Edit Hampala dispar

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Name

Scientific name

Hampala dispar

Described by

Authority Smith, Year 1934

Family

Cyprinidae

Common names

Spotted Hampala Barb

Photograph credits

All 6 credited

Summary

The spotted hampala barb, Hampala dispar, is a cyprinid endemic to the Mekong basin in northern Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. It needs plent…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

350mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 240 cm, Minimum depth 60 cm, Water movement High: fast-flowing river or riffle

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–25°C, pH 6–8

Hardness

2–20dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Mekong, Mun, Sekong

Writing

Etymology

Hampala: from a Javanese vernacular name for this genus. dispar: from the Latin dispar, meaning 'unlike, dissimilar', in reference to the differences in colour…

Distribution

Considered endemic to the section of the Mekong river basin which flows through northern Laos before forming the border with Thailand and eventually entering C…

Habitat

Predominantly a riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running water with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud although it is adaptable and can be…

Aquarium size

An active, pelagic species requiring an aquarium with base dimensions of 240 ∗ 60 cm or more for long-term care.

Maintenance

Choice of décor is not as critical as water quality and the amount of open swimming-space provided. However should you possess the means to both provide and de…

Choice of décor is not as critical as water quality and the amount of open swimming-space provided. However should you possess the means to both provide and decorate a sufficiently-sized aquarium this species a set-up designed to resemble a flowing river with a substrate of variably-sized rocks and gravel, some large water-worn boulders and perhaps a couple of driftwood branches is recommended.

Like many fishes that naturally inhabit running waters it's intolerant to the accumulation of organic wastes and requires spotless water at all times in order to thrive. It also does best if there is a high level of dissolved oxygen and a decent level of water movement in the tank so external filters, powerheads, etc., should be employed in order to obtain the desired effect.

Be sure to fit the aquarium with a heavy, tightly-fitting cover as larger cyprinids can be quite skittish at times and usually possess a powerful leap.

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Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

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DOI

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Title

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Authors

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Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

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Anything worth adding

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Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Predatory with a capacious mouth. Stomach analyses of wild specimens from Cambodia have shown it to feed chiefly on crabs, shrimp and insects with some smaller…

Behaviour and compatibility

Captures its prey using suction rather than aggressively biting and otherwise peaceful with anything it can't swallow, although its speed of movement and feedi…

Sexual dimorphism

Sexually mature females are likely to be thicker-bodied than males.

Reproduction

Unrecorded.

Notes

Although it needs plenty of space H. dispar makes a more suitable aquarium resident than the more commonly-traded congener H. macrolepidota due to its signific…

References

5 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References