Myanmar

Native to continental China, the Korean peninsula, and southern Japan. Type locality is given only as 'Lakes and rivers, northern China', with the type series possibly originating from the Pai-ho River near Beijing. It has been widely introduced and is considered invasive elsewhere, including the Mekong river basin (records from Laos and Thailand), Salween river (Myanmar), northern Japan, Taiwan, Turkmeni...

This species is among the few members of the family to have been exported for the aquarium hobby. It can be differentiated from all other Akysis species by the following combination of characters: base of...

This species is among the few members of the family to have been exported for the aquarium hobby. It can be differentiated from all other Akysis species by the following combination of characters: base ofmeasures 17.1-19.2% of standard length (S...

This species is among the few members of the family to be exported for the aquarium hobby though is by no means common. It can be differentiated from a...

This species is among the few members of the family to be exported for the aquarium hobby and we've also seen it on sale under various names such as 'orange-banded stone catfish', 'orange micro bumblebee catfish', 'Burmese orange mini bee catfish' or more simply 'wasp catfish'. Though the majority of forms are yellowish to orange in colouration there appears to exist a bright red variant which to date we've only seen in photos.

This species is exceptionally rare in the aquarium trade and can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: snout narrow with head appearing triangular as a resul...

This species was lost to the hobby for several years prior to the turn of the century and when commercially-produced stock first came onto the market prices were very high. It's now readily available, though, and while never particularly cheap is considerably less expensive.

Like most badids this species is poorly documented and has yet to find significant popularity in the aquarium hobby. Within the genus it is most closely-related to B. pyema but the two are unlikely to be confused as B. corycaeus is much the deeper, darker-bodied fish. Prior to 2002 the family Badidae included just five species of which only B. badis and, to a lesser extent, Badis dario (referred to as B. bengalensis by some sources) were popular in the aquarium hobby. However an extensive rev...

Like most badids this species is poorly documented and has yet to find significant popularity in the aquarium hobby. It is arguably the most attractive member of the genus and we hope to see it more widely available; the fish in our images representing what is thought to be the only batch exported from Myanmar to date. It is most closely related...

Like most badids B. kyar is poorly documented in aquarium literature and has yet to find significant popularity in the hobby, though given its restricted natural distribution it is unlikely ever to be available in large numbers. The fish in our image is a specimen included in the only batch of this species known to have been exported to date. This species has a very slender body shape (which may be an adaptation to its habitat) and in this respect is similar to B. pyema. However B. kyar possesse...

Like most badids B. pyema is poorly documented in aquarium literature and has yet to find significant popularity in the hobby, though given its restricted natural distribution it is unlikely ever to be available in large numbers and has only been collected on three occasions to date. It has a very slender body shape, likely an adaptation to its habitat, and in this respect is similar to B. kyar. However B. kyar possesses relatively solid dark, uniform vertical bars on the flanks whereas in B. p...

B. ruber is among the better known Badis species in the aquarium hobby with trade names including 'Burmese badis' and 'red badis'. It was referred as Badis badis burmicanus for a number of years and will be seen labelled as such in older literature. Among congeners it is most easily confused with...

This species is so ubiquitous across its natural range that it's often referred to simply as 'common barb'. Basic adult colour pattern consists of a small, dark spot at the base of the dorsal-fin origin and another on the caudal peduncle but overall appearance varies somewhat depending on origin, with the anterior dark spot enlarged ventrally forming a bar or posterior spot extending into the caudal-fin, for example. The spots may also appear darker or lighter in some individuals.

Batasio spp. are obligate inhabitants of headwater streams and the upper reaches of smaller rivers characterised by shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated stretches of riffles and runs broken up by pools or cascades in some cases. Images of the Ataran correspondingly depict flowing sections of forest-shaded, seemingly well-oxygenated headwaters containing clear water, a mixed sand/rock substrate and lots of submerged driftwood/leaf litter.

Adult patterning of the different geographical forms can vary considerably though young specimens all possess 5 solid dark bars on each flank and are often confused with those species exhibiting a similar juvenile pattern, particularly B. kubotai. However the horizontal dark bars on the flanks in B. kubotai typically split at quite a young age and/or develop horizontally-orientated 'peaks' whereas those in B. histrionica remain solid for longer and the central bar usually has a pale spot at the top so forms a 'y' shape.

Appears to be endemic to headwaters of the Salween River basin around the border between Myanmar and Thailand. The type specimens were collected from the Megathat Chaung (Megathat stream) in the upper Ataran (known as the Kasat in Thai) River basin, Kayin/Karen State, Myanmar and another population was later discovered in the Hanthayaw River (Suriya in Thai), Tak Province, Thailand.

Known only from the Tanintharyi River drainage in Tanintharyi (previously Tenasserim) Division, southern Myanmar. Tanintharyi lies on the Kra Isthmus and the river bisects the central zone north-to-south before emptying into the Andaman Sea at Mergui/Myeik. This area is not easy to access for fish collectors due to occasional conflict between the Myanma...

Endemic to the Rakhine Yoma/Arakan mountains in Rakhine state, western Myanmar; this range forms a natural barrier which cuts the state off from the remainder of the country. It was originally collected from a handful of streams and rivers of the western, interior, slopes of which the type specimens originated from the Kananmae Chaung, a coastal rivulet draining into the Bay of Bengal (Kullander and Fa...

