Malaysia

Acanthopsoides molobrion is a dwarf horse-faced loach from Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand. Like others in the genus it lives in flowing, clear-water river channels over sand, fine gravel or mud, and needs a soft, sandy substrate because it spends some of its time completely buried. Several Acanthopsoides in the trade have proven very tricky to identify. This one has 10 to 15 mid-dorsal markings and three bands in the caudal fin.

Acanthopsoides robertsi is a dwarf horse-face loach from the Kapuas River basin in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Unlike most of its congeners it is quite easily identified, being the only species with a dark, triangular marking in the caudal fin. Very similar fish have been collected further north in the Kayan and Sambas basins. Highly gregarious, it needs soft sand to bury in and is best kept in a group of six or more.

The horseface loach, Acantopsis dialuzona, is a cobitid loach from Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Peninsular Malaysia, and possibly Thailand. Most literature lists it as A. choirorhynchos, which Kottelat treats as a junior synonym, and few if any fish in the trade come from near the type locality, so they may represent an unidentified species. Juveniles are exported in large numbers but adults are uncommon in the hobby, and it needs soft sand to bury in.

The Asian banjo catfish, Acrochordonichthys rugosus, is an akysid catfish from Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand. The most commonly encountered member of the genus in the trade, it is still by no means common, and body colouration varies widely even among fish from a single locality. Like its congeners it can secrete a milky substance from the axillary pore when stressed, and this can quickly kill other fishes in the confines of an aquarium.

Hendrickson's stream catfish, Akysis hendricksoni, is a small akysid catfish from much of Peninsular Malaysia and the extreme south of Thailand. One of the few members of the family exported for the hobby, it grows to around 50 mm SL and spends some of its time buried in sand with only the eyes showing. Colour pattern varies with locality, and like many fishes from running water it is intolerant of organic pollutants and needs spotless water.

The silver shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus, is a large cyprinid from Borneo, Sumatra and possibly Peninsular Malaysia. Also sold as the 'Bala shark', it is among the most commonly encountered ornamental fishes, yet it reaches 300 to 350 mm SL and long-term care is beyond most hobbyists. Wild populations have dwindled or vanished, it has been listed as Endangered by the IUCN since 1996, and fish on sale are almost certainly all commercially bred. It does not occur in Indochina.

Balitoropsis zollingeri is a balitorid loach described from Java and recorded from Sumatra, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. An obligate dweller of swiftly flowing streams and headwaters, it lives on riffles and runs over gravel, rocks and bedrock carpeted with biofilm. It needs clean, well-oxygenated water with strong turnover in the aquarium. It lives in aggregations in nature and is less bold when kept singly or in small numbers, so a group of six or more is best.

Barbodes banksi is a cyprinid from Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and western Borneo, plus the Anambas and Natuna islands of Indonesia. It is tentatively considered distinct from the closely related B. binotatus, differing in a dark, wedge-shaped marking below the dorsal fin in place of a midlateral spot, though the two may be colour forms of a single species. Occasionally exported as bycatch, it lives in habitats from fast hill streams to canals and floodplain ponds.

The spotted barb, Barbodes binotatus, is a cyprinid ranging from Myanmar and Thailand through the Greater Sunda Islands to the Philippines. So ubiquitous across its range that it's often called simply 'common barb', it occurs from sea level to at least 2000 m in habitats from fast-flowing hill streams to irrigation canals and floodplain ponds. The basic pattern of a dark spot at the dorsal-fin origin and another on the caudal peduncle varies with origin.

The clown barb, Barbodes dunckeri, is a cyprinid from Peninsular Malaysia, described from Singapore, where it may now be extirpated. It has been widely misidentified as B. everetti, a distinct species from Borneo, and appears under that name in most aquarium literature. B. dunckeri has much larger dark body markings, no blotch at the rear of the dorsal-fin base and 4½ scales above the lateral line. Fish entering the ornamental trade appear to be farm-raised.

Barbodes everetti is a cyprinid from Borneo, known from Sarawak and West Kalimantan, where it lives in clear forest streams in the foothills. Uncommon in the hobby, its name has been widely misapplied to the clown barb, B. dunckeri, from Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. B. everetti is the less colourful of the two, with relatively small dark body markings, a dark blotch at the rear of the dorsal-fin base and 3½ scales above the lateral line.

The false spanner barb, Barbodes kuchingensis, is a cyprinid apparently endemic to western Borneo, from Sarawak into the Kapuas system. It lives mainly in shallow, clear forest streams and is rarely exported, while subadult B. everetti and some populations of B. lateristriga are regularly traded under its name. B. kuchingensis sensu stricto has a prominent row of dark spots along the lateral line and a short streak extending from the upper part of the operculum.

The spanner barb or 'T-barb', Barbodes lateristriga, is a cyprinid from peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Java. Its colour pattern varies with locality, and the form most commonly seen in the trade corresponds most closely to fish from Johor. The species may prove to be a complex of closely-related taxa. Quite boisterous, it can intimidate more timid species with its size and activity, especially at feeding times.

Barbonymus gonionotus is a large cyprinid with an enormous distribution across Southeast Asia, from the Mekong to Java and Sumatra. It inhabits larger, slow-moving rivers and their floodplains, moving into flooded forest to feed and spawn, and is increasingly found in man-made canals and lakes. Plain grey caudal and dorsal fins and pale yellow pelvic and anal fins separate it from congeners. Populations in Peninsular Malaysia appear to be introduced.

The tinfoil barb, Barbonymus schwanefeldii, is a large cyprinid found across much of Southeast Asia, from the Mekong to Borneo and Sumatra. Usually sold at 50 to 75 mm, it grows to 355 mm SL, and tinfoil barbs are among the species most often returned to shops having outgrown their aquarium. Selectively-bred 'golden' and 'blushing' strains exist, and the species has also been subjected to artificial dyeing.

