Sumatra

Juveniles of this 'species' (probably a group of species - see 'distribution') are traded in large numbers but it's still uncommon to see adult specimens in the hobby suggesting their needs are not catered for often enough. This is a shame as when maintained properly they're hardy, long-lived and interesting aquarium residents. Other trade names include 'long-nosed' and 'banana' loach. Please note although certain that more than one species is being tr...

This is the most commonly-encountered representative of the genus in the aquatic trade though is by no means common. As in other members of the genus body colouration is highly variable, even among individuals collected from a single locality, although a few useful regularities have been observed which can be used to distinguish certain species. This is thought related to the fact that Acrochordonichthys spp. periodically shed their skins and appear paler post-moulting. A. rugosus lends its ...

May also be seen on sale under the trade names 'Bala shark' or 'tricolor shark minnow' and perhaps among the most commonly-encountered ornamental fish species. It is unfortunate that the vast majority of those traded are juveniles and tend to come supplied with little to no information provided regarding their potential size and requirements, a fairly ironic situation given the apparently precarious status of wild populations.

An obligate dweller of swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters containing clear, oxygen-saturated water. It often inhabits riffles and runs and is likely to show a preference for shallower zones. Substrates are generally composed of gravel, rocks, boulders or bedrock carpeted with a rich biofilm formed by algae and other micro-organisms. Juveniles are often found in slower-moving stretches with gravel substrate and submerged tree roots. In both cases patches of aquatic plants are only occasionally pres...

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.

This species is uncommon in the aquarium hobby, although the scientific name is widely misapplied to Barbodes dunckeri, a similar-looking species native to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore commonly referred to as 'clown barb' and labelled as B. everetti in the majority of available literature. The two are quite easy to tell apart, with B. everetti an overall less...

This species is commonly-referred to as 'T-barb' in some countries. It's closely-affiliated with and sometimes traded as the congener B. kuchingensis but that species can be told apart by colour pattern comprising a prominent row of dark spots along the lateral line, plus a short, horizontally-orientated streak extending from the upper part of the operculum. In B. lateristriga the lateral markings usually form a solid stripe and there is no streak extending from the operculum.

This species is also referred to by the vernacular name 'Malay combtail'. In terms of external characters it differs most obviously from its only congener, B. signata by its overal brownish grey (vs. reddish) body colouration and presence of a mosaic-type patterning in the unpaired fins (vs. absence). The position of relatedness of the genus Belontia with respect to other anabantoids remains somewhat...

This species lends it name to the B. bellica group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage of which members share the following set of characters: long and slender body with dorsal and ventral margins almost parallel; body depth 23-28 % SL; 30-33 anal-fin rays; 11-13 dorsal-fin rays; 32-34 total vertebrae; body dark brown in colour with iridescent green markings on each individual scale.

B. coccina can be told apart from other members by the following combination of characters: iridescent green lateral blotch present in male, absent in female; body dark red in colour; no parallel vertical iridescent gold opercle bars; pelvic fin falcate with black filamentous tip, remainder red; median fins with discrete iridescent green spots; dorsal fin-rays 9-12; anal-fin rays 27-29; subdorsal scales 7-8; lateral scales 31-32; predorsal scales 18-21. The genus Betta is the most speciose within the family Osphronemidae with almost 70 reco...

The type locality is a stream in a forest swamp with dense growth of Barclaya motleyi at intervals, part of which had been turned over to cultivation of rubber trees in 1997. The water depth varied between 5-80 cm, pH was 5.8 and syntopic species included 'Puntius' banksi, Rasbora einthoveni, Trigonopoma pauciperforatum, Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus, Betta pugnax, Sphaerichthys osphromenoides, Trichogaster trichopterus, Channa gachua and C. lucius.

This species is available in the aquarium hobby but is not traded in large numbers and may have been inadvertently hybridised with the similar-looking congener B. rubra prior to its description since they're typically exported mixed together. It's included in the B. rubra group of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage erected by Schindler and van der Voort (2012) who...

This species is the only member of the B. edithae group within the genus, and separated from all other Betta spp. by the fact that the branchiostegal membrane and posterior portion of the opercle are opaque or translucent. The original diagnosis by Vierke also states that it has relatively small eyes and short fins with a typical pattern of partial barring.