Doubts remain whether B. albolineata is representative of a single species or a group of similarly-patterned, closely-related fish, and the form from Chantaburi province in eastern Thailand was revalidated as B. pulchra (formerly Danio pulcher Smith, 1931) by Kottelat (2013). The status of the currently invalid Danio tweedei (Brittan, 1955) from Kedah state, northern Peninsular Malaysia may also be in question, since fish from that area are clearly...

Typically inhabits small forest streams. In the Yan Khaw Chaung (Yan Khaw stream) it occurs alongside Devario xyrops, Garra rakhinica, G. vittatula, Xenentodon cancila, Sicyopterus fasciatus and unidentified species of Lepidocephalichthys and Channa (Fang and Kullander, 2009). When sampled during the dry season the habitat consisted of nothing more than a series of small, interconnected po...

At least two similar-looking fishes have been available in the aquarium trade; one, usually referred to as 'Danio sp redfin', resembles the striped form of B. kyathit but is a smaller fish and the red pigmentation in the fins is comparatively more intense. The other is also striped with red fins but grows larger; it's usually labelled as 'Danio sp. KP01' or 'Burmese zebra danio'. It remains unclear whether these are regional variants of B. kyathit or undescribed species.

The genus Danio contains only the type species, D. dangila, separated on the basis of its larger size and the shape of the caudal-fin, which in adults is only slightly emarginate or even truncate in shape, a feature it shares only with Tinca tinca (the common tench) among other cyprinids. The remaining species, of which B. rerio is thought to be the most ancient, are included in the revalidated genus Brachydanio Weber & de Beaufort, 1916.

B. rosea is a relatively recent addition to the aquarium trade but has proved very popular since it's colourful, hardy and usually quite cheap making it ideal for beginners. It's sometimes sold as 'purple passion danio'. It's very similar to B. albolineata sensu stricto but differs in several characters, notably the relatively slimmer body, shorter rostral barbels and lack of...

This potentially-undescribed species first became available in 2002, and males and females were marketed as 'Danio sp. hikari yellow' and 'D. sp. hikari blue', respectively. Subsequent DNA testing in the United States revealed them to be the same species and genetically distinct from the very similar B. kerri. It can be told apart as the central body (P) stripe always extends into the caudal fin whereas in B. kerri it terminates at the caudal peduncle. Only a single population of B. kerri was sampled in the stu...

Apparently discovered close to the coastal town of Gwa in Rakhine State, western Myanmar. Rakhine is largely cut off from the rest of the country by the Rakhine Yoma/Arakan mountains which form a natural barrier along its eastern side. Rakhine is located within a tropical monsoon region and has a pronounced rainy season between May and October, while at other times it can be quite dry. The streams thus swell in depth by a metre or mo...

Adult size is comparable to B. nigrofasciata, and in the description paper the authors hypothesise that the two are closely-related given they share other features such as similar barbel length (plus some additional merisitic counts), absent lateral line and spotted pelvic fins. The two are easy to tell apart, however, since in B. tinwini the P+1 stripe is composed of a series of spots (vs. solid), it possesses an indistinct P+2 str...

Butis spp. are largely nocturnal ambush predators with cryptic patterning to help them blend in with their surroundings. They can also lighten and darken their body colouration to an extent, have a habit of aligning themselves with solid surfaces whether horizontal, vertical, or inverted, and often swim in an upside-down position. The genus is usually included in the family Eleotridae of which members are often referred to...

C. choprae has only been available since 2003 but has quickly established itself as one of the most popular small danios in the hobby. There has been some confusion regarding the correct spelling of the specific name with many resources listing it incorrectly as "choprai". Briefly, when Hora described the species he named it after a man, Dr B. N. Chopra, meaning that "choprai" is technically correct as under ICZN rules the specific name ought to follow the gender of the indiv...

This species was formerly included in the genus Microrasbora although it's long-been considered a danionin by certain authors, e.g., Kottelat and Witte (1999) and was placed within the genus Danio for a period. In the aquarium trade it's marketed under various names including 'emerald dwarf danio', 'thick band purple zebra danio' and 'cross-banded dwarf rasbora'.

Known only from a handful of streams in the upper Mali Hka river drainage, Ayeyarwaddy River system, near Putao township in the far north of Kachin state, northern Myanmar. Type locality is 'Nan Hto Chaung in Putao, about 1 mile from 46th regiment, close to rice mill'.

The type locality is an area of permanently-flooded grassland formed by the damming of a spring for agricultural purposes. The water is only around 30cm deep, transparent and supports dense growths of aquatic plants, mostly from the family Hydrocharitaceae which includes such genera as Elodea, Egeria and Blyxa. Sympatric species included Devario sondhii, a Microrasbora very similar to M. rubescens, an undescribed Yunnanilus known to aquarists as the 'rosy' loach and Channa harcourtbutleri.

There are currently three species which look almost identical and are most easily separated by collection details since their ranges do not overlap in nature; C. chagunio is endemic to the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages and C. nicholsi to the Ayeyarwady/Irrawaddy.

It's one of several genus members to lack pelvic fins and following Chaudhuri (1919) also has 51 lateral line scales, 38 dorsal-fin rays, 28 anal-fin rays, 12 caudal-fin rays, 15 predorsal scales, pectoral-fins with alternating dark and light bands, and white-tipped dorsal...

Generally considered to have an enormous natural range extending from Iran to Taiwan and Bali, with records existing from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. However there exists significant evidence to suggest that C. gachua as currently understood represents a complex of similar-looking species, and a taxonomic review of the group is clearly required.

