cycling is complete
in the new?
<Both are tough here, but I'd use only one species>
Are two killies, or two killies and two rainbows, going to be enough to cycle
each tank?
<Just two of either will be... though I would not use fish for establishing
cycling. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm>
Once it's all back and in control, I'd really like to focus more on the peaceful
community types. The glass catfish have me charmed. Focusing on the cats, the 29
gallon aquarium, and my own lack of experience, what would you suggest as far as
the best types of tankmates, and population sizes?
<Mmm... small barbs, danios, rasboras, platies, Corydoras...>
I'd like to have at least one type of top feeder, one type of bottom feeder, and
perhaps some sort of algae eater. I really prefer not to have them chasing each
other around, however, and I'd also like to get all of a type as far as
preferences for water circulation (less than I currently have) and quality go.
<You are wise here>
Am I hoping for too much? *grin* I had run across a site at some point that
listed good tankmates for each species listing, but I've forgotten what it was.
I'd also like to avoid snails, because they managed to breed in my Biowheel
filters and clogged the whole thing up with baby snails. Ugh.
Also, one more question. I typically go to PetSmart (a bad habit, probably) for
supplies.
<Not so bad if you know what you want>
I've bought plants there... they come in a rubber-banded bundle, also banded
with some sort of metal strip that is amazingly flexible.
Any idea what this strip is;
<Lead, Pb>
or more importantly, whether it's safe to keep the plants bundled with it to
make them easier to plant in the gravel?
<Can be done, though I prefer to undo such "bunch/ed plants" and either plant
the stems individually or allow (most species) to float at the surface>
I had a horrible time with bottom-rooting plants, because they simply kept
coming out of the gravel.
I think I've exhausted my questions for now. Maybe in five minutes I'll have
more...
<Heeee! Thank you for writing so well, sharing. Bob Fenner>
Re: FW restart: Tankmates for glass cats, etc - 08/12/06
Thank you, Bob! It sounds like my starting over will be whole... education
and stock as well as the tank itself. I had been told that old, old advice
about actually using the fish for cycling. Now, maybe I know better.
If I aim for a tank with cherry barbs, glass cats, and a smaller species of the
Corydoras, what population numbers would you recommend for a 29 gallon?
<Mmm... five each of the barbs, glass cats... and five or so Corydoras...
leaving room for a "show" animal down the line...>
I never have figured out how to squish fish into a cubic inch... I understand
that the Corydoras and glass cats are shoalers, but I've seen
differing opinions on cherry barbs.
<They are as well...>
Thank you again, you saved me and the fish a whole lot of stress.
-Me
<Glad to offer my help. BobF>
Cubic Inches Of Fish - 11/06/2005
Great website! I'm hoping I searched enough, and am not missing something
horribly obvious somewhere. I'm rather deficient in figuring out how to
translate fish to cubic inches (without a Bass-o-matic), and a bit worried about
overloading my tank.
<Yeah, pretty tough to reconstitute the fish after Bass-o-maticking them.>
I've got a 29-gallon rectangular tank, a hunk of (probably synthetic?) driftwood
that's hollowed out with caves, some plastic plants, gravel media, a heater and
a Biowheel filter. I've recently added some live plants, and planning to
eventually replace all the plastic ones. The fish are as follows: 1 male betta,
5 Golden Wonder killies (2 males, 3 females), a pleco, 2 "Australian
Rainbowfish" (I think they are M. lacustris), and two glass catfish.
<The Plec will outgrow the tank; might consider one of the smaller Ancistrus
species plecs.... the 'Bushynoses'.>
I'd brought home the rainbows and one of the glass cats without doing my
homework, and then found out how much the cats prefer their own kind. Two days
later I brought home the other glass cat the store had. I'd originally planned
to have more rainbows, but the cats are fascinating, and apparently more
dependent on that schooling factor. So, I'm looking to fill the rest of my
"quota" with more glass cats, but I'm just very uncertain how many I can add
without pushing my system too much.
<I think you could get by with six or seven glass cats pretty confidently.>
While the killies are happily trying to populate the tank all by themselves, I
don't think many, if any fry will survive the attentions of so many live-eaters
(right?);
<Correct.>
and while I know the pleco will grow, at some point I can always find him a new
home and replace him with a junior.
<Mm, I like to recommend planning for the entire life of your animals.... after
all, they are lives that are now in your care, under your influence.... I would
look to replacing this animal with an Ancistrus sp. Plec as above.>
So what limit should I place on my little buying frenzy?
<As above, I'd aim for six or seven glass cats, and see how things go for a
while. They reach 15cm, but are relatively slow growers in my experience. I
think you'd do well at this number.>
Thanks so *incredibly* much, -Kathy
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Cubic Inches Of Fish - II - 11/06/2005
Attn: Sabrina
<Sabrina here, trying her best to pay attention....>
No need for posting or answer -
<Mm, everything gets posted.... unless you specifically request that it not be
posted.... and everything gets answered, to the best of our abilities.>
thank you!
<Any time. glad to be of service.>
Since the pleco, for good or ill, is already under my care, I'll do what I can
for him, for as long as I can... when time comes to replace him, I'll have this
suggestion of yours to keep from having another pass-along fish.
<Sounds excellent.>
By that time, I may be able to look into a tank just for the pleco, as well,
since I'm pretty soft-hearted.
<A great thing to consider. Should you choose to do so, that would then give you
more tank space to play with, too - a bigger tank for the Plec means a bigger
tank in general - which means more or bigger fish! Uhh, this hobby's too
addictive.>
Thanks again!