Barbucca diabolica is a small 'scooter' loach from the upper-middle Kapuas basin in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, with one specimen from Johor. Barbucca spp. keep near-continuous belly contact with solid surfaces and often swim inverted or vertically. Most fish seen have red eyes and six dark body stripes, but several undescribed species exist and more than one may have been exported. Kottelat (2012) erected the family Barbuccidae for the genus.

Batasio fluviatilis is a small bagrid catfish from southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, below the Isthmus of Kra. Like its congeners it is an obligate inhabitant of shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwater streams, and it is largely unsuitable for the 'general' community aquarium. Batasio havmolleri is considered a junior synonym, and this is one of the Batasio species that has been spawned in captivity.

Belodontichthys dinema is a large, open-water predatory catfish from the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo that reaches 100 cm TL in the wild. It eats only fish and needs a very large aquarium without tankmates small enough to swallow. Fish exported from Thailand or elsewhere in Indochina under this name are likely to be B. truncatus, the species found in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins.

The Java combtail, Belontia hasselti, is a labyrinth fish from peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Also known as the 'Malay combtail', it mostly inhabits acidic forest peat swamps with little water movement. It differs from its only congener, B. signata, in its brownish grey body and the mosaic pattern in its unpaired fins. Growing to 200 mm SL, it will eat very small fishes and is not recommended for the average community aquarium.

Betta akarensis is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from Borneo, collected in Brunei and the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It lends its name to the Betta akarensis group of closely related species and is considered one of the more widely distributed Bornean Betta. Most are collected from blackwater, though it also lives in clear flowing streams, roadside ditches and larger ponds.

Betta balunga is a mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from Borneo, found from Tawau in Sabah, Malaysia, south to the Sebuku and Mahakam basins in Indonesia. A member of the Betta akarensis group, it has a reddish-orange iris in life. In the Sebuku it lives in very shallow forest streams among roots and leaf litter, and in the Mahakam basin in sluggish blackwater streams among submerged marginal vegetation.

The slender betta, Betta bellica, is a bubble-nesting labyrinth fish from Peninsular Malaysia and northeastern Sumatra, Indonesia. It lends its name to the B. bellica group of long, slender fishes with iridescent green markings on each scale. Most often found in peat swamp forests and blackwater streams, it feeds almost entirely on insects and is a prodigious jumper, seen leaping to take prey from overhanging leaves. Populations are often labelled by locality to preserve pure bloodlines.

Betta brownorum is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish endemic to Borneo, found in southern and western Sarawak and in West Kalimantan. A member of the B. coccina group, it is a stenotypic inhabitant of peat swamp forests and their blackwater streams. Both sexes carry a large iridescent green lateral blotch on a reddish-magenta body, though patterning within the group can be similar and confusingly variable.

The scarlet betta, Betta coccina, is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish from Jambi and Riau provinces in Sumatra and Johor in Peninsular Malaysia. It lends its name to the B. coccina group and is a stenotopic inhabitant of peat swamp forests and associated streams. Males carry an iridescent green lateral blotch that females lack, and populations are often labelled by locality, such as Jambi, Riau or Johor, to preserve pure bloodlines.

Betta gladiator is a large paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish presumed endemic to the isolated Maliau basin in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. A member of the B. unimaculata complex, it grows to 90 mm SL. The type series came from heath forest with acidic water of pH 4.2-4.8, where adults were spaced around a metre apart and usually accompanied by a few juveniles. It has a reputation for aggression.

Betta hipposideros is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from peat swamps in western Peninsular Malaysia and eastern Sumatra, Indonesia. A member of the B. waseri group, it is most easily told from its relatives by a black horse-shoe shaped marking on the throat. An obligate inhabitant of peat swamps and blackwater streams, where the pH can be as low as 3.0 or 4.0, it may have to survive for several weeks in moist leaf litter at certain times of year.

Betta ibanorum is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from southern and western Sarawak, Borneo, where it exists in several colour forms. Most known localities are blackwater peat swamps, but it has also been collected from clear streams, roadside ditches and a pool at the top of a waterfall. A member of the B. akarensis group, it is uncommon in the hobby and apparently more often fished for food.

The crescent betta, Betta imbellis, is a labyrinth fish thought to be native to southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and northern Sumatra. It has been line-bred for aggression in southern Thailand and hybridised with B. splendens and other congeners for the ornamental trade, producing colour forms that do not occur naturally. Introduced ornamental forms and other Betta spp. are having an adverse effect on the genetic integrity of some wild populations.

Betta kuehnei is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from Kelantan state, northeastern Peninsular Malaysia, and neighbouring Narathiwat, Thailand. A member of the B. pugnax complex, it has a rounded caudal fin in both sexes and adult males carry intense blue or bluish-green iridescence on the head and throat. It may be conspecific with B. sp. 'Satun'. The type locality is a shady, clear forest stream with beds of Cryptocoryne cordata.

Betta lehi is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish endemic to Borneo, in southwestern Sarawak and the lower River Kapuas basin in West Kalimantan. A member of the B. pugnax complex, it has green iridescent scales on the opercle and body and a light blue iridescent band on the anal fin. It inhabits forest peat swamps, acidic clearwater swamps and associated streams, where the pH can be between 3.0 and 5.5.

Betta livida is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish endemic to peat swamps in northern Selangor state, Peninsular Malaysia. A red member of the B. coccina group, it has a small iridescent green lateral blotch that fades with age. Much of its range has been turned over to oil palm or rubber plantations, and it is listed as endangered by the IUCN, so captive reproduction should be the priority for anyone keeping it.

The Brunei beauty, Betta macrostoma, is a large paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish endemic to Brunei and the northern tip of Sarawak, Borneo. It grows to 100 mm SL, and males are red with a red patch on the opercle and an ocellus in the dorsal fin. It lives in still, shady pools at the top of rainforest waterfalls. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, it has been banned from export by the Sultan of Brunei.