Prefers a dimly-lit aquarium with plenty of cover in the form of live plants, driftwood branches, terracotta pipes, plant pots, etc., arranged to form a network of nooks, crannies, and shaded spots. Surface vegetation such as Ceratopteris spp. is also appreciated and makes the fish less inclined to conceal themselves.

This unidentified species first appeared in the aquarium trade during 2009. It's easily told apart from similar-looking congeners by the patches of vivid red pigmentation surrounding the eye and sides of the mouth plus the thick, reddish, marginal band in the caudal-fin.

It is currently the only valid member of the genus but it is possible that additional taxa exist, particularly in Myanmar, while a number of former species are contained within the Laubuka assemblage, to which C. cachius is closely related. Phylogenetic studies suggest the existence of a monophyletic clade consisting of the genera Devario, Chela, Laubuca, Microdevario and Microrasbora plus the genus Betadevario.

C. latius isn't often available in the trade but makes an excellent alternative to more commonly-offered members of the genus should you be lucky enough to find some. Shipments of similar-looking Indian Garra species such as G. mullya or G. gotyla sometimes contain the odd specimen. It exhibits morphological differences when compared with other members of the genus and may be assigned to a separate taxon at some point in the future.

In the aquarium trade this species may also be seen on sale as 'skinhead barb'. As with others in the genus little has been written regarding its captive care but it makes a peaceful and unusual addition to larger aquaria. The best way of obtaining it may be to keep an eye on shipments of wild fishes from Indochina and the Greater Sunda Islands as it's rarely imported in large numbers and most often arrives as bycatch.

This species is currently understood to have a considerable natural range extending eastwards from Myanmar via Thailand, Laos, Cambodia as far as Vietnam and to the south through Peninsular Malaysia and into the Greater Sunda Islands of Borneo and Sumatra. It thus occurs in the Mekong, Mae Klong and Chao Phraya drainages as well as a host of other river basins, lakes and reservoirs including the Tonlé Sap river...

An ideal resident of the larger, well-furnished community set-up though it might upset slow-moving or timid companions simply by its size. There are plenty of suitable tankmates including many cyprinids, loaches, cichlids, catfish and characins, but as always when selecting a compatible community of fish proper research is essential. A community based around one of its native countries or river basins...

In the Barak River drainage, which flows through the north-east Indian states of Nagaland and Assam before bifurcating at the Bangladesh border, symaptric species include Barilius bakeri, B. barna, B. bendelisis, B. dogarsinghi, Laubuca laubuca, Esomus danricus, Devario aequipinnatus, D. annandalei, D. devario, Rasbora daniconius, R. rasbora,...

This species is available in the trade on occasion and has been sold as Danionella sp. 'neon green' or 'flourescent green'. The specific name was inspired by its jaw morphology which according to current knowledge is unique among cypriniform fishes. Both upper and lower jaws contain a series of toothlike odontoid processes; these are only rudimentary in females but in males appear to form rows of teeth of which the front pair is large and fang-like. The upper fangs project th...

The anatomical structure of miniaturised cyprinids can vary greatly; there are two putative groups with some species possessing intermediate features to some degree. The first contains those fishes which though small are essentially proportionally dwarfed versions of their larger relatives. The other includes those in which anatomical development stops at a point where adult still resemble a larval form of their larger ancestor, as in...

This species is traded under various names such as 'red melon Dario' or 'flame red Dario'. Among congeners D. dayingensis is most similar since it differs only in a few meristic counts and by its slightly larger adult size. D. hysginon can be told apart by possessing 22-24, usually 23, lateral scales (vs. 24-25 in D. dayingensis), 8½ (vs. 9½) scales in the transverse scale row, a...

This fish first became available to hobbyists in 2005 and has also been referred to as Dario sp. 'pyjamas' or 'fire red tiger badis'. Despite the striking differences in colour pattern it's officially recognised as a colour form of D. hysginon as per Kullander and Britz (2002) although D. sp. 'Myanmar' is now known to have an appreciably larger adult size (S. van der Voort, pers. comm.).

D. polota is sometimes referred to as D. quadrifasciatus (Sevastianov, 1809) but the original name of the latter, Chaetodon quadrifasciatus Sevastianov, 1809, is a junior primary homonym of the older Chaetodon quadrifasciatus Bloch & Schneider 1801, thus Coius polota Hamilton, 1822 takes precedence.

The habitat near Hopong is an area of permanently-flooded grassland formed by the damming of a spring for agricultural purposes and is around 1,040 metres AMSL. The water is only around 30cm deep, transparent and supports dense growths of aquatic plants, mostly from the family Hydrocharitaceae which includes such genera as Elodea, Egeria and Blyxa.

This unidentified species was first collected in 2007 but very little is known about it. The vernacular name refers to the colour pattern on the body which resembles that of a giraffe, and it's known to be collected in Myanmar although its distribution and natural habitat remain a mystery.

Thrives in an aquarium set up to resemble a flowing stream or river with a substrate of variably-sized, water-worn rocks, sand, fine gravel and perhaps some small boulders. This can be further furnished with driftwood roots or branches, and while the majority of aquatic plants will fail to thrive in such surroundings hardy types such as Microsorum, Bolbitis or Anubias spp. can be grown attached to the décor.

Found in various types of habitat but shows a marked preference for shallow, slow-moving and standing waters such as rice paddies and other temporally-inundated environments with dense aquatic vegetation.

There currently exist a dozen described Esomus spp. alhough few are seen in the aquarium trade and none are especially popular. Most are commonplace in their native countries and also quite plainly-patterned so generally overlooked by collectors. Their most common use in some areas is actually as a feeder fish in the aquaculture of larger species. They're characterised by greatly-enlarged pectoral fins and two pairs of barbels, of which the maxillary pair are extremely long and usually reach the pectoral fins.