<You bet. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Dead Ghost Catfish 8/19/05
Mr. Fenner-
<Sean>
Just over a week ago I added a Ghost Cat to my tank
(also just after I did a full water replacement and tank clean)
<Mmm, better to never entirely clean a going system out...>
and just
this morning the Ghost Cat was resting peacefully on the
bottom. The night before he was happy and eating, nothing appeared
wrong with him at all. I found him cloudy white (barely transparent), but
other than that he looked fine no damage as far as I could tell and there
was a black AND red stripe down the middle of him.
<Ah, yes>
Me not knowing
what a dead Ghost cat looks like I'm not sure if that's a bad sign or not.
If you can shed some light on this, thanks.
-Sean B-R
<Is a bad sign... know that catfishes actually are "scale-less"... some are
naked, like your cat, and others are armored... the close exposure to their
liquid environment can spell trouble if this is toxic, variable... the water
change here is very likely what is at fault... take care to make only
frequent, partial water changes. Please read here re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2ochgs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Bettas, Snails, and Glass Cats - 08/04/2005
Hello, WWM Crew!! :)
<Hello, Stella and Jared!>
First off, thanks so much for all the work you put into getting this info. out
there! I spend *way* too much time reading things on this webpage.
<And thank you very much for your kind words; this is much appreciated.>
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find answers to everything I was wondering--
maybe I just didn't look hard enough.
<No worries.>
Currently, my husband and I have two tanks set up. One is the Eclipse 3-gallon
and it houses a happy, fat Betta fish, 3 Ghost Shrimp and various live plants.
<Sounds perfect.>
I was thinking about adding some Java Fern and getting a Golden or Black Mystery
Snail for this tank. The shrimp do a fine job cleaning up, but I think I'd like
a snail, too. Would that overload this tank? And how can I make sure that the
snail won't come with a bunch of baby snails? (I suppose I could get a male...?)
<Mm, honestly, I would not add a mystery snail to this small system. Too much
potential for pushing out more biological waste than the tank can easily
support. Do-able, though, if you are very meticulous about testing and changing
water. Do please take a look at
http://www.applesnail.net , though, for lots of snaily information.>
The other is an Eclipse Hex 7, which has... one Glass Catfish and various live
plants. (The other Glass Cat we bought died the morning after it was brought
home.) Normally, there is a Betta in this tank too; unfortunately, he seems to
be sick. I pulled him out, placed him in a vase (I don't have an "official" QT
tank yet), tried to get the water temperature a bit warmer than his water (82F)
and a little extra salt. I also added a half dose of CopperSafe. The sick Betta
has feathery stuff flaking off of him, almost from beneath his scales. He seems
to be doing much better, blowing bubbles and swimming around happily. Maybe he
prefers having no tankmates... He's been quarantined for 2 days now-- how much
longer should I keep him out of the 7 gallon? 3 weeks?
<A week or two after he has regained health completely is probably
sufficient. A side note - DO NOT add CopperSafe (or ANY other copper-based
medication) to aquaria with invertebrates, as it is highly toxic to them.>
As for our lonely Glass Cat (who still won't eat much!!),
<Try offering frozen meaty foods, such as frozen bloodworms, or live foods like
mosquito larvae, just after lights-out on the tank.>
how many more Glass Cats can we put in the 7 gallon tank without overloading it?
I know they do much better in a shoal/school, but I'd really rather not make
them all miserable in a small space.
<This animal is easily capable of reaching six inches in length.... In all
honesty, I would plan on a larger tank (20 gallons or more) and aim for at
*least* three of these fish; shy schoolers like this really seem to be more "at
ease" in numbers. Please consider the 7g tank a very temporary home.>
By the by, I was also considering getting a Black or Golden Mystery Snail for
this particular tank. Would having snails mean less gravel-vaccing?
<No. Snails, like other animals, produce waste; you'll still need to do the
same regular maintenance. I see no problem adding a snail or two to this tank.>
We're still set on having 10-15% water changes/testings once a week, but we're
afraid too much gravel vacuuming is bad for the plants...
<Well, yes, there *is* a happy medium. Try not to vacuum too much at the
plants' roots, but in areas absent of plants, vacuum all the more.>
Lastly (I'm sorry! So many questions...!!),
<Really, no worries! I'm glad you're asking, rather than not!>
since we have smaller fish, what size tank would be adequate for a QT?
<As above, I would like to encourage you to think about a much larger tank for
the glass cat(s).... They might be "smaller fish" right now, but they won't
stay so. Ahh, in fact, here's the fishbase entry on 'em: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=10920&genusname=Kryptopterus&speciesname=bicirrhis
. If you do a much larger system, the 7 would make a fine QT, or a cheap 10g
setup would serve just as well.>
It's been difficult finding a heater that works well for such small size tanks.
<A small, 25w heater would be fine for the 7. I even use a 25w in my own 3g
eclipse; works great.>
Thankfully, we live in San Diego, so the temperature of the tank water rarely
drops below 77.
<Ahh, very good indeed.>
Thank you so much in advance! Look eagerly forward to a reply :)
--Stella&Jared
<Thank you again for your kind words! Wishing you and your fishes (and future
snails?) well, -Sabrina>
Ghost Catfish and Bettas health/feeding and compatibility
I currently Have 3 Ghost catfish a female Betta and 2 Dwarf frogs in a 10 gallon tank. I have had some problems with the ghostfish staying alive. I was
wondering if the Betta was a bad idea to put with the ghostfish?
<These fishes should get along well enough together... the catfish are pretty quick to avoid periodic aggression in your size system... One thing they do need is occasional meaty food... and a lack of metal objects in their water. We have some scant coverage here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/silurids.htm
Do check out your water quality to assure it is within their natural range (see WWM and fishbase.org re the species) and add some meaty foods daily to their diet. Bob Fenner>
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