Betta ocellata is a large paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from Sabah, northeastern Borneo, and the Sebuku River basin in East Kalimantan. A member of the B. unimaculata complex, it grows to 90 mm SL and has a pointed, slightly conical head. It has been collected from clear flowing streams, elevated headwater pools, turbid forest streams, ox-bow lakes and ponds in oil palm plantations.

Betta persephone is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish that appears to be endemic to southwestern Johor state, Peninsular Malaysia. A blackish member of the mostly red B. coccina group, it is most similar to B. miniopinna but has a deeper body and blackish to dull reddish pelvic fins. It inhabits peat swamp forests and associated streams, where the pH can be as low as 3.0 or 4.0.

Betta pi is a large paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from peat swamps in southern Thailand and the states of Kelantan and Terengganu, Malaysia. A member of the B. waseri group, it is named for the dark marking on the throat shaped like the Greek letter pi. It is not among the more aggressive members of the genus and can be maintained in a pair or group.

Betta pugnax is a paternal mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from much of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, described from Penang. It lends its name to the B. pugnax complex. Populations inhabit shallow, flowing clear-water hill streams as well as stiller forest swamps. It is not among the more aggressive members of the genus and can be maintained in a pair or group.

Betta pulchra is a mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from southwestern Johor in southern Peninsular Malaysia. It is restricted to remnant blackwater habitats in heavily-disturbed former peat swamp forest cleared for oil palm, pineapple and rubber plantations, where it lives among the overhanging marginal vegetation of irrigation canals at a pH of 3.9 to 4.2. A member of the B. pugnax complex, it has a chin bar, transverse bars in the caudal fin and iridescent green scales on the opercle.

Betta stigmosa is a mouthbrooding labyrinth fish from forest hill streams in Terengganu state, Peninsular Malaysia. The type specimens came from a stream draining into the Sekayu waterfalls near Kuala Berang, and it has since been recorded around 150 km to the south. Its streams carry clear, flowing water over rocks, gravel and leaf litter. In this member of the B. pugnax complex both sexes have transverse bars in the dorsal, anal and caudal fins.

Betta taeniata is a mouthbrooding labyrinth fish endemic to Borneo, known from southern Sarawak in Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan in Indonesia. It is usually associated with clear, flowing hill streams, where it lives in quiet marginal zones and still pools among leaf litter and gravel. A member of the B. picta group, it has a yellowish body and fins and a blackish head. Populations such as Sri Aman, Serian and Kapuas are often labelled by locality to preserve pure bloodlines.

Betta tussyae is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish endemic to coastal Pahang and Terengganu states in eastern Peninsular Malaysia. This poorly-known member of the B. coccina group is an obligate inhabitant of peat swamps and blackwater streams, where the pH can be as low as 3.0 or 4.0. Its reddish orange body with two darker lateral stripes and faint gold vertical bars on the opercle separate it from similar group members. Populations such as Chukai and Rompin are often labelled by locality.

The dwarf rasbora, Boraras maculatus, is a miniature cyprinid from Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, eastern Sumatra, Singapore and Bintan. It inhabits blackwater streams and rivers associated with forest peat swamps, where the water is very soft and acidic. Colour pattern varies between populations, some forms showing more intense red than others. It is most similar to B. naevus, in which the red body colouration does not extend into the head.

The bumblebee goby, Brachygobius doriae, is a small goby from western Borneo and the Natuna Islands, described from Sarawak. Among the more frequently traded members of the genus, it is often misidentified as B. nunus or B. xanthozonus and is most easily confused with B. sabanus. It lives in fresh and brackish water in lowland coastal habitats such as mangrove swamps, estuaries and tidal streams. It is best kept in a species-specific set-up.

The Sabanus bumblebee goby, Brachygobius sabanus, is a small goby described from the Kinabatangan district of Sabah, northeastern Borneo. Among the more frequently traded members of the genus, it is easily confused with B. doriae, but the last one or two rays of its first dorsal-fin are colourless and less than half of the pectoral-fin is black. Its full range is unclear, and populations in Singapore are not thought to be natural. It lives in fresh and brackish lowland coastal habitats.

Brachygobius xanthomelas is a small bumblebee goby recorded throughout much of Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand. It lives in lowland freshwater swamps, streams and forest peat swamps and, unlike most congeners, does not appear to occur in brackish water. The name is widely misapplied to an unidentified member of the genus, the fish in most online images, which has a dark marking at the front of the first dorsal-fin base where B. xanthomelas is colourless.

Brevibora cheeya is a small cyprinid from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and the island of Bangka. The type locality is a slow-flowing, acidic stream in coastal heath forest over sand and peat. Very rare in the trade, it is normally imported only as bycatch among other fishes. A complete lateral line, more scales in the lateral row and a larger adult size separate it from the better-known B. dorsiocellata.

The eyespot rasbora, Brevibora dorsiocellata, is a small cyprinid from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. It is also traded as the 'green-eyed', 'emerald-eyed' or 'hi-spot' rasbora. The common, commercially produced form is plain-coloured with a greenish-blue reflective patch in the eye, while a probably wild-caught form seen from time to time has russet red at the base of the tail. Some Bornean records may refer to B. cheeya.

The crazy fish, Butis butis, is a flathead gudgeon of coastal and brackish waters across the Indo-Pacific, from eastern Africa to Fiji. The most commonly traded member of the genus, it has many other names, including crocodile fish, duckbill sleeper and upside-down sleeper. A nocturnal ambush predator, it often swims upside-down, and it is territorial and not sociable with conspecifics, so is best kept singly.

Carinotetraodon borneensis is a small red-eyed puffer known only from southern Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo), in the Sarawak, Sadong and Rajang rivers. Uncommon in the hobby, it is sometimes mixed among shipments of C. salivator, which has distinct dark bars on the head and body in both sexes. Males in particular tend to be territorial, but a group can be kept where there is enough cover and space.

