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Glass catfish (Kryptopterus geminus) — Siluridae

Glass catfish

Kryptopterus geminus
Family: Siluridae

The Glass catfish (Kryptopterus geminus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Siluridae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17.1 cm
Water
Brackish
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The glass catfish is a catfish (Siluridae) from slow-flowing fresh water of Sundaland and the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a strongly translucent, laterally compressed body through which the backbone and organs show, with two long barbels and no dorsal fin. As a schooling fish it hovers in the open water column of rivers and snaps at small zooplankton and insect larvae. The fish is harmless to humans and is popular in the aquarium trade.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Glass catfish?

The Glass catfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Glass catfish live?

The Glass catfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Glass catfish get?

The Glass catfish grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Glass catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Glass catfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Glass catfish edible?

Yes, the Glass catfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Glasmeerval sourced
English name
Glass catfish sourced
Scientific name
Kryptopterus geminus
Family
Siluridae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.1 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Te vangen met natuurlijk aas of kunstaas, afgestemd op de grootte en het leefgebied van de soort. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Kryptopterus

More from the family Siluridae

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