- Glass fish are social and prefer to live in groups. Females of the species remain entirely clear unless injected with dye. Males, on the other hand, develop darker edges that stand out against their clear bodies. Males also develop a yellowish tinge during spawning season. When males are ready to spawn, it is also possible to see a slight enlarging of the abdomen.
- Glass fish are accustomed to living in standing or brackish water and thrive in dammed creeks, estuaries and lakes. In captivity, they are kept in fresh water tanks with temperatures of 68 to 86 degrees. For the fish to successfully breed, the tank must provide caves, plants and rocks, both for hiding and for laying eggs.
- Glass fish reproduce through fertilized eggs. Females fertilize the eggs in a male's belly through a courtship that takes place while the fish are swimming upside down. Eggs must be placed on stable objects like leaves, plants or rocks. A male glass fish lays eggs in groups of four to six, with a total of 150 to 200 eggs laid at a time. The parents ignore the eggs, and do not care for the young in any way. The eggs hatch in 20 to 24 hours, at which time the fry hang from the leaf or rock for three days, awaiting floating food.
- Glass fish require brackish water and higher temperatures for spawning. In their natural habitat, where tropical rainfall is the norm, glass fish spawn in the warm rainy season, when rainfall and runoff produce more fresh water, warmth and murky water conditions.
- In captive situations, an owner must produce the right conditions for glass fish to spawn. This includes raising the temperature of the water to around 85 degrees, adding a set amount of fresh water to the tank to replicate nature and feeding the glass fish quality, high-protein diets. To successfully reproduce, glass fish should not be around aggressive fish, and they should be given plenty of space to hide and lay eggs.
Characteristics
Environmental Needs
Reproduction Process
Breeding in the Wild
Breeding in Captivity
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