Carinotetraodon salivator is a small red-eyed puffer known only from Sarawak, Borneo, in the Lupar, Sarawak and Rajang river systems. Sometimes traded as the 'striped redeye puffer' or 'zebra puffer', it has distinct dark bars on the head and body in both sexes, a colour pattern unique within the genus. Unlike most congeners, there is evidence that it prefers flowing water.

The Indian glass fish, Chanda ranga, is a small ambassid from South and Southeast Asia, with translucent skin that shows its bones and organs. For many years it was injected with luminous dyes on Asian fish farms and sold as 'painted' glass fish, and most injected fish do not survive more than a few months. It is found most often in freshwater, frequently soft and acidic, and needs no added salt. Parambassis lala and C. siamensis are often imported under its name.

The dwarf snakehead, Channa gachua, is a snakehead recorded across an enormous range from Iran to Taiwan and Bali. There is significant evidence that C. gachua as currently understood is a complex of similar-looking species in need of taxonomic review. A mouthbrooder bred regularly in captivity, it can share a well-chosen community with peaceful fishes too large to be prey, but populations should not be mixed as some may hybridise.

The forest snakehead, Channa lucius, is a predatory snakehead from Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia and the Greater Sunda Islands. Also referred to as the 'splendid' or 'shiny' snakehead, it occurs on Sumatra, Borneo and Java, grows to 400 mm SL and favours forest swamps and tributaries. Like others in the genus it breathes atmospheric air, and it needs a dimly-lit tank with plenty of cover and a tightly-fitting lid, since Channa spp. are notorious for their ability to escape.

The black snakehead, Channa melasoma, is a snakehead from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra and the Philippines. It can be told apart from the similar C. baramensis, once considered a synonym, by lacking a black spot in the centre of many body scales and a barred caudal fin. In nature it appears to favour clear forest streams with mud and leaf litter, but it has also been recorded from acidic blackwater in peat swamp forest.

Crossocheilus langei is a cyprinid from Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand, one of several near-identical fish sold as the Siamese algae eater. The trade name 'Crossocheilus siamensis' used for these fish is not valid. C. langei can be told apart by a dark blotch in front of the anal fin and a lateral line running straight through the dark body stripe.

The beardless barb, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, is a cyprinid ranging from Myanmar to Vietnam and south via Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo and Sumatra. Also sold as 'skinhead barb', it lacks barbels and has a black blotch at the caudal-fin base plus rows of dark spots along the scale rows. It favours slower-moving or still water and grazes the biofilm on submerged roots and branches. Rarely imported in numbers, it most often arrives as bycatch.

Cyclocheilichthys armatus is a cyprinid ranging from the Mekong region through Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It forages from mid-water to the bottom of rivers in the dry season and is thought to migrate into flooded forest to breed. Rarely imported in numbers and most often arriving as bycatch, it makes a peaceful, unusual addition to larger aquaria in a group of at least six.

Cyclocheilichthys heteronema is a cyprinid ranging from Myanmar east to Vietnam and south to Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Its fimbriated barbels, extended downwards while it browses, are unique in the genus. It doesn't appear to be common in nature, with most records from Peninsular Malaysia, and it reaches the trade only as occasional bycatch. Very peaceful but retiring, it is easily outcompeted by boisterous tankmates.

Cyclocheilichthys repasson is a cyprinid with an enormous range, from the Mekong region and Myanmar through Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo and Sumatra. It grows to around 280 mm SL and favours slower-moving or still water, grazing the biofilm on submerged roots and branches. It is not often seen in the hobby. Most populations have a dark caudal peduncle spot, stripes formed by dark markings on the scales, and two pairs of barbels.

The pearl danio, Danio albolineatus, is a small cyprinid recorded from Myanmar and Indochina south to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. Colour and patterning differ between localities, and doubts remain whether it is a single species or a group of closely related fish. Wild examples are rare in the trade, with most produced commercially in South East Asia or eastern Europe, and some of the fish traded are likely to be hybrids with D. roseus.

The silver tiger perch, Datnioides polota, is a tiger perch widely distributed in southeastern Asia, from India and Bangladesh east to Indonesia. Mostly found in brackish habitats such as estuaries, mangroves and coastal lagoons, it has a highly variable colour pattern with up to 7 dark bars. The name D. quadrifasciatus is sometimes applied to it, but that name is a junior homonym and polota takes precedence.

Normally traded as the 'pentazona' barb, Desmopuntius hexazona is a cyprinid from southern Borneo, eastern Sumatra, Singapore and the Malay Peninsula. It is almost identical to D. pentazona, which has a small dark marking at the rear of the dorsal-fin base that D. hexazona lacks. Older literature may label it 'Puntius johorensis'. In Singapore it is considered highly endangered and is restricted to the Central Catchment nature reserve.

The striped barb, Desmopuntius johorensis, is a cyprinid from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo. Juveniles have 4 dark vertical bars and develop 5 or 6 broad lateral stripes as they grow, a pattern change shared with D. gemellus and D. trifasciatus. Before Kottelat (1992) it was referred to as Puntius eugrammus, while the name 'Puntius johorensis' was misapplied to D. hexazona. It lives mainly in peat swamps and black water streams.

The five-banded barb, Desmopuntius pentazona, is a cyprinid generally accepted to be endemic to northwestern Borneo, with a type locality in Sarawak. It is rare in the trade, and most fish sold as 'pentazona barb' are the closely-related D. hexazona. The two are almost identical, but D. pentazona has a small dark marking at the rear of the dorsal-fin base that D. hexazona lacks.

Desmopuntius trifasciatus is a cyprinid from Borneo, described from the Kapuas basin in West Kalimantan and also known from southern Sarawak. Like D. gemellus and D. johorensis, juveniles have 4 dark vertical bars, and fish over 40 mm have 3 or 4 broad lateral stripes, the central one broadest. It may also be confused with Striuntius lineatus.

The queen 'danio', Devario regina, is a deep-bodied devario probably restricted to western and southern Thailand and northern Peninsular Malaysia. It belongs to a group of similar-looking congeners with a blue-and-yellow colour pattern. Most commonly it inhabits submontane hill streams and upper parts of small rivers with clear, well-oxygenated water.