This species is widely-distributed in the Mekong river system in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, Salween and Ayeyarwaddy rivers in southern China, Myanmar, and Thailand, plus various smaller basins in Vietnam and China. It has also been recorded from the islands of Hainan and Hong Kong. Type locality is given as 'China: sent from Hong Kong'.

Garra species are usually included in the subfamily Labeoninae/Cyprininae (name varies with author) which by current thinking is further divided into several tribes and subtribes (Stiassny and Getahun, 2007). The putatively monophyletic subtribe Garraina comprises Garra plus numerous other genera including the well-known Crossocheilus and Epalzeorhynchos. Within this division their closest relatives are members of Discogobio, Discocheilus and Placocheilus (the lat...

A putatively undescribed species often imported and sold as G. sp. 'burmanicus'. It first appeared in the trade during 2005 and has since been available on a sporadic basis, usually with a relatively high price tag. As well as its unique colour pattern, a primary diagnostic character is the presence of a proboscis-like rostral process between the eyes.

The type locality is located in a hilly area mostly comprising bamboo forest. At time of collection the water was clear, colourless and flowing at a moderate pace over a substrate of rocks and gravel. It was 1-2 metres wide and maximum depth was only 0.5 metres. Due to the surrounding forest some stretches were shaded and others more open. Sympatric species included...

Gymnothorax tile

This species is poorly-known in the aquarium hobby and may have never been maintained outside its native countries. It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 26-27 lateral line scales; two roundish, dark blotches on each flank, one beneath dorsal-fin origin and above the lateral line, the other on the caudal peduncle and passing thro...

This rarely-traded species is a member of the H. ocellata 'group' of closely-related congeners, an assemblage which currently comprises H. ocellata, H. bilineata, H. confuzona, H. orthogoniata, H. ogilviei and H. parclitella. Following Tan and Ng (2005) these share possession of a colour pattern with reddish tints and dark brown head markings, elongate head, slightly compressed body, 61-77 lateral line scales and dorsal-fin origin placed in advance of pelvic-fin origin.

Homalopteroides spp. are specialised micropredators feeding on small crustaceans, insect larvae and other invertebrates. In captivity some sinking dried foods may be accepted but regular meals of live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia, bloodworm, etc., are essential for the maintenance of good health.

This species is rare in the aquarium hobby though its name is often misapplied to the closely-related I. crocodilus. It can be told apart from congeners by the following characters: dorsal and anal fins without dark markings, with a light brown bar in breeding males; ventral surface light brown; throat white, occasionally with a few brown spots; ridges of head bones weakly serrated or not serrated, depending on the bone. The family Indostomidae currently contains just a single genus with three species of which I. paradoxus is the type. It was raised alongside both family...

Originally described as a member of Barilius (Annandale, 1918) but Howes (1980a) considered it more closely related to cheline cyprinids (Chela and Laubuca spp.) based on morphological characters and erected the genus Inlecypris for it (Howes, 1980b). Fang (2003) supported Howes' conclusions in her 2003 phylogenetic study of the genus Danio, hypothesising that Inlecypris and Chela together form a sister group to Devario.

This species is sometimes referred to as 'Hora danio' or Salween danio'. It is distinguished from similar-looking species by a combination of characters as follows: lateral line complete or incomplete with 22-33 pored scales; absence of infraorbital process; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; usually 10 or 11 branched anal-fin rays; barbels absent or rudimentary; flank markings comprising a series of narrow vertical bars on the anterior portion of each flank, fol...

Despite its unsuitability for the majority of home aquaria, this species is available in the aquarium trade on an irregular basis, and has also been marketed as 'violet-gilled shark', 'red-gilled violet shark' and 'blushing violet shark'. It appears likely that L. boga as currently recognised represents a complex of closely-related species.

Different populations vary in appearance somewhat (see image of Salween specimen for example), and L. leptocheilus may turn out to represent a group of closely-related species rather than a single taxon. The population from the Cambodian Mekong has been considered to represent a distinct species, Labiobarbus lineatus, although that name is currently a synonym of L. leptocheilus following Kottelat (2013). It is widely used in the ornamental trade, however.

This is one of the most frequently-traded members of the genus and is an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. It's distinguishable from congeners by a combination of characters including: relatively large adult size (to at least 80 mm SL); rounded/truncate caud...

This species is almost unheard of in the hobby with the specimen pictured above the only one we're aware of. It was imported into the United Kingdom in late 2011 as bycatch among a shipment of mastacembelid eels from northern India, and the identification was subsequently confirmed by Justin Havird, senior author of the most recent revision of the genus.

This is one of the most frequently-traded members of the group and is an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. It's distinguishable from congeners by a combination of characters including: rounded/truncate caudal-fin; a scaleless patch on top of the head; relatively large adult size; flanks with spotted patterning in females and a solid...

At one locality close to Ban Na Hwai, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand L. hasselti was collected from a shallow (<0.5 m) pool in a swampy zone between forest and rice fields. The substrate was of mud, there was no aquatic vegetation and it was being used as drinking water by local animals, with the only effluent connected to a 'small creek'. Other species found there were Physoschistura pseudobrunneana, Rasbora hobelmani and Systomus cf. orphoides.

According to Kottelat (2012) L. manipurensis Arunkumar, 2000, which was described from Moreh, Manipur state, northeastern India, close to the border with Myanmar, is a syonym of L. micropogon. Havird and Page (2010) differentiate the two based on caudal-fin patterning, predorsal length and ver...