B. falx is included in the Betta picta group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage comprising species with the following shared characters: unpaired fins rounded (anal-fin sometimes tapering to a blunt point); anal-fin rays I-III, 18-24; dark marginal band on anal and caudal fins, more pronounced in mature males; presence of pre-orbital and post-orbital stripes; presence of chin bar on throat; iridescent green, gold, or blue scales on opercle.

The easiest way to distinguish these is by examining the throat markings, which vary according to species, and in the case of B. hipposideros form a black horse-shoe shape. It can also be separated from other group members by the following suite of characters: dark blotch on throat joined to black lower lip; presence of transverse bars in dorsal and caudal fins; absence of dark margin in anal-fin; opercle usually with gold scales, without iridescrent green scales; ventral margin of opercle brown; 6.5-7 subdorsal scales (mode 6.5); 9-10 postdorsal scales (mode 9.5); 31-32 lateral scales (mode 32).

B. imbellis is included in the Betta splendens complex of closely-related species within the genus, of which members share the following set of characters: head length short 22-31 % SL; often a brightly-coloured body; iris of the eye with iridescent green or blue patches; body elongate or slender; opercles parallel when head viewed dorsally; caudal-fin rays red or brown and contrasting with the iridescent interradial membranes; unpaired fins without an irides...

This species is included in the Betta waseri group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage which also includes a handful of unidentified fishes such as B. sp. 'Medas' on an unofficial basis. Group members share the following combination of characters: base body colouration clay yellow; opercle scales iridescent gold in mature males of all species except ...

It should be noted that not all authors consider the B. pugnax group to contain the same species, with some placed in the B. picta complex by Schindler and Schmidt (2006), for example. B. raja can be told apart from other members of the B. pugnax group by the following characters: mature males with very long pelvic fins covering 15-23 anal-fin rays or even longer than the base of the anal-fin in some cases; anal-fin and lower caudal-fin with black marginal bands; 25-28 anal-fin rays; 30-32 lat...

This species is included in the Betta waseri group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage which also includes a handful of potentially new species such as B. sp. 'Medas' on an unofficial basis. Group members share the following combination of characters: base body colouration clay yellow; opercle scales iridescent gold in mature males of all species except B. tomi; throat with black markings which join with black lower jaw in some species; no chin bar.

This species was previously included in the Betta foerschi group of closely-related species within the genus, but following its redescription in 2012 now lends its name to the B. rubra group. It was first placed into its own species group by Witte and Schmidt (1992), primarily on the basis of a triangular marking that appears below the eyes of the fish, although Tan and Ng (2005) suggested that this feature is insufficient to warrant the fo...

This species is included in the B. bellica group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage of which members share the following set of characters: long and slender body with dorsal and ventral margins almost parallel; body depth 23-28 % SL; 30-33 anal-fin rays; 11-13 dorsal-fin rays; 32-34 total vertebrae; body dark brown in colour with iridescent green markings on each individual scale.

Within the genus Boraras this species is most similar to B. naevus, though in the latter the red body colouration does not extend into the head. The two also differ in the following characters: anteriormost lateral blotch of comparable size in both sexes in B. maculatus vs. significantly larger in male than female B. naevus; 9-10 + 9 principal caudal-fin rays vs. 9 + 8; 26-29 lateral scales vs. 24-26; i.6.i. pelvic-fin rays vs. i.5.i.

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...

This species is very rare in the trade and is normally imported only as bycatch among shipments of other fishes. It can be told apart from its well-known congener B. dorsiocellata by a combination of characters as follows: lateral line complete (25-30 pored scales vs. 4-9); more scales in the lateral row (29-32 vs. 25-27); larger adult siz...

B. dorsiocellata is sometimes traded as 'green-eyed', 'emerald-eyed' or 'hi-spot' rasbora. There appear to exist several geographical forms of the species at least two of which have been seen in the trade. The most common is the rather plain-coloured fish that is produced commercially in large numbers and has gained popularity due to the bright green/blue reflective patch in the lower part of the eye.

This species is uncommon in the aquarium hobby. It is similar to the congeners C. borneensis and C. lorteti but can be told apart by males possessing a red (vs. bluish to greyish with black and white distal bands in C. lorteti) caudal-fin and lacking (vs. possessing) a black blotch at the base of the dorsal-fin.