Discherodontus halei is a cyprinid with an apparently disjunct range: Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia, and the Mae Klong and Chao Phraya in Thailand. It inhabits clear, fast-flowing minor rivers and forest streams, and orange pigmentation in the dorsal and caudal fins helps separate it from congeners. Like others in the genus it is notoriously delicate and difficult to ship, losing scales very easily when removed from the water.

Eirmotus octozona is a small cyprinid with eight dark body bars, known from Johor state in Peninsular Malaysia. The type series came from aquarium fish said to originate at Bueng Boraphet in Thailand, where it has never been recorded since, and if it occurs in Thailand it is probably restricted to the peninsula. It is sold, along with E. insignis, as the 'false eight-banded barb'.

The flying fox, Epalzeorhynchos kalopterum, is a cyprinid from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and the Greater Sunda Islands. Fishes sold as 'false flying fox' or 'Siamese flying fox', such as Garra cambodgiensis and Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, are often confused with it, but it has white-edged red and black fins and two pairs of barbels. It grows increasingly territorial with age and can live for over 15 years.

The striped flying barb, Esomus metallicus, is a cyprinid found from the Salween basin in Myanmar east across Thailand to Laos and Cambodia. It is abundant over most of this range and moves into rice paddies and other flooded ground at the onset of the wet season, returning to permanent water when the flooding recedes. Its lateral stripe grows more intense towards the tail and ends at the caudal-fin base.

The false SAE, Garra cambodgiensis, is a cyprinid from the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong basins and northern Peninsular Malaysia. It is still traded as Garra taeniata and is often confused with the Crossocheilus species sold as 'Siamese algae eater'. In this species the dark lateral stripe ends at the caudal peduncle, and a sucker formed by the lower lip is present. It inhabits swiftly-flowing headwaters and tributaries.

Gastromyzon aeroides is a hillstream loach endemic to northern Borneo, recorded from western Sabah in Malaysia and the Temburong basin in Brunei. The dorsal, caudal and anal fins are blue in life, and the plain brown body separates it from the other two species in the G. punctulatus group. Like its congeners it needs swift, clean, well-oxygenated water.

Gastromyzon cornusaccus is a small hillstream loach known only from the Sungai Kinarom, a river draining Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Before its description it was often misidentified as G. danumensis because of its small adult size and secondary rostrum. Juveniles have thick cream bars and blotches, while adults are uniformly coloured. Like its congeners it needs swift, clean, well-oxygenated water.

Gastromyzon ctenocephalus is a hillstream loach from western Borneo, known only from headwaters of the Sarawak and Sambas rivers. One of the more commonly traded members of the genus, it turns up in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker', 'Hong Kong pleco' or 'butterfly loach'. It is sometimes misidentified as G. punctulatus, which has yellow fins and a lighter, less intensely spotted body.

Gastromyzon extrorsus is a hillstream loach from the Kimanis and Petagas basins, draining the western Crocker Range in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The brown body carries up to nine thin gold stripes and the head a gold reticulate pattern. Growing to around 80 mm SL, it lives in swift, shallow streams with clear, oxygen-saturated water, and in aquaria needs clean, well-oxygenated water with strong turnover.

Gastromyzon farragus is a small gastromyzontid loach from swift hill streams in the Sadong River basin of southern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. It is dark brown with thin cream bars across the back and a red caudal fin, and is very close to G. ocellatus. One of the more commonly traded members of the genus, it often arrives in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker' or 'Hong Kong pleco', and needs clean, well-oxygenated water with strong flow.

Gastromyzon introrsus is a hillstream loach known only from the Padas and Labuk basins, draining the eastern Crocker Range in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The brown body has up to 12 cream vertical bars, and it grows to around 95 mm SL. It lives in swift, shallow streams with clear, oxygen-saturated water, and in aquaria needs clean, well-oxygenated water with strong turnover.

Gastromyzon lepidogaster is a hillstream loach from northern Borneo and the most widely-distributed member of the genus. It occurs in Sabah, Brunei and East Kalimantan. Colour is variable: large adults may be bright green, orange or barred, and can apparently change from barred to plain in a few seconds. It is occasionally available in the trade, where the orange form is particularly sought after.

Gastromyzon monticola is a hillstream loach from streams draining Mount Kinabalu into Marudu Bay, and the Wariu basin, in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. It has a spotted back with wavy bars on the flanks and grows to around 85 mm SL. German aquarist Philipp Dickmann attempted to spawn it and published his observations in 2001. Like its congeners it needs swift, clean, well-oxygenated water.

Gastromyzon ocellatus is a small hillstream loach known only from the Sarawak River drainage in southern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. One of the more commonly traded members of the genus, it turns up in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker', 'Hong Kong pleco' or 'butterfly loach'. The dark brown body has cream bars that break up into an ocellus pattern on the flanks, and the caudal fin is red in life.

Gastromyzon scitulus is a hillstream loach endemic to tributaries of the Sungai Sadong basin in southern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. One of the more commonly-traded members of the genus, it usually arrives in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker' or 'Hong Kong pleco' regardless of species. It forms a pair of cryptospecies with the very similar G. ctenocephalus, and intermediate forms of both mean identification can sometimes be tricky.

Gastromyzon stellatus is a hillstream loach from the Sarawak, Sadong and Lupar River drainages in southern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Its dark brown head and body carry many small yellow spots. It forms a pair of cryptospecies with G. zebrinus and is often confused with it, since both show intermediate colour patterns. One of the more commonly-traded members of the genus, it usually arrives in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker' or 'Hong Kong pleco'.

Gastromyzon viriosus is a hillstream loach known only from the Tatau River drainage in central Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. A dark brown body with 8-10 complete vertical cream bars and a thin, cream, reticulated pattern on the head identify it. It is occasionally seen in the trade, most often in mixed shipments labelled 'Borneo sucker', 'Hong Kong pleco' or 'butterfly loach' regardless of species.

