Indian Glassfish (Parambassis ranga)

The Indian Glassfish (Parambassis ranga) is a small, peaceful schooling fish whose body is genuinely see-through. Look closely and you can make out the backbone, the ribs, and the silvery sac holding its organs, all framed by a faint gold sheen and a thin dark edge on the fins. A group of them hanging still in a planted tank catches the light like cut glass. They are hardy once settled, but they are a little shy and a little picky about food, so they reward a calm tank and a keeper willing to offer frozen foods. Browse the rest of our freshwater livestock and supplies and our full fish collection.

Why It Is Transparent

The clear body is the fish's natural camouflage. In the slow, weedy waters of South Asia a fish you can see through is a fish that predators miss, so Parambassis ranga evolved with almost no pigment in its skin and muscle. The only parts that stay visible are the eyes, the skeleton, and the reflective lining around the gut. In a healthy, relaxed fish the body is crystal clear. A glassfish that turns cloudy or milky is usually stressed or unwell, which makes it an easy fish to read at a glance.

Care Guide

• Group size: six or more. Alone or in pairs they hide and refuse food. In a proper school they hover in the open and show off that glass body.
• Tank size: 20 gallons long for a group of six, larger for bigger schools. Give them plenty of plants or wood for cover along with open swimming space.
• Water parameters: 72 to 82°F, pH 7.0 to 8.0, moderate to hard water. They do not like soft, acidic water.
• Brackish tolerant: in the wild they live in fresh and slightly brackish water. They do perfectly well in a normal freshwater tank, and they also handle low end brackish setups well, which makes them a good fit with mollies. A small addition of marine salt is optional, not required, and should never be used in a tank with salt sensitive fish or plants.
• Feeding: this is the part that takes effort. Glassfish are micro predators that go for moving food. Offer frozen baby brine shrimp, mini bloodworms, and cyclops. Many learn to take small pellets such as Hikari Micro Pellets over time, but plan on frozen food as a regular part of the menu.
• Temperament: peaceful with other species. Males may square off over a spot in the plants, which is mostly display and rarely causes damage.
• Quarantine at home: as with any new fish, keeping them in a separate tank for a couple of weeks before adding them to an established community is good practice.

Specifications

Compatibility

Glassfish do best with calm fish of a similar size that share their taste for harder water. Livebearers are a natural match, including the Sailfin Molly, Dalmatian Lyretail Molly, and Bumble Bee Platy. Peaceful mid water fish like the Zebra Danio or Cherry Barb also work, and Amano Shrimp are big enough to be left alone.

What goes wrong: large or boisterous fish outcompete them at feeding time and keep them hiding, so skip cichlids, big gouramis, and anything that can swallow a 3 inch fish. Fin nippers stress them. Baby shrimp and fry will be eaten, since glassfish are small predators at heart. Finally, they struggle in very soft, acidic water, so they are a poor match for a tank set up for soft water tetras.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• SFBB Baby Brine Shrimp Cube the easiest food to get newly added glassfish eating
• SFBB Mini Bloodworms Cube right sized for small mouths
• SFBB Cyclops Cube tiny, nutritious, and eaten eagerly
• Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze-Dried Daphnia for variety
• Hikari Micro Pellets to train them onto a prepared staple
• Fritz GH Test Kit to confirm your water is hard enough

FAQ

Are these dyed?
No. These are natural, undyed Indian Glassfish, and we will not sell dyed or painted glassfish. The only color you should ever see on a glassfish is a faint gold or blue sheen and dark fin edges.

Do they need brackish water?
No. They live happily in ordinary freshwater. They tolerate a little salt, which is why they are often kept with mollies, but it is optional.

Will they eat flakes?
Some learn to, many never love them. Frozen baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, and cyclops are the reliable way to keep them fat and clear. Pellets and flakes work best as a supplement.

How many should I buy?
Six at a minimum. A school gives them the confidence to come out and eat. A single glassfish tends to hide and fade.

My glassfish looks cloudy. What does that mean?
A milky body is a stress or health signal. Test the water, check that it is getting enough to eat, and watch for bullying from tankmates. Healthy glassfish are crystal clear.