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 species can be told apart from the similar-looking congener C. baramensis (once considered synonymous with C. melasoma) by absence (vs. presence) of a black spot in the centre of numerous body scales and absence (vs. presence in specimens larger than 120 mm SL) of a barred caudal-fin pattern.

Channa pleuropthalma

This species is arguably one of the most misunderstood in the hobby since it's wholly unsuitable for smaller aquaria despite its ubiquitous availability. Most retailers sell it without providing what should be considered essential information regarding long-term care and most specimens undoubtedly fail to reach their potential in captivity. The purchase of a group is also a considerable investment given that if properly cared for typical life span is in excess...

C. oblongus is another name widely misused in the trade but that species has seemingly never been exported and was described as a blueish fish with yellow fins. It's native to streams of Gunung Salak mountain in Bogor Regency, West Java, Indonesia where collecting of ornamental fishes is almost non-existent. Other species of laterally-striped Crossocheilus also exist and may be available from time-to-time but are more easily told apart from the group described above.

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.

It can be distinguished from congeners by possessing one or two pairs of barbels, a black blotch at the base of the caudal-fin, and rows of dark spots along the lateral scale rows. Members of Cyclocheilichthys are characterised by possessing a serrated dorsal fin spine, 9 branched pelvic fin rays, a conical snout, small, subterminal...

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...

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 type series was purchased from a market in Jambi province, eastern Sumatra, Indonesia and this species is also known from neighbouring Riau province plus the island province of Bangka. On Sumatra it may be restricted to the Indragiri and Batang Hari river systems. Inhabits peat swamp forests and associated black water streams in which the water is typically stained brown with humic acids and other chemicals released by decaying organic material. The dissolved mineral content is generally negligible and the pH can be as...

Native to parts of southern Borneo, eastern Sumatra, Singapore, and the Malay Peninsula. In Singapore it's considered highly-endangered and is now restricted to the Central Catchment nature reserve. Type locality is 'Tuluk and Gunung Sahilan, Sumatra, Indonesia' which appears to correspond to localities within the Kampar River drainage of which the former is now known as Teluk Meranti and is o...

D. johorensis can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: 5-6 dark, lateral stripes on body in specimens larger than 40 mm; stripes immediately above and below the central stripe (stripes '+1' and '-1', respectively) located on scale rows +2 and -2, not touching dorsal and ventral midlines (except in some small specimens from Peninsular Malaysia); stripes broad, typically between 0.5-1 scale rows deep...

Confusion with similar-looking fishes from other genera, such as Garra cambodgiensis, laterally-striped Crossocheilus spp. or Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is not uncommon, and are largely attributable to the use of trade names such as 'false flying fox' or 'Siamese flying fox'. When compared with the other species E. kalopterus exhibits several unique characters but perhaps the simplest way to identify it is by the characteristic white-edged, red and black coloured fins and the presence of two pairs of barbels.

Gymnothorax tile

The pinkish-white form of this species is among the most widely-traded aquarium fishes in the world but does not occur naturally and is in fact a leucistic variant bred specifically for ornamental purposes. The 'short-bodied' or 'balloon' variety also continues to be fashionable but under no circumstances do we recommend the purchase of these intentionally disfigured animals which tend to have much shorter life spans than the naturally-shaped fish. There also exists a less-po...

Type locality is given as 'Lake Meninju, Sumatra, Indonesia', currently known as Danau (lake) Maninjau, but conceivably the fish may have been obtained from the outflowing Antokan river rather on its western side than the lake itself.

Fowler (1940) described this species as the unique member of his new genus Homalopterula on the basis of a single specimen, separated from related genera by the curved shape of the jaws, truncate caudal-fin and scaleless ventral surface.

This species was described from 'Johore River, Segamat, Malaysia', which corresponds to Segamat District within the the Johor River watershed, Johor state, southern Peninsular Malaysia, but the type specimens were obtained via a Singapore wholesaler so it's possible that a mistake was made as there exist no other records of the species in Peninsular Malaysia. It's also been recorded from the Kapuas drainage...

The genus Kottelatlimia was erected by Nalbant (1994) to accommodate K. katik which had previously been assigned to Lepidocephalichthys but differs in various aspects noted earlier by Kottelat and Lim (1992) including: relatively small adult size; scaleless...

