Ghost Catfish — a Siluridae from Thailand, SE Asia, calm and unobtrusive by day, busy by night. Reaches 4.9–7.2 cm; pairs for the small species; solitaries for the big. 21–26 °C.
Care parameters
Water temperature
21–26 °C
pH
6.5–7.5
GH hardness
5–15 dGH
Adult length
4.9–7.2 cm
Minimum tank
62 L
Water layer
Bottom-dwelling
Difficulty
Moderate
Temperament
Calm and unobtrusive by day, busy by night
Origin
Thailand, SE Asia
Species overview
From the waters of Thailand, SE Asia comes Kryptopterus vitreolus, a member of the family Siluridae. A whiskered bottom resident whose day begins when the lights go off. It lives on the bottom. Adults reach 4.9–7.2 cm. Pairs for the small species; solitaries for the big. Feed sinking foods after lights-out, keep the sand soft, and never let nitrate climb unnoticed. Maintain 21–26 °C at pH 6.5–7.5. A rewarding species for the aquarist who reads before buying.
Native biotope
Habitat
Slow rivers and lakes
Flow
Still to gentle current
Dissolved O₂
Moderate
Aquascape & hardware
Substrate
Sand and mud
Hardscape
Large hiding structures
Plants
Sparse
Temperament, diet & tankmates
Schooling
Pairs for the small species; solitaries for the big
Diet
Eats anything that sinks; balance protein and greens
Recommended tankmates
Mid-water schooling fish — Use the space catfish ignore
Avoid keeping with
Fast surface feeders — Leave nothing for the bottom