The genus Microdevario was raised by Fang et al. (2009) after phylogenetic analyses revealed that some species formerly included in Microrasbora to be more closely allied with Devario and in need of reclassification. Microdevario is largely separated from Devario and other closely related genera such as Chela and Laubuca by virtue of internal characters but also the following: small adult size; anal and dorsal fins with concave-shaped distal margin; absence of barbels; absence of perforated scales; 9-10 branched anal-fin rays; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; less abdominal than caudal vertebrae.

Apparently inhabits calm to moderately-flowing stretches of well-oxygenated headwaters and minor tributaries. Such habitats tend to comprise transparent water, substrates of sand, gravel, rocks, boulders, and patches of leaf litter, with submerged driftwood, roots of riparian vegetation, and aquatic vegetation in places.

Towards the Andaman Sea the lower part of the delta gives way to brackish mangrove swamps. The climate is wet, with annual precipitati0n of 1500 - 2500 mm, up to 90% of which falls between mid May and mid November, and warm with average air temperatures of 22 - 37 °C over the course of the year. At one locality M. nanus was collected in less then 30cm of water from an oxbow lake among floating Pistia-like vegetation and gra...

This is possibly an undescribed species and has been marketed as 'Asian Cardinal Rasbora', 'flame red rasbora', M. sp. 'rose blue line' or M. 'thuzari' in the ornamental trade. It differs from M. rubescens by its larger adult size, possession of a greenish to bluish lateral stripe, and lesser extent of orange pigmentation on the body. It also appears to represent a distinct genetic lineage (Collins et al., 2012).

This species may be seen on sale under various trade names including 'red-line dwarf rasbora', 'emerald dwarf rasbora', or 'red dwarf rasbora'. A similar-looking, apparently undescribed congener has been collected near the town of Hopong, also in Shan State. It differs from M. rubescens by possessing a greenish to bluish lateral stripe plus a larger adult size, and is traded as Microrasbora cf. rubescens, M. 'thuzari', M. sp. 'rose blue line', 'Asian Cardinal Rasbora', or 'flame red rasbora'.

All Mystacoleucus species possess a procumbent predorsal spine orientated towards the head, though it can be difficult to spot with the naked eye. This can become entangled in an aquarium net so care must be taken when handling the fish. The trait is shared by members of Tor, Spinibarbus and Paraspinibarbus although there exists no strong evidence to suggest that these genera form a monophyletic lineage and it is...

This species is occasionally marketed as 'Burmese Rainbow Barb' in the ornamental trade. others may have been exported in small numbers or as bycatch among shipments of other species. It was referred to as Mystacoleucus marginatus for decades, but that name is a simultaneous subjective synonym of M. obtusirostris following Kottelat (2013).

This species occasionally appears in the ornamental trade, usually as 'striped hill trout' or 'banded hill trout'. It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: lateral line complete with 40-42 scales; barbels absent; 10-13 anal-fin rays; body with 9-11 dark blue vertical bars; last dorsal-fin ray extending to caudal-fin base.

Type locality is ' Kapa, northwestern peninsular Thailand', which may refer to modern-day Kapoe district, Ranong province, and additional records exist from other localities in Ranong as well as Phang-nga and Pattani provinces. Although the precise extent of its distribution is unclear it appears to occur in river systems on both sides of the Tennaserim Hills in pen...

This species may have appeared in the aquarium trade though probably not under the correct name. It can be told apart from similar-looking congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a black round spot at the caudal base; dorsal-fin rays black with connecting membranes transparent; posterior dorsal-fin origin located midway between upper angle of gill aperture and caudal-fin base, or slightly closer to the latter.

Described from 'Etok stream near Chanderkhong, southern watershed of the Naga Hills, Manipur, Assam', located within the Chindwin River basin in northern India. The Chindwin is the major tributary of the Ayeyarwady/Irrawaddy River and most of it flows within Myanmar although two of its own tributaries, the Manipur and Yu rivers, originate in the Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland.

This species has previously been considered synonymous with both O. ornatus and O. pulchellus but is currently considered to be distinct following (Tejavej, 2012). It can be distinguished from congeners by a combination of characters including: small caudal spot presen...

This fish is one of several sometimes imported and sold as Oreichthys cosuatis or O. parvus which has led to considerable confusion. It appears to be an undescribed species and can be most easily identified by the absence of a dark marking in the dorsal-fin of adult males (vs. presence in O. cosuatis and O. parvus) and possession of a large, well-defined black blotch on the caudal peduncle ( vs. absent in O. cosuatis, smaller and less well-defined in O. parvus).

This species continues to be mislabelled as O. melastigma, a name currently considered invalid by the majority of recent workers, or O. javanicus, a valid but distinct taxon. Roberts (1998) demonstrated that MClelland's description of Aplocheilus melastigmus, later renamed O. melastigma, does not correspond with any known Oryzias species from the Indian subcontinent or Myanmar since it's said to have a dark spot in the dorsal-fin and an excessively slim body, among other anomalies.

Best maintained in a heavily planted set-up, ideally with a dark substrate, patches of dense vegetation, and some open areas. Other décor can consist of twisted roots and pieces of bogwood, while surface vegetation is also appreciated by the fish. When maintained under such conditions they're more likely to display their best colours, and planted aquaria also offer fry a more favourable chance of survival alongside the adults.

