Hyalobagrus flavus · Shadow Catfish

Overview

Nearly transparent and active during daylight, Hyalobagrus flavus spends much of its time schooling in midwater. This small catfish suits a peaceful community, and well-planned cover generally makes it more confident and visible.

Distribution & habitat

An Indonesian endemic, it is found in Sumatra’s Batang Hari drainage and Borneo’s Mentaya basin. Acidic blackwater rivers support shoals that hover beneath floating vegetation or among submerged grasses.

Aquarium setup

Provide soft, acidic conditions with densely planted areas and open swimming space. Floating plants soften the light, while wood and smooth rocks complete the layout. Keep movement gentle without compromising filtration: declining water quality is poorly tolerated, so maintain the aquarium consistently.

Diet & feeding

Use small live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, Artemia, and water fleas as dietary staples. Dry food is usually accepted, but an exclusively dry diet does not produce the best condition.

Behaviour & compatibility

Keep at least six together. They are highly peaceful and generally ignore their neighbors. Suitable small to medium peaceful rasboras, danios, and small loaches can work, provided the overall conditions remain appropriate.

Sexual dimorphism

Green eggs can be visible through a gravid female’s translucent body, and females usually look rounder in the abdomen. Males are slimmer and have a small genital papilla just ahead of the anal fin.

Breeding

Captive breeding is not known to have succeeded. Soft, acidic, tannin-colored water is a plausible starting point for an attempt, rather than a demonstrated breeding recipe.

Notes

Historical imports have frequently carried another species’ name. Old trade labels should not substitute for identification. Daytime midwater schooling is a particularly useful distinction when planning how to display this catfish.