Gymnochanda filamentosa is a small glassfish known from Johor in southern Peninsular Malaysia and the Kapuas system in West Kalimantan, Borneo. Males carry filamentous dorsal and anal-fin rays, and the body is transparent to translucent yellowish-brown in life. It occurs in swampy, acidic waters over silt and peat, and has appeared in the ornamental trade but is evidently delicate and recommended only to experienced aquarists.

The 'freshwater' moray eel, Gymnothorax tile, is a moray from coastal regions of the Indo-West Pacific, from eastern India to the Philippines. Although typically sold as a freshwater fish, this is not strictly the case, and the profile treats a marine salt mix as mandatory. It has small pale spots on a darker head and body, where the congener G. polyuranodon has much larger dark spots on a paler background. Highly piscivorous, it is best kept alone in all but the very largest aquaria.

The kissing gourami, Helostoma temminkii, is an anabantoid from southern Indochina and the Malay Archipelago, and the sole member of its family. The widely traded pinkish-white form is a leucistic variant bred for ornamental purposes, and the 'balloon' variety is intentionally disfigured and much shorter-lived. Its often belligerent behaviour, adult size and life span of over 20 years make it unsuitable for most home aquaria. The 'kissing' appears at least in part related to establishing social dominance.

Homaloptera ogilviei is a small 'lizard' loach recorded through much of the Malay Peninsula in both Malaysia and southern Thailand. Quite rare in the trade, it is sometimes imported as bycatch and sold as 'lizard' or 'gecko' loach. Its paired fins are orientated vertically, unlike those of other members of the genus, and in aquaria it perches on the tips of its fins at rest. It favours slower stretches among plants, roots or leaf litter.

The saddle-back loach, Homaloptera orthogoniata, is a 'lizard' loach endemic to Borneo, known from rivers in Sarawak and Kalimantan. It was historically said to occur across much of Indochina. It is rare in the hobby, and most images online and in the literature show H. confuzona or H. parclitella. It always has three large, saddle-shaped markings on the back, the third between the dorsal and caudal fins.

Homaloptera parclitella is a 'lizard' loach from Peninsular Malaysia and the Sai Buri, Bang Nara and Kolok river systems of southern Thailand. It was previously considered a form of H. orthogoniata and may be seen identified as such online and in print. It always has two large, saddle-shaped markings on the back, where H. orthogoniata has three, and it lives in swift, clear, oxygen-saturated streams.

Homalopteroides nebulosus is a small hillstream loach described from the Sok River in northern Peninsular Malaysia and since recorded from Borneo. Poorly known in the aquarium hobby, it may never have been exported for the ornamental trade. Its eyes sit in a comparatively raised position on the head, as in H. tweediei, but it has more lateral line scales. Little is known of its habitat, which is presumed to be swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters.

Homalopteroides smithi is a hillstream loach from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and parts of the Mekong basin in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Perhaps the best-known member of the genus, it is relatively common in the aquarium hobby, and Rainboth (1996) considered it 'probably the commonest member of the genus in the Mekong'. An obligate dweller of swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters, it needs clean, well-oxygenated water.

Homalopteroides stephensoni is a hillstream loach from Borneo, recorded from Kalimantan in Indonesia and from Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia. Poorly known in the aquarium hobby, it may never have been exported for the ornamental trade. Originally described in Homaloptera, it was placed in Balitoropsis by Kottelat (2012), who subsequently followed Randall and Page (2012) in treating it as a Homalopteroides. Like its congeners it inhabits swiftly-flowing, clear, oxygen-saturated streams.

Homalopteroides tweediei is a small hillstream loach from Peninsular Malaysia, the Mekong system and West Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. It is often confused with the congener H. smithi. Rainboth (1996) found it less likely to occur in riffles or runs than other members of the genus, and it shows a preference for moderately-flowing stretches of clear, oxygen-rich streams among patches of live or dead vegetation.

Homalopteroides weberi is a hillstream loach from Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo, described from the Akar River and possibly endemic to the state. Poorly known in the aquarium hobby, it was questioned as a possible synonym of Balitoropsis stephensoni by Kottelat (2012), but Randall and Page consider it distinct. It inhabits swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters with clear, oxygen-saturated water.

Hypsibarbus vernayi is a cyprinid widespread in mainland Southeast Asia, from the Mekong basin in southern China to northern Peninsular Malaysia. Very similar to H. wetmorei, it has yellow pectoral, pelvic and anal fins (orange to red in H. wetmorei), so yellow-finned fish sold as H. wetmorei or 'lemon fin barb' appear likely to be this species. It prefers flowing water with abundant riparian vegetation and migrates seasonally.

Hypsibarbus wetmorei is a cyprinid widespread in mainland Southeast Asia, from the lower Mekong basin south to the Pahang River in Malaysia. Its orange to red pectoral, pelvic and anal fins separate it from the very similar H. vernayi (yellow), and yellow-finned fish traded as H. wetmorei or 'lemon fin barb' appear likely to be that species. It prefers flowing water with abundant riparian vegetation and grows to 250 mm.

Indostomus crocodilus is a tiny indostomid, 25 to 30 mm long, from southern Thailand and Kelantan state in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia. Its type series came from a blackwater stream in peat swamp forest, among submerged roots and leaf litter in slow-moving or standing water. A poor competitor, it is best kept alone or with similarly-sized, placid species, and males have dark brown to black bars in the dorsal and anal fins.

Kottelatlimia pristes is a small cobitid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, the most widely-distributed member of its genus. It inhabits small, slow-moving forest streams and peat swamps with tannin-stained water, often in piles of leaf litter. It turns up occasionally in the trade, sometimes as bycatch among other species and under names such as 'Sumatran mini royal loach' or Cobitis cf. sumatranus.

Kryptopterus bicirrhis is a silurid catfish from much of Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and Chao Phraya and the Greater Sunda Islands. Uncommon in the aquarium trade, its name was widely misapplied to K. vitreolus in older literature, but the two are easily told apart because K. bicirrhis does not have a transparent body in life. It tends to form schools, so four or more should be kept.