Traded under various names including 'mottled', 'eyepot', 'sand' and 'striped' loach. It's perhaps one of the better choices for those new to keeping nemacheilids being relatively hardy, peaceful and exhibiting some quirky behavioural traits. The characteristic ocellus, a dark marking at the top of the caudal peduncle that resembles an eye, is thought to have some function in predator distraction and is normally more intense in younger specimens.

Prior to description this species was considered to represent, and traded as, A. rubidipinnis, but that species is apparently endemic to the lower Irrawaddy basin in Myanmar and unknown in the aquarium hobby. Male individuals of A. pictilis, A. botia and A. mandalaysensis possess a suborbital slit rather than suborbital flap which immediately distinguishes...

According to Kottelat (1990) the chief distinguishing characters for the genus are: possession of 9-18½ branched dorsal-fin rays; colour pattern without black basal caudal bar, but with an ocellus at upper base of caudal-fin; upper lip with or without several rows of papillae; lower lip with a broad median interruption and a widened, papillated pad on each side.

This species is sometimes traded under the names 'mini chocolate gourami', 'Burmese chocolate gourami' or mislabelled as the congener P. ocellatus, these two currently comprising the only known members of the genus. P. lineatus can be told apart from P. ocellatus via the following combination of characters: smaller body size (maximum standard length 18.7 mm vs. 32.0 mm); absence of ocellus-type marking in middle of each flank (vs. presence); presence of dark, stripe (vs. abs...

To date the species is known mostly from the upper Ayeyarwady River basin in northern Myanmar where it's been collected close to the city of Myitkyina in Kachin State as well as around nearby Lake Indawgyi, the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia and home to ten globally threatened bird species. The lake and surrounding area were designated a protected zone by the Ministry of Ecotourism in 1999 and now form the Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanc...

The type locality is a stream with a mixed substrate of mud and stones which flows swiftly through an area of bamboo forest so is quite well-shaded. At time of collection the water was clear but slightly tannin-stained and sympatric species included Pethia thelys, Puntius sophore, Devario strigillifer, Rasbora daniconius, R. rasbora, Acanthocobitis botia, Notopterus notopterus, plus unidentified species of Oreichthys, Parambassis, Xenentodon, and Mastacembelus.

This species first appeared in the aquarium hobby in 2006 and is sometimes traded under the name 'Tulip barb'. It was officially described by Kullander in early 2008 in a paper describing five new Puntius species from Kachin, all of which are superficially similar in possession of a dark band or blotch on the caudal peduncle. P. erythromycter can be distinguished b...

This species' identity was settled and a neotype designated by Knight (2013) who also revalidated the congener P. canius (Hamilton, 1822) and described the closely-related P. aurea. These three had previously been considered to represent geographic forms of P. gelius, albeit on a tentative basis, with the validity of P. canius having been discussed since the late 19th century.

This species has been in the aquarium trade since the early 1970s but its precise origin was a mystery until 2003. It first appeared in Ukraine, the common name 'Odessa' being derived from the port city of that name, and when it arrived in western Europe was widely considered a hybrid of similar-looking congeners such as P. conchonius, P. ticto and P. cumingii. It was also hypothesised as a subspecies of P. ticto or P. conchonius, and some suggested the fish to be artificially dyed.

This fish has been widely misidentified and sold as the congener P. tiantian and its vernacular name of 'Burmese bumble-bee barb' but actually appears to be an undescribed member of the genus Pethia. This assemblage was erected by Pethiy...

This species is confused with P. ticto in much of the available literature and is sometimes listed as a synonym of it. Although some populations of the two species possess a similar colour pattern (there are reports of a P. ticto variant from the south of West Bengal state in India with a red, black-flecked dorsal-fin, for example) they do not occur in the same waters in nature and can be distinguished by examining the lateral line. This is complete in...

Known only from the remote, mountainous area of Putao in Kachin state, northern Myanmar. The holotype and most of the type series was collected from the Nan Hto Chaung (Nan Hto stream) with the Mali Hka River representing the only other locality known. Both are part of the upper Irrawaddy/Ayeyarwady system. The Nan Hto Chaung flows through forested hills and...

Apparently most abundant in shallow streams and minor tributaries, sometimes at relatively high altitudes, and apparently shows a preference for substrates of mud or silt. Given the extent of its range it would seem sensible to assume that it inhabits various habitat-types which also vary in water depth, flow, and turbidity depending on the time of year.

This species is sometimes traded as 'Lake Inle red-tailed loach' and was formerly included in the genus Yunnanilus, a diverse assemblage of which the majority of members are endemic to the Yunnan plateau in Yunnan province, southern China.

This species continues to be referred to by the fictitious scientific name 'Tuberoschistura arakensis' but actually appears to be an undescribed Yunnanilus sp. and is also sometimes traded as Y. sp. 'orange' or 'Burmese pink loach' but appears to be a member of the genus Petruichthys as per Kottelat (2012). There exist more than 30 described Yunnanilus spp., the...

P. chola was retained in Puntius sensu stricto, of which members are defined by the following combination of characters: adult size usually less than 120 mm SL; maxillary barbels absent or present; rostral barbels absent; 3-4 unbranched and 8 branched dorsal-fin rays; 3 unbranched and 5 branched anal-fin rays; last unbranched dorsal-fin ray weak or strong and unserrated; lateral line complete with 22-28 pored body scales...

S. resplendens is traded under several names including 'Asian rummynose', 'rummynose rasbora' and 'naked microrasbora'. It can be immediately distinguished from all other Asian cyprinids by the distinctive colour pattern. The genus Sawbwa is currently monotypic and endemic to the isolated lake basin of Inlé in Shan State, eastern Myanmar.

