African Glass Catfish (Pareutropius debauwi)

Overview

African Glass Catfish (Pareutropius debauwi) is a slim, silver, semi-transparent African schooling catfish for keepers who want movement in the middle of the aquarium without adding aggressive behaviour. This listing covers the 4 cm SKU K791 and its larger sibling option KC71, so the fish should be planned as juveniles that still need a proper group, open swimming room and stable water.

The name Eutropiellus debauwi appears in older supplier data and on some trade lists. Current reference use commonly places the fish as Pareutropius debauwi, so this page keeps the old name as a synonym while using the accepted name in the title, care notes and structured content. That keeps the page useful for customers searching either name without forcing repeated sales phrases into the copy.

This is not the Asian glass catfish. African Glass Catfish are more active, more robust in body shape and best kept as a visible shoal. They suit a mature community aquarium where tank mates are peaceful, feeding is not frantic and the water is kept clean, oxygenated and gently moving.

At a glance

Current size	Approximately 4 cm on SKU K791, with a 5-7 cm option under KC71 when available.
Adult size	Plan for roughly 12-15 cm in spacious aquaria, using FishBase maximum-length context as the upper planning guide.
Temperament	Peaceful, active and social; confidence improves in a proper shoal.
Best group	Six or more, with larger groups giving a calmer display and less skittish behaviour.
Tank level	Midwater to lower midwater, often cruising above the substrate and through open flow.
Care level	Moderate; best for a mature, stable aquarium rather than a brand-new setup.

Why choose this fish?

African Glass Catfish gives a planted or river-style aquarium a very different texture. The body is narrow and reflective, the dark lateral stripe makes the shoal easy to follow, and the fish tend to move together rather than guarding territories. In a calm tank they are visible, elegant and busy without becoming pushy.

The key is to buy them as a group and give them the right social setting. A single fish, or a tiny pair, can hide and fail to settle. A shoal in a tank with open swimming room, shaded plant cover and reliable flow behaves much more naturally.

Tank setup

Minimum aquarium	110 litres for a small group; 180-200 litres or more is better for a larger shoal and adult size planning.
Aquarium maturity	Use an established filter and stable cycle. Avoid adding this species to a new or unstable aquarium.
Layout	Leave a clear swimming lane, then add plants, wood and shaded edges so the group can retreat when startled.
Flow and oxygen	Moderate current and good oxygenation suit a riverine schooling catfish.
Lighting	Moderate lighting is fine, but floating plants or shaded areas help them feel secure.

They are active fish, so the aquarium should not be filled edge to edge with hardscape. Think of the layout as a moving-water display: plants and wood for cover, but enough open space for a shoal to cruise together.

Water parameters

Temperature	22-28 C, with the mid-20s a sensible everyday target.
pH	6.0-7.5.
Hardness	Soft to moderate water is preferred; avoid sudden swings.
Water quality	Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, nitrate controlled and oxygen high.
Maintenance	Regular partial water changes are important because the fish are sensitive to deteriorating conditions.

Feeding

FishBase describes the species as carnivorous with an insect-feeding preference, and aquarium care should reflect that. Offer a varied diet with quality micro pellets or granules, then rotate frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops and mosquito larvae. Small sinking foods and foods held in the current both work well.

Because African Glass Catfish are peaceful, they should not have to compete with very fast, greedy tank mates. Feed in more than one spot if needed so the whole group gets a chance.

Staple foods	Quality fine catfish granules, micro pellets and small community foods.
Conditioning foods	Frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm, cyclops and similar small meaty foods.
Feeding style	Small portions once or twice daily, watching that shy individuals feed.

Compatibility

This is a peaceful shoaling catfish, but it is not a background cleaner. It is an active social fish that needs calm company. Good tank mates include peaceful tetras, rasboras, small barbs, dwarf cichlids that are not bullying, Corydoras, small loricariids and other non-aggressive community fish of similar size.

Avoid fin nippers, aggressive cichlids, predatory catfish and anything large enough to view a slender glass catfish as food. Avoid extremely frantic feeding species too, because they can leave the shoal stressed and underfed.

Good choices	Peaceful tetras, rasboras, Corydoras, small plecos, calm dwarf cichlids and similar community fish.
Use caution	Fast barbs, larger gourami, boisterous rainbows and assertive cichlids.
Avoid	Predators, fin nippers, aggressive cichlids and very large catfish.

Behaviour and display

A settled shoal spends much of the day moving together, turning in loose formation and holding in the current. This behaviour is the main reason to choose the species. It gives the aquarium a constant but gentle sense of motion, especially in a longer tank where the group can move from shaded cover into open water and back again.

Stress usually shows as hiding, washed-out colour, frantic darting or individuals hanging away from the group. The usual causes are too few fish, bright exposed layouts, rough tank mates, poor oxygenation or unstable water quality. Correct those basics before assuming the species is simply shy.

Ordering notes for this listing

SKU K791 is the smaller 4 cm size and KC71 is the larger 5-7 cm option when both are available. If you are building a new shoal, matching sizes are easiest, but mixed juvenile sizes can also settle well in a roomy aquarium. The most important point is group number and tank stability, not chasing a single show fish.

Because this is an active schooling species, the page should be judged as a group-fish listing rather than as a single specimen listing. A customer buying one fish for a small, busy community tank is more likely to be disappointed than a customer adding a proper group to a mature, oxygen-rich aquarium.

Delivery, acclimation and first week

We ship live fish with care and pack them for the journey. Use WELCOME10 at checkout if this is your first order, and check the Live Arrival Guarantee before delivery day so the arrival process is clear.

Float the unopened bag to equalise temperature, then acclimate gradually. Keep the aquarium lights low for the first few hours and let the shoal settle before feeding heavily. They may hide at first, but a correctly sized group normally becomes bolder once the tank is calm.

Read the Live Arrival Guarantee, browse more African catfish, or compare with other freshwater fish.

Good to know

Name note	Pareutropius debauwi is the name used by FishBase; Eutropiellus debauwi may appear in supplier records.
Not a single fish	Buy as a shoal wherever possible. A group is healthier, calmer and more attractive.
Not for rough tanks	They are peaceful and can be outcompeted or intimidated by aggressive fish.

FAQ

Is African Glass Catfish the same as Asian Glass Catfish?

No. This listing is for the African species Pareutropius debauwi, not the Asian glass catfish often sold under Kryptopterus names.

How many should I keep?

Keep at least six where tank size allows. Larger groups settle better and show more natural shoaling behaviour.

Will they eat small fish?

They are peaceful, but they are still catfish with a meaty diet. Avoid tiny fry or tank mates small enough to be swallowed.

Are they suitable for new aquariums?

No. Choose a mature, stable aquarium with zero ammonia and nitrite, steady temperature and good oxygenation.