Generally peaceful though it may predate on smaller fishes and is somewhat timid so does not compete well with much larger, robust or otherwise boisterous species. Peaceful, comparably-sized cyprinids, loaches and other catfishes perhaps constitute the best options but be sure to research your choices thoroughly prior to purchase.

Known from the Malay Peninsula and Singapore plus Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java in Indonesia with populati0ns from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam formerly considered as conspecific now referred to K. geminus (Ng, 2003). Type locality is given as 'Bandjarmassing' which corresponds to a town now more commonly referred to as 'Banjarmasin' in South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Selatan) province, Indonesia (Borneo).

Type locality is 'Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia', but this species is widely-distributed throughout much of Southeast Asia including major river systems in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia plus the Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java. It's been extensively recorded from the Mekong, Cha...

Has been recorded in fast-flowing environments but most commonly associated with peat swamp forests and associated blackwater streams. Many such habitats have suffered degradation of some kind but in unaltered cases the dense canopy of branches above means very little light penetrates the surface of such environments, and riparian vegetation also tends to grow thickly.

This species is almost unheard of in the aquarium trade though may occasionally be exported among shipments of wild fishes from Sumatra. It's closely-related to K. bichirris but is told apart by presence (vs. absence) of a prominent, dark lateral stripe on each flank. Kryptopterus species are found only in Southeast Asia and the genus has been consi...

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.

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 61-68 scales in the lateral series; a small, well-defined, sometimes ocellated black spot on the shoulder and another in the centre of the caudal peduncle; body without longitudinal stripes formed by spots on scales; caudal fin uniformly dusky or colourless, lobes without stripes or black margins.

This species is not traded often but is occasionally available as bycatch among shipments of other species. It can be told apart from congeners most easily by the prominent, dorsally-orientated, roughly semi-circular lamina circularis in males, a feature unique within the genus. Other distinguishing characters include a combination of: forked caudal-fin; relatively small adult size; dark <-shaped mark at the base of the caudal-fin; a black spot at the base of branched caudal-fin rays 3-5.

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.

This species is not traded often but may be available occasionally bycatch among shipments of other species. It can be told apart from congeners most easily by the following combination of characters: truncate caudal-fin; scaleless patch on top of head; caudal-fin with reticulated patterning, sometimes appearing as a series of thin vertical bars; body reddish brown with darker markings; 3-7 predorsal and 3-6 postdorsal thin, transverse dark bars running across the dorsal surface; relatively deep...

The distribution records for this species are somewhat confusing. It was described from the confluence of the Lamatang and Enim rivers, Palambang Province, Sumatra and has since been recorded from Thailand (Chao Phraya River), Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang River) plus the islands of Java (Solo River) and Borneo (Kapuas and Barito rivers).

There is a fish of unknown geographical origin which matches the majority of diagnostic features for L. setigerum with the exception that the dark lateral stripe is absent in the anterior portion of the body and is not composed of interconnected spots. It is relatively common in the aquarium trade and included here as L. cf. setigerum until a confirmed identity is established.

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).

N. selangoricus is most similar to N. spiniferus since it possesses acuminate scales above and below the lateral line on the caudal peduncle, a feature not shared with any other congener. It can however be distinguished by the following characters: presence of 8-12 very regular dark bars on flanks (vs. 10-13 irregularly-shaped bars in N. spiniferus), 3-5 times...

This species is also traded as 'checker barb', 'checkerboard barb', or 'island barb', and is among the most ubiquitous species available in the aquarium trade. It is farmed commercially in enormous numbers with wild examples rarely, if ever, available. It was formerly included in the polyphyletic catch-all genus Puntius which contained over 100 species, but this situation has been largely resolved since the turn of the century.

This species is widely-distributed throughout Peninsular Thailand, Malaysia (Malay Peninsula plus the states of Sabah and Sarawak, Borneo), Singapore and Indonesia, with records from the Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Bali, Lombok, and Sulawesi existing in the latter. Type locality is 'Panimbang River, Perdana, Indonesia'. It's typically found in coastal, normally brac...

One of a handful of Pangio spp. traded under the generic name 'eel loach'. Wild populations tend to differ in colour pattern to some extent, with some exhibiting a more intense lateral stripe while others display an irregular pattern of fine dark spots on the body, for example.