This species is quite uncommon in the aquarium hobby although its name is sometimes used in reference to the similar-looking, apparently undescribed congener S. cf. balteata, and both are also traded as 'sumo loach', 'tri-banded sumo loach', and 'orange saddle-back loach'. Following Kottelat (1990) it's diagnosed by the following combination of characters: unique colour pattern consisting of two da...

This apparently undescribed species has been available in the hobby since around 2006 and has been traded under several trade names of which others include 'tri-band sumo loach' and 'chubby loach'. The name 'Sumo II' is now in wide use to distinguish it from the real S. balteata since both have been traded as 'Sumo loach'...

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: caudal peduncle deep, ≥ the deepest part of the remainder of the body; no dorsal or ventral skin crests along the caudal peduncle; caudal-fin deeply forked, the outermost principal rays in the upper and lower lobes more than twice the length of the innermost: suborbital flap in males present; a well-developed suborbital groove in females; 6–8 very regular bars along the flank.

This species is distributed in the middle Mekong River basin in north and northeastern Thailand, Myanmar and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, southern China, and is also known from the Nam Beng, Nam Tha and Nam Yuoan drainages in Laos. Type locality is 'Laun We (Loi Mw...

The type locality originally consisted of a shallow (0.5 - 1.5 m deep) stream with a substrate of rocks and boulders and flow varying from 'moderate to swift'. When the holotype was collected there in 1980 sympatric species included Acanthocobitis zonalternans, Puntius orphoides, Pethia ticto, Raiamas guttatus, Barilius barnoides, Mystacoleucus argenteus and Mastacembelus armatus plus unidentified members of Crossocheilus an...

This species is traded on a fairly regular basis and is similar in appearance to some congeners, most notably S. bella, S. mahnerti, S. multifasciata, S. poculi, S. reticulata, S. longa, S. conirostris and S. udomritthiruji. This assemblage has been referred to as the Schistura multifasciata 'group', and members share a...

This species is very similar in appearance to S. berdmorei which is native to India and Myanmar, and has been widely mislabelled under that name in older aquarium literature. The two can appear identical on first glance but there are some notable differences, most obviously possession of 9-10 branchedrays in S. beauforti vs. 11-14 in S. bermorei, and the fact that even young specimens of S. beauforti exhibit laterally-orientated rows of small, dark markings running across the ...

Interestingly some observations suggest that the character of the highest-ranked, or alpha, fish appears to affect that of the whole group though it must be said that scientific studies of botiid loach behaviour are virtually non-existent. It certainly seems that they display a degree of 'personality' with some specimens being naturally bolder/more aggressive than others. The alpha is normally the largest specimen within the group and often female. Sound also appears to be an important factor in communication since these loaches are able...

The genus Puntius is currently viewed as something of a catch-all for well over 100 species of small to mid-sized cyprinid. Most experts agree that a full revision is required with the likely outcome that many species will be placed into new or different genera since it is clearly polyphyletic. When describing the grouping in 1822 Hamilton identified the defining characteristics as: presence or absence o...

The common name is derived from the ability of genus members to produce audible sounds via a specialised pectoral mechanism which is unique within the family Osphronemidae. The structure comprises modified pectoral-fin tendons and muscles which are stretched and plucked by basal elevations of two fin rays in a similar way to guitar strings via rapid beating of the fins. The pectoral-fins beat alternately, each able to generate short or long bursts of sound. These sounds are produced by both sexes, predom...

X. cancila is often seen referred to as 'freshwater garfish', and although it does superficially resemble the true gars of the family Lepisosteidae, it's actually a member of the Belonidae, or needlefishes, the majority of which are marine or estuarine in existence. There are currently just two species in the genus although the probable existence of a third member has been noted by Roberts (1989) among oth...

This species isn't especially popular in the aquarium trade but is undoubtedly interesting despite its lack of colour. In addition to its survival ability in the absence of water it's also capable of producing audible sounds though the purpose of these has not been fully-studied. Naturally-occurring xanthic and albino forms have also been recorded. There is considerable confusion as to the taxonomic status of the two species currently occupying this genus, with ichthyologists widely...

This species is essentially unknown in the hobby at time of writing. It was discovered by German aquarist Horst Linke in early 2010 and before official description was known as B. sp. ‘East Myanmar’ (‘Ost Myanmar’ in Germany). It can be differentiated from other members of the genu...

This species is clearly unsuitable for the home aquarium given its eventual size and natural behaviour, and we know of only a handful of private aquarists with the facilities required to house it long-term. The grouping currently contains four species but is in urgent need of review with a number of additional taxa thought to exist and B. yarrelli possibly representing a synonym of B. bagarius.

This species is also referred to as 'giant', 'great', 'cobra', or 'Indian' snakehead. Although currently-considered to be distributed throughout much of southern Asia it is widely-accepted to represent a complex of related species in need of additional research. A number of geographical variants exhibiting diffe...

We've been unable to obtain a diagnosis for this species to date but it can at least be distinguished from those congeners traded as 'Crossocheilus siamensis' (an invalid name synonymous with C. oblongus, which is itself of questionable identity), 'Siamese algae eater', or 'SAE' by the fact that the dark lateral stripe does not extend into the caudal-fin. Members of Crossocheilus are characterised by...

Despite being a wholly unsuitable aquarium subject, C. idella is often traded as such, with an albino form having been developed specifically for the ornamental market. Individuals which have outgrown their aquarium or pond should never be released into natural waters, either, since this species has proven capable of causing serious environmental damage under a wide range of climatic conditions.

