My biotope aquarium

Common names: African glass catfish

Settlement: It is found in a very wide area of ​​West Africa. The range also extends north to the border of Senegal and Mauritania on the west coast and east to Sudan, meaning it is probably a common species in the wild.

Size: 14-17 cm in nature, in the aquarium usually less.

Water chemistry: Fresh water. Temperature 24 to 28 ° C, pH 6.4-7.2 (6.8), hardness 2-15 kH (8), 3-20 gH

Difficulty: Moderately demanding (5/10)

Aquarium: The aquarium should be under low light with clean water, water flow is recommended, it can also be stronger. The fish work well in the riparian layout of the aquarium. These are shoal fish - it is recommended to have at least 6 if not more. They have a fairly calm character and tolerate the company of other fish well. It is advisable to protect them from aggressive species as they have a rather fragile body. Catfish are most active at night - with the onset of darkness they leave their shelter and occupy the middle layers of the aquarium. They like to find shelter under plants, in nature riparian grass and sedges. Provide an abundance of surface vegetation. A group of 10 fish requires an aquarium with a volume of at least 400 L.

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Feeding: In nature, it feeds on planktonic invertebrates and crustaceans located at the bottom. In the aquarium, it is sometimes picky about food, preferring small live, frozen or lyophilized organisms, but will also accept flakes.

Breeding:

There is no evidence of successful breeding of African glass catfish in an artificial environment. In nature, spawning occurs with the end of the rainy season and continues until the end of the dry season. Perhaps simulating such conditions in an aquarium will facilitate their reproduction.

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Description of fish

In this fish, the dorsal fin is completely absent. The species is extremely similar to the Indian glass catfish, they can only be distinguished by a detailed examination. The most striking differences are the presence of black bands along the body of the African catfish, a developed fat fin (fathead minnow) and four pairs of antennae, instead of two in Indian catfish. In addition, these two species belong to different families and have a rather distant common ancestor. African glass catfish in nature can reach a length of up to 15 cm, and in the aquarium they rarely grow more than 10 cm. Sex differences are barely noticeable in this species, the female is distinguished by the presence of a cylindrical or conical genital tubercle, which is hidden between 2 and 3 rays of the anal fin.

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Notes

The genus Parailia contains four other species: P. congica, P. occidentalis, P. somalensis, and P. spiniserrata.

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