The blue sheatfish, Kryptopterus cryptopterus, is a silurid catfish from the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and Java. It inhabits flowing rivers and larger streams with turbid water, and is sometimes traded as 'smokey glass catfish'. Populations from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam once considered conspecific are now referred to K. geminus, its closest relative, from which it differs in having a wider head and a shorter snout and anal fin.

Kryptopterus limpok is a silurid catfish widely distributed through Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and the Greater Sunda Islands. It can be told from its congeners by an extremely long mental barbel extending beyond the tip of the pectoral fin. It inhabits flowing rivers and larger streams with turbid water, grows to 260 mm and is almost unheard of in the ornamental trade.

The striped glass catfish, Kryptopterus macrocephalus, is a silurid catfish from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Greater Sunda Islands. A stenotypic inhabitant of peat swamp forests and associated blackwater streams, it is also known as the false, mottled or tawny glass catfish. Striped and mottled colour forms exist that may or may not be conspecific, and the similar K. piperatus has a pale brown body with scattered dark spots.

Labiobarbus leptocheilus is a large cyprinid widespread in Southeast Asia, from the Mekong and Salween to the Greater Sunda Islands. Different populations vary somewhat in appearance, and it may turn out to represent a group of closely-related species. The Cambodian Mekong population has been considered a distinct species, Labiobarbus lineatus, and that name is widely used in the ornamental trade although it is currently a synonym. It grows to 260 mm SL and needs spotless, well-oxygenated water.

Labiobarbus ocellatus is a cyprinid from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, with a black spot on the shoulder and one on the caudal peduncle. It is occasionally available in the ornamental trade, typically under a name such as 'Bornean eye-spot silver shark' or the invalid scientific name Cirrhinus chinensis. A pelagic species of rivers and some lakes, it moves into seasonally inundated floodplains and forest during the wet season, and grows to 180 mm SL.

Laubuka siamensis is a cyprinid from the Mekong, the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong in Thailand, and smaller drainages south to Peninsular Malaysia. Long considered synonymous with L. laubuca, it seems likely to be the species behind many of the fish entering the trade under that name. A conspicuous dark stripe, iridescent blue in life, runs uninterrupted along the rear of the body to an oval blotch on the caudal peduncle. It swims in groups at or just below the surface and is an accomplished jumper.

Lepidocephalichthys furcatus is a small cobitid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand and North Sumatra, Indonesia. Not traded often, it turns up occasionally as bycatch among shipments of other species. It is told apart from congeners most easily by the prominent, roughly semi-circular lamina circularis in males, a feature unique within the genus, and it has a forked caudal fin.

Lepidocephalichthys hasselti is a cobitid loach described from Java and recorded from Myanmar to Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Its wide distribution makes it relatively common in the aquarium hobby. Colour and pattern vary with locality and have led to problems with identification, and the flanks usually show a row of dark blotches or a solid stripe with a light, unpigmented stripe above.

Lepidocephalichthys tomaculum is a small cobitid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, with a single tentative record from Lampung Province, Sumatra. It inhabits shallow, slow-moving streams, swamps, oxbows and backwaters over mud, silt or peat. Occasionally available as bycatch, it has a reddish brown body with thin dark bars across the back, and where it lives with L. hasselti identification can be difficult.

Lepidocephalus macrochir is a cobitid loach described from Sumatra and since recorded from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Java and Borneo. It is traded sporadically as the 'pinky loach', 'deep water kuhli loach' and 'Borneo high body cave loach'. Although sometimes said to be a cave loach, Thai collectors report it from deep water, and in aquaria it spends a lot of time buried in soft substrates.

Lobocheilos rhabdoura is a grazing cyprinid from Indochina, found in the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong systems and south to Peninsular Malaysia. One of the most abundant species in the seasonal cyprinid migrations of the mainstream Mekong, it is available on a sporadic basis. It differs from L. melanotaenia in its shallower body, wider mouth and larger snout tubercules. It can be aggressive at feeding times and is not particularly tolerant of conspecifics.

The apollo shark, Luciosoma setigerum, is a slender cyprinid found across much of Southeast Asia, from the Mekong basin to Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Subadults are traded regularly and are frequently confused with L. bleekeri, which lacks the series of black spots on the lateral line scales. A similar fish of unknown origin with no stripe on the front of the body is also common in the trade, listed as L. cf. setigerum. It needs the largest private aquaria.

The fire eel, Mastacembelus erythrotaenia, is a spiny eel recorded from Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. It usually inhabits sluggish lowland waters including floodplains and slow-moving rivers, and is also a food fish in its native countries. In the aquarium it hides away during the day and often buries itself, so it needs a sand substrate, plenty of cover and a close-fitting hood.

Mystacoleucus obtusirostris is a riverine cyprinid found from Myanmar and southwestern China to Vietnam, Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Referred to as M. marginatus for decades, it is the most widely distributed member of the genus, and populations vary somewhat in colour pattern. It is occasionally marketed as 'Burmese rainbow barb'. A group of six or more is the smallest to consider, and like all Mystacoleucus it has a forward-pointing predorsal spine that can snag in a net.

Nemacheilus masyae is a nemacheilid loach from Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Its flanks carry 14-18 short dark bars and its back 12-17 saddles. It occurs in both small blackwater forest streams and turbid main river channels. It is very similar to N. pallidus but has a more slender body, and its dark bars and saddles are wider than the light interspaces between them.

Nemacheilus saravacensis is a nemacheilid loach from Borneo, recorded from drainages in Sarawak (Malaysia) and West Kalimantan (Indonesia). It inhabits clear, tea-coloured forest streams with low mineral hardness and pH. Rare in the aquarium hobby, it may only have appeared as bycatch, and it carries 13-17 irregular dark blotches along the lateral line with a similar number of saddles across the back.