Type locality is 'Tenasserim, Myanmar' which at time of description was used to refer to the portion of Myanmar lying to the south and east of the Ayeyarwaddy/Irrawaddy river delta, including present-day Kayah, Kayin, and Mon states, Bago Division, and possibly the southern Tanintharyi Region. Blyth's description paper covered fishes collected from the Sittaung River (plus a few Gangetic species) in what is currently Bago Division, but we've been unable to locate any modern records of D. affinis fro...

E. caudiocellatus can be told apart from congeners by lacking a dark lateral stripe and possessing a prominent dark marking on the caudal peduncle. In recent years a number of phylogenetic studies involving Esomus and its near relatives have been conducted and conflicting results published. For example a 2003 study by Fang et al. concluded that the genus is the sister group, i.e., most closely-related to...

This species is also known by the vernacular 'jungle perch' or 'sidebar barb' and should not be considered an aquarium subject in all but the most extreme circumstances since it can grow to over 2 feet in length, weigh in excess of 5 kg and is a powerful, pelagic predator. It's also a popular sport fish with a reputation for striking hard.

This species is also referred to as 'Asian knifefish' or 'ghost knifefish' in the aquarium trade in the aquarium trade but arguably has no place in the ornamental hobby given its adult size and specialised requirements. It is sometimes confused with the African species Xenomystus nigri but is easily told apart by its larger adult size and presence (vs. absence) of a dorsal fin.

Known with certainty from the Irrawaddy River system in Manipur state, India, and Myanmar, and the Salween watershed in eastern Myanmar and northwestern Thailand. Records from the Red River basin in Vietnam appear questionable. Type locality is 'Burma: Myitkyina District: Mali Hka basin: Phungin Hka;'.

G. bispinosa can be distinguished from all other congeners in Southeast Asia and China by the following combination of characters: a conspicuous, quadrate, anteriorly-directed proboscis orientated ventrally against the snout and anteriorly adorned with a single, large, uniscupid, acanthoid tubercle on the distal tip of each lobe; snout with a deep groove across its tip to form a transverse lobe; 34-35 lateral...

G. notata is one of a number of congeners to lack both a transverse groove and a proboscis on the snout. It also possesses 33-34 lateral line scales and a series of dark spots at the base of the dorsal-fin rays, and lacks scales on the lower portion of the body and abdomen. The genus Garra is a particularly enigmatic grouping with new taxa...

The Naung Pin Thar Chaung is located in a hilly area mostly comprising bamboo forest. In 1998 the water was clear, colourless and flowing at a moderate pace over a substrate of rocks and gravel. It was 1-2 metres wide and maximum depth was only 0.5 metres. Due to the surrounding forest some stretches were shaded and others more open. Sympatric species included Garra spilota, Homalopteroides modestus, Mystus pulcher, and Xenentodon cancila, plus...

G. rakhinica can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: rostral furrow shallow and snout tip smoothly rounded; rostral lobe present, proboscis absent; scaled predorsal region, chest, and abdomen; two pairs of barbels; 28 lateral line scales; 16 circumpeduncular scale rows; colour pattern almost uniform greyish on body and caudal-fin; a dark spot immediately posterior to the upper extremity of the...

G. salweenica can be distinguished from other congeners inhabiting the Salween watershed by the following combinatuion of characters: body brownish; presence of a trilobed proboscis on the snout; snout blunt; a series of black spots at the base of the central dorsal-fin rays; presence of longitudinal stripes on the posterior portion of the body; a dark marking at the tip of the upper (and lower in some specimens) caudal-fin lobe; body depth 22.4-25.3 % SL.

Following Roberts (1997) G. ariza can be diagnosed by the following combination of characters: body with variably intense thin stripes dustributed mostly above the lateral line; larger individuals sometimes with a broad midlateral stripe; 32-35 lateral scales; 7-8/1/5-6 transverse scale rows; 8-9 branched dorsal-fin rays 8-9; 22-24+ 11-12=34(4), 35 (3) vertebrae; live colour pattern variable, overall dull dirty white to greyish, silvery or yellow.

This species cannot be considered a suitable home aquarium subject given its eventual size plus the fact it can live for several decades. It can be told apart from most oth...

Members of this assemblage can be told apart from other congeners by possession of 44–46 vertebrae, an adipose-fin with a relatively short base (< 20 % SL), a colour pattern comprising either distinct black spots arranged in vertical columns or irregular black vertical lines running along the flanks, and normally a reddish or orangish caudal-fin in life.

Endemic to the Salween river system in Yunnan province, southern China, eastern Myanmar, and northwestern Thailand. Type locality is 'Salween River midway between Mae Sam Laep and Paleh, Mae Hong Son province, Thailand.'

This species can be identified by colour pattern comprising a brownish dorsal surface, yellowish flanks and abdomen, and a black to bluish lateral stripe extending from the eye to the caudal-fin base.

This species is extremely widespread and has been recorded from Pakistan, Nepal, most of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and southern China. Type locality is 'Bengal and western provinces, India'.

This species' distribution is unclear although individuals from the aquarium trade are said to have been collected in the Tenasserim river basin in Tananthayi Region, southern Myanmar. Type locality is 'supposedly from Tananthayi district, Tananthayi River basin, obtained dead from aquarium fish vendor at Meik'.

There is considerable confusion surrounding the identity of B. bagarius with its name having been widely applied to a relatively small species that is said to reach only 200 mm SL and considered to be common in northern India and much of Indochina.