Glass cats

[siva]

There's a lot of different opinions on how these guys should be kept. I commonly hear of them in 10 and 20 gal tanks. I thought about them for my 29 but decided to wait. I wouldn't keep them in a group of less than six, and I just felt like six potentially over 4" fish wouldn't have adequate space in a 29. I don't know though, I haven't owned them yet, and sometimes first hand experience changes your opinion.

 

[Rosenweiss]

Have you heard of the difference between k. bicchiris and k. minor? The latter is what's commonly sold in pet stores and doesn't get over 2.5-3 inches. I'm almost positive my first three are this type. So i'm not really worried.

Five is an ideal size for our tank. Schooling numbers are pretty arbitrary, once you get to 4 or 5. I don't know where people thought up needing 6 anyway... it's like, did they observe them in the wild and see that they hung out in groups of six on a normal curve with st. deviation .3? Lol. So I don't see a need to get another one.

Edit: reading this again, it may have sounded a bit snippy but that wasn't the intention! Just sharing some thoughts I had for my tank.

 

[siva]

I am familiar, but they are both being sold and people are not being informed beforehand which they are getting.

I don't find it arbitrary. I think with catfish you generally see more activity when they are kept in groups of 6 or more. Atleast this has been my observation with the cats I've kept. Ghost cats, especially, are known to very timid when kept in smaller groups. That's great it works for yours, and of course there are alway exceptions to every rule, but in general I would recommend 6.

 

[Luna112]

So I should get 4 more? I don't think my tank can handle four more fish... My first glass cat was kept solo for most of his life~ 2-3 years. Now I got him a buddy. He doesn't really like to hang with the other glass cat, he hangs out close to my heater and bubbler.

 

[siva]

Luna what size tank do you have?

I just saw your edit Rosenweiss...I didn't think you were being snippy..I wouldn't expect that from you

You know I'm also reminded of my Glo fish. I got 6 and was so impressed with them, they way they schooled around the tank.. now one died and I need to go get a new one..in the mean time the remaining 5 are pretty much split into different corners. I mean the difference in their behavior from 5 to 6 is like night and day.

 

[Luna112]

I have a 30 gallon. I've always wanted glo fish!! But they are 5.99 a pop.

 

[siva]

Ha! yeah I wanted them from my mom and pop lfs but they were 7.99 so I cheaped out and went for them at petco for 5.99. I saw them at walmart for 4.37 but the fish in there scare me.

Ok what all is in the tank? Lets see how many you can fit in there.

 

[Rosenweiss]

Luna what size tank do you have?

I just saw your edit Rosenweiss...I didn't think you were being snippy..I wouldn't expect that from you

You know I'm also reminded of my Glo fish. I got 6 and was so impressed with them, they way they schooled around the tank.. now one died and I need to go get a new one..in the mean time the remaining 5 are pretty much split into different corners. I mean the difference in their behavior from 5 to 6 is like night and day.

I'm glad you didn't take it that way! For me, the different between 3 and 5 was night and day, so I do recommend at least 5. We just really can't fit or afford any more fish.

 

[Luna112]

If I start to list all the fish I have you guys will kill me. I've always gotten chastised by members of AA. Saying I have to many fish. Everyone acts like they are suppose to and I do a water change every 3-4 days. Dont get angry okay, I know many of the fish I have will get way to big.
I have two AC 50's and a 6 inch airstone
2 plecos
5 Cory cats
1 oil catfish
1 upside-down catfish
1 bumblebee catfish
1 syno cat
1 hybrid jaguar catfish
2 Raphael catfish
3 hystoronica botia
2 glass cat
1 golden dojo loach
3 khulie loaches
5 red serpae tetras
1 penguin tetras
4 cherry barbs
1 black ghost knife
2 panda tetras
1 ballon pearl gourami

 

[Rosenweiss]

Hmm... I don't think I can recommend getting any more glass cats...

Edit: Depends though. How are your parameters and are you planning to upgrade or give away some of the fish that get too big?

 

[Luna112]

My water parameters are nitrate- 20 ppm
Ammonia -0 nitrite-0 ph7.0 temp 80F

 

[Rosenweiss]

Well that's pretty amazing that you keep it balanced with all those fisheez in there....

 

[siva]

Luna...

I am speechless.

 

[siva]

You are crammed full of fish too large for the tank and improper school/shoal sizes. But you already know that... I guess I don't need to say anything.

 

[siva]

Maybe it's not as bad as it sounds. You should post a video of it

 

[Luna112]

Okay I will. It really isn't that bad. Most of the fish are bottom feeders. And I have a big structure where they all hang out. When you look at my tank you barely see any fish.

 

[siva]

That's what I was wondering..I know there can be situations that seem overstocked in writing but in person look OK. I just really hope that you have plans for some of those fish, and I do think it would probably be best to stop adding. Maybe it's time a for another tank?

 

[Luna112]

I love fish. And most of the fish I have were gifts from my parents. I have lupus so I'm always in the hospital. When I get home my friends and family add a new fish in the tank.

 

[siva]

I'm so sorry to hear that. That's sweet though, your family sounds lovely

 

[Luna112]

Thanks how do I upload a video?