Infrequently encountered in the aquarium trade, most often as bycatch among shipments of similar-looking congeners. It's included in the P. kuhlii group of closely-related species within the genus, and can be distinguished from other members by...

Originally known only from Johor and Pahang states, Peninsular Malaysia but since recorded from the Batang Hari river drainage, Sumatra and the Kapuas system, Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan) province, Indonesian Borneo. Type locality is 'Tahan River, Pahang, Malaysia'.

Described from close to the city of Bogor, Jawa Barat (West Java) province on the island of Java, Indonesia, but currently considered widespread with recorded occurrences on Java, Sumatra, Borneo and mainland Peninsular Malaysia. Some populations exhibit lighter...

Some Sumatran and Bornean populations of the highly variable P. shelfordii superficially resemble P. piperata which can cause issues with identification as the two often occur together. In general however the body patterning in P. piperata is than that of P. shelfordii and they differ in vertebral counts (mode 47 vs. 50, respectively).

This species is among the most frequently-misidentified in the hobby, almost always being traded as P. kuhlii. However the latter is currently considered endemic to Java, from where commercial collections are almost unheard of, and has possibly never been seen in aquaria.

Patterning is highly variable depending both within and between populations and the species may comprise an assemblage containing a number of taxa (Kottelat and Lim, 1993; Tan and Kottelat, 2009). For example, those from Singapore and Johor possessing intricate mottling on the dorsal surface while individuals from Terengganu have a series of saddle-like markings either alternating or connecting with the midlateral markings.

This fish has been widely available in the aquarium trade in recent years and is sometime referred to by the invented name P. 'sintangensis'. It displays a close resemblance to P. bintan and another unidentified fish known to aquarists as P. sp. 'blue line' although the inner bluish bands in the dorsal, anal and caudal fins are perhaps a little narrower in P. sp. 'Sentang' than the other two.

P. tetrazona is traditionally considered to be among the most ubiquitous species available in the aquarium trade. Wild examples are rarely traded, however, and there exists ongoing confusion as to the identity of the commercially-produced 'aquarium' tiger barb. A number of selectively-bred, ornamental strains are available. The albino, 'green' (aka 'moss'), and 'golden' (leucistic) variants are particularly pop...

One of four similar-looking, laterally-striped 'Puntius' spp. native to Southeastern Asia alongside 'P.' gemellus, 'P.' johorensis, and 'P.' trifasciatus. Of these 'P.' lineatus is most often confused with 'P.' johorensis by virtue of the fact that these two seem most common in the aquarium trade. Telling them apart is relatively simple since 'P.' lineatus has 0 - 1 pairs of barbels (vs. 2 pairs in the other three species), juv...

The identity of this species was unclear for a number of decades prior to its redescription by Ng and Kottelat (2013). The confusion originated with Brittan (1954) who misidentified specimens of R. tornieri as R. dusonensis and was exacerbated by Alfred (1963) who concluded that the holotype of R. dusonensis was conspecific with R. myersi.

Type locality is 'Central Sumatra, Indonesia', with additional records existing from Cambodia (Mekong drainage), Peninsular Malaysia (Perak River), Sumatra (from the Siak River, Riau province to the Musi River, South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan) province) and Borneo (south and westwards from the Belait river basin in Brunei Darussalam to the Sambas drainage in West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat) province, Indonesia and probably in Sarawak, Malaysia).

The genus Sphaerichthys currently comprises four species with S. osphromenoides by far the best known in the hobby. It's easily distinguishable from the congeners S. vaillanti and S. acrostoma since both exhibit a notably more elongate head and body profile, reverse sexual dimorphism (i.e. females are the more colourful/strongly-patterened), and are paternal mouthbrooders.

This species was referred to as S. sp. 'orange fin' or S. sp. 'ST01' prior to being offically named and is one of the more commonly-traded members of the genus, though often in batches containing only one gender, a mixture of species, or misidentified under an incorrect name such as S. zebrinus. It can be told apart from congeners by the following combination of characters: usually 9 soft second dorsal-fin rays; 15 soft pectoral-fin rays; first dorsal-fin in male poin...

This species is traded as S. sp. 'rainbow', S. sp. 'gold fin', or S. sp. 'gold cheek' and is among the more widely-available members of the genus although its identity was unclear prior to 2013. The most commonly-traded fish certainly appears to...

