All fish / Schilbeidae

Debauwi catfish

Pareutropius buffei

Also known as three-striped african catfish, three stripe glass catfish, african glass catfish, striped glass catfish, buffei catfish, debauwi cat, false debauwi catfish, スリーライングラスキャット, 三线玻璃猫

A slim, semi-translucent silvery catfish with three dark lines along each side, a forked tail and long barbels. Unlike most catfish it swims constantly in open mid-water as a tight shoal, which makes it a lively addition to a calm community tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, plus quality flakes and micro pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

West Africa: coastal rivers of Nigeria, Benin and Togo

Breeding

Egg scattering has been reported in aquariums but captive breeding is rare, and most fish in the trade are wild caught or farm bred.

Good to know

Kept singly or in small groups it becomes nervous and may fail to feed, so keep a proper shoal with plenty of swimming space and gentle current. It will eat very small fry and shrimp, and is often confused with Pareutropius debauwi.