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I have a 55g that I would like to do an Asian themed tank with. It will be a planted, low current tank with some large vertical rocks as well. I am looking to have a peaceful, tranquil tank. I am thinking of centering the tank around Glass Catfish.

Are the Glass Catfish a good fish to center the tank around? How many should I keep? What other fish would you recommend keeping with the Glass Catfish?

Thanks!

Are the Glass Catfish a good fish to center the tank around?

Definitely. I have seen really nice tanks with big shoals of glass catfish. A good trick is to use a blue actinic tube, as the glass catfish kind of fluoresce blue and look amazing like below:

How many should I keep?

About 15 would be a nice number.

What other fish would you recommend keeping with the Glass Catfish?

Any peaceful bottom dweller really that likes the same water. I would not keep any other mid-water fish, as displays always look better with one species.

My recommendations would be , , or .

I can vouch for Mystus bimaculatus, a very nice fish and in a reasonable size group quite entertaining. I have 7 and they follow each other round and investigate things a lot. Really peaceful and easy to keep as well. They really don't tend to hide away either although they have the opportunity to.

I was going to suggest , & then maybe akysis/parakysis and hara?

Thank you for the replies. I will have to see what I find locally. I will not be setting up this tank for a couple of months, but this gives me a good idea. I keep going back and forth on what to keep.

I am also considering some loaches - zebra or something. What about shrimp? Would the glass cats eat them?

Richard B wrote:I was going to suggest

Acrochordonichthys rugosus

, & then maybe akysis/parakysis and hara?

Acrochordonichthys prefer a setup with a current, plus large individuals are ambush predators in the wild (I once caught one that spat out a couple of Nemacheilus loaches on capture).

Besides, they are as rare as hens’ teeth.

Another question. Will the glass cats jump? I will have a light over an open tank for the plants. Most loaches may jump, right?

Silurus wrote:

Richard B wrote:I was going to suggest

Acrochordonichthys rugosus

, & then maybe akysis/parakysis and hara?

Besides, they are as rare as hens’ teeth.

I guess i've been lucky to see 'em a coupla times - i didn't realise they were that scarce - guess a should've got a load when i had the chance

Bartman wrote:Another question. Will the glass cats jump? I will have a light over an open tank for the plants. Most loaches may jump, right?

Glass cats are not very likely to jump.

I don't think they will jump out. And suitable fish:

Do Hyalobagrus fit the bill? Because they aren't monsters, but they aren't sooo active they steal the spotlight.