Nemacheilus selangoricus is a nemacheilid loach ranging from southern Thailand through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to western Borneo and Sumatra. It is most common in shallow, flowing forest streams over sand, gravel and detritus. It belongs to the N. selangoricus group and is most similar to N. spiniferus, from which it differs in its 8-12 very regular dark bars on the flanks.

Nemacheilus spiniferus is a nemacheilid loach from Borneo, recorded from Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan, plus the Natuna and Anambas islands. It is most common in shallow, flowing forest streams with clear to slightly tannin-stained water. A member of the N. selangoricus group, it is rare in the aquarium hobby and differs from N. selangoricus in its 10-13 irregularly-shaped dark bars.

Neohomaloptera johorensis is a tiny balitorid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, found mainly in peat swamps and associated blackwater streams. Its small adult size and orange to reddish-brown colour make it difficult to confuse with any other balitorid. The water in its habitat is stained brown, with negligible mineral content and pH as low as 3.0 or 4.0. It needs well-oxygenated water free of organic pollutants.

The Javanese ricefish, Oryzias javanicus, ranges through Peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia as far east as Lombok and Sulawesi. Typically found in coastal, normally brackish, streams, pools and mangrove swamps, it tolerates a wide salinity range and has also been recorded in fresh water. It is exported on occasion and sometimes referred to as the 'blue-eyed ricefish'.

Traded as 'eel loach', Pangio anguillaris is a cobitid loach from Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins. It has an extremely elongated, worm-like body with 69-71 vertebrae and no nasal barbels, and is most commonly available as bycatch among shipments of other fishes. The species as currently recognised appears to represent a complex of closely-related taxa.

Pangio cuneovirgata is a small kuhli loach from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and western Java, found in forest streams and swamps. It has 7-13 dark saddles on the upper half of the body and looks most like P. malayana, but has nasal barbels and a truncate caudal-fin. It is infrequently encountered in the trade, most often as bycatch among shipments of similar-looking congeners.

Traded as 'eel loach', Pangio doriae is a worm-like cobitid loach from Sarawak in Borneo and from Peninsular Malaysia. Some authors have suggested it is synonymous with P. anguillaris, but it can be told apart by a pair of prominent nasal barbels. The Sumatran population once identified as this species was described as P. bitaimac in 2009. It is most commonly available as bycatch among shipments of other fishes.

Pangio filinaris is a plain-bodied kuhli loach known only from Pahang and Terengganu states in Peninsular Malaysia. It has been confused with P. mariarum, which shares its plain patterning and nasal barbels, and has also been referred to by the invented name P. 'mariae'. It is sometimes exported for the aquarium trade, normally as by-catch among shipments of other species.

Pangio malayana is a barred kuhli loach from Peninsular Malaysia, the Batang Hari drainage in Sumatra and the Kapuas system in Indonesian Borneo. It has 10-16 dark saddles on the upper half of the body and a black bar at the base of the caudal-fin, and looks most similar to P. cuneovirgata, which has a truncate caudal-fin. It is most often encountered as bycatch among shipments of similar-looking congeners.

The black kuhli loach, Pangio oblonga, is a plain-bodied cobitid from Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. Among the more readily available Pangio in the hobby, it is also traded as 'Java loach', 'cinnamon loach' and 'chocolate kuhli loach'. The species will probably turn out to be a complex of closely-related taxa, with at least four genetic lineages identified.

Pangio piperata is a slender kuhli loach from Peninsular Malaysia, Riau Province in Sumatra and the Rajang river drainage in Sarawak. Its yellowish-brown body is peppered with small dark spots forming a rough stripe along the lateral line. Some populations of the variable P. shelfordii look similar and the two often occur together, but P. piperata is generally plainer and has fewer vertebrae. It is exported occasionally, most often as bycatch among congeners.

Usually sold as the 'kuhli' loach, Pangio semicincta is a cobitid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It lives in shallow forest streams and swamps, often in black water, and is typically abundant in leaf litter. P. kuhlii itself is currently considered endemic to Java and has possibly never been seen in aquaria, so the common aquarium 'kuhli' is more likely to be this species or an unidentified relative.

Pangio shelfordii is a variably patterned kuhli loach from Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo. Its patterning varies within and between populations, and as currently understood the species represents an assemblage containing a number of unidentified taxa. Some Sumatran and Bornean populations resemble P. piperata, which often occurs alongside it. It is exported occasionally, often as bycatch among shipments of congeners.

Paracanthocobitis zonalternans is a nemacheilid loach ranging from Manipur in India through Myanmar into western and peninsular Thailand. Several species are thought to be confused under the name, and Singer and Page (2015) consider it likely to be a species complex. Among the more peaceful members of the genus, it does best in a mixed-sex group of at least half a dozen, and it has been bred in aquaria, first by UK aquarist Mick Wright.

Parosphromenus allani is a liquorice gourami from Sarawak in Borneo, East Malaysia, to which it appears endemic. Its type description was a hobbyist-magazine announcement with limited diagnostic information, and fish from around Lundu with a different fin pattern, known to aquarists as P. sp. 'Stunggang' or P. sp. 'Lundu', may or may not be the same species. Much of its habitat has been lost and it is considered in grave danger of extinction.

Parosphromenus harveyi is a liquorice gourami from the north Selangor peat swamp forest in Peninsular Malaysia, with one population in Perak. Its type description was a hobbyist-magazine announcement with limited diagnostic information. Males have plain blue pelvic fins with a filamentous tip longer than the fin itself and a notably wide black subdistal band in the caudal fin. Much of its habitat has been lost and it is considered in danger of extinction.

Parosphromenus nagyi is a liquorice gourami known only from part of Peninsular Malaysia's eastern coast, between Cherating and Nenasi. Males have iridescent emerald green pelvic fins with a very short filamentous tip, and the light band in the caudal fin differs slightly between populations. Much of its habitat has been lost to deforestation, and in most places it now survives only in remnants such as irrigation ditches and roadside canals.