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So i have a 55 gallon tank with just 4 fish in it (cory cat,albino bristlenose, blonde rubber pleco, peacock eel). I had other fish but about a year ago there was a tank cleaning disaster that killed most of the fish and for personal reasons i was unable to get more fish until now. The fish i have in there now are great but the tank looks so empty so i want to add maybe 5 or 6 Kryptopterus vitreolus and was wondering how you guys thought they would work in this tank and what other fish you guys would recomend.

Things other than tank mates matter too. For instance, water hardness, pH, temp, current strength, planted vs not, furniture, substrate vs bare, the substrate kind, etc.

I think the glass catfish could work but I'd leave it up to people who actually keep them to advise you. I know they like to be in a group, as you indicated, and that they are rather delicate and sensitive, not hardy.

As for other catfish, I'd recommend browsing through Cat-eLog and/or filtering it by size to see what other catfish you'd find attractive, available, and affordable. Pimelodus pictus is a staple in the hobby. Smaller woodcats would work too. Lancer catfish, black or harlequin, may work. Hoplo cats. Among natives, madtoms.

Small Doradidae come to mind too of Hassar genus and others, black top mouse catfish.

I think glass cats might not do well with the other fish you have, specifically the rubber lip. I kept glass cats before; they lived for a few years. Their tank mates were albino corys, clown plecos and a few relatively peaceful barbs. Glass cats are shy and tend to hide in still, quiet waters. My concern is your rubber lip: Rubber lips really like well circulated, well oxygenated water. Maintaining both conditions at the same time will be a challenge.

Cheers, Eric

The black top mouse cat seems really cool i will look into if my lfs can get some for me. How many would do well in a 55 i saw that they do beter in groups

Hassar orestis can with time reach ~8" total length (7" standard length), so I'd think a trio could be tried in a 55 gal. If you plan to upgrade to say 120 gal after they reach 5"-6" TL, half a dozen could be tried.

There is a plethora of other even smaller growing Doradids.

I think im gonna pass on the Hassar orestis because i am not able to get a bigger tank and i dont't want them do be cramped in a not be happy. The Megalechis thoracata seems like a good fish, it seems easy to obtain, hardy, and the right size. Anything i should know about that might not work with the fish i have?

I kept Trachydoras species that were nice and only ~2". A lot like cory. https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/vie ... rachydoras

Hoplo would work in your tank, I believe.

Finally was able to get my hoplo from my lfs today

handsome hoplo, i've had 2 for the last 10 years and they are doing great. when it's quiet they come out.

Mine don't need quiet to come out - I almost always see them