Here’s how the see-through ghost catfish creates its iridescent glow 

Have you ever heard of the ghost catfish or the phantom catfish? Well, it is a small species of Asian glass (see-through) catfish that is native to freshwater rivers in Thailand. It is just a few inches in length and is primarily sold around the globe as an aquarium fish. In fact, it is famous among aquarium lovers for its skin is almost fully transparent. But that is not the only reason why it is popular either. Turns out, when light hits it right, its entire body flickers with shimmering rainbow hues.  

Now, until recently, scientists were unsure how the ghost catfish creates its iridescent glow. But according to a latest study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the glow is produced from within. Simply put, when light passes through the fish’s skin, it strikes tiny pores in the muscle that in turn, convert the light into a vibrant, multi-coloured spectrum. How cool is that! 

So, unlike other iridescent creatures that shimmer with shifting colours as they move and have shiny outer surfaces (scales) that reflect light (such as wings of a butterfly or feathers of hummingbird), ghost catfish have their special glow coming from inside. As a matter of fact, this particular species of catfish has no scales. Instead, it possesses structures in the muscle region that expands and contracts sending off a variety of shades. Maybe that is why it also has the see-through skin that lets in 90 percent of artificial light and enables us to see the colours as and when they are generated.  

As you might know, most species use iridescence to attract potential mates or give off warning signs or even as a means of camouflage; however, it is still a mystery as to why the ghost catfish creates it.  

What’s more interesting is that this brand-new study was inspired when its lead author Qibin Zhao, a physicist based at China’s Shanghai Jiao tong University was fascinated having seen a ghost catfish at his local aquarium store.