All fish / Ambassidae

Indian glassy fish

Parambassis ranga

Also known as glass fish, glassfish, indian glassfish, indian glass fish, painted glassfish, disco fish, asiatic glassfish, glass perch, ambassis ranga, chanda ranga, ปลาแป้นแก้ว, ikan kaca

This small fish has a deep, see-through body. You can see its skeleton and swim bladder through it, and the fins have a fine blue or yellow edge. People keep it because it looks so unusual, and a group hovering among plants is calm and easy to watch.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

20 to 30 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia and mosquito larvae; some will take small granules once settled

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

South Asia and mainland Southeast Asia: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia

Breeding

It scatters adhesive eggs among fine-leaved plants, usually after a cooler water change or a rise in temperature in a well-planted tank. The fry are very small and need infusoria and then baby brine shrimp, so raising them is fiddly but possible.

Good to know

Avoid artificially dyed or tattooed 'painted' glassfish, because the dyeing harms them and shortens their lives. They can be shy and slow to accept dried food, so do not keep them with boisterous or fin-nipping tankmates.