This species has been traded for a number of years, though not always under the correct name. We've seen it on sale as S. elegans or S. atropurpureus on numerous occasions, for example, and other trade names include 'Sumatran blue neon goby', 'cobalt blue goby' and 'freshwater neon goby'. Further confusion has arisen because other species are sometimes sold as S. semoni meaning identification has not always been easy and there ...

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...

This species occurs in several colour forms depending on collection locality with some exhibiting more intense pigmentation in the fins or an additional reddish lateral stripe, for example. It's sometimes said to closely resemble and occur sympatrically with Rasbora agilis, but that name is currently considered a junior synonym of the congener Trigonopoma pauciperforatum. R. agilis had previously been us...

This species is also sold as the 'redline' rasbora which is something of a misnomer as in reality the colour of the lateral stripe that gives rise to the name can vary from deep orange to golden depending upon the collection locality of the fish as well as diet, condition, and even mood. Some specimens also have a second, darkish stripe beneath the other which seems to vary in length and intensity depending on a similar array of factors. Older fish tend to possess a greater degree of black edging to the scales, especially in the ventral portion of the body.

T. hengeli is sometimes seen for sale with the trade name of 'glowlight rasbora' due to the distinctive orange patterning on the posterior part of the body but we've refrained from using that name here because it's also commonly applied to Trigonopoma pauciperforatum. It can be confused with the similar-looking T. heteromorpha and T. espei although on close inspection they're actually quite easy to tell...

T. heteromorpha was first exported for aquaria in the early 1900s and has gone on to become one of the most familiar, enduring species in the hobby. It has suffered as a result of its popularity to a certain extent with the mass-produced fish we see today lacking much of the colour seen in wild specimens and even exhibiting morphological deformities in some cases. Several selectively-bred ornamental strains have also...

This species is traded under various names including 'chocolate scissor-tailed loach', chocolate long-finned loach', 'red line cobra loach', 'spiny eel loach' and 'dragon loach'. It's apparently difficult to find in its natural habitats and thus time-consuming to collect, meaning it's rarely traded in numbers, sought after by enthusiasts and tends to carry a relatively high price tag when available. The genus currently contains just three...

This species is a near-exclusive inhabitant of the upper water column and appreciates surface cover in the form of floating or overhanging vegetation. Other décor is relatively unimportant but can consist of a sandy substrate with leaf litter plus some large driftwood branches and twisted roots. Plants which can grow rooted in sand can al...

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 often confused with the nominal congeners C. marulius (Hamilton, 1822) and C. melanoptera (Bleeker, 1855) with all three presenting taxonomic problems. For example, C. marulioides exhibits a number of variations in colour pattern depending on collection locality with the most common possessing a brownish base colour with a series of dark, chevron-like markings along each flank and some scales margined posteriorly in white.

C. micropeltes is also referred to as 'Indonesian', 'red', or 'redline' snakehead, the latter names in reference to the appearance of juveniles which often appear in the ornamental trade despite its unsuitability for home aquaria. It is somewhat hyperbolised in the media as a fearsome, invasive "monster" fish with a reputation for killing more fish than it can eat, and even the occasional human, although in reality...

This species is not collected for the aquarium trade at time of writing. In contrast to other members of the genus older juvenile and adult individuals lack dark markings on the body while the jaw is more pronounced.

In the Mekong, it has been observed to migrate upstream from Phnom Penh to Khone Falls between November and February, returning downstream between May and August. The downstream migration ends in the Mekong delta area in Vietnam, where the fish remain until the floods reach their peak in October and November. These lower Mekong migrations mostly comprise juveniles and sub-adults, whereas above Khone Falls...

In aquarium literature this species is also referred to as 'fine scaled tiger fish', 'Indonesian tiger fish', 'Sumatran tiger fish', 'Indo datnoid', and 'Indo dat'. The common name of 'tiger fish' is also used in reference to the African alestid genus Hydrocynus, and the more appropriate 'tiger perch' was suggested by Roberts and Kottelat (1994).

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.

Aggressively territorial and incompatible with other fishes in all but the largest public installations and even then may attack its tankmates. It's also one of few freshwater fishes that appear unafraid of humans meaning care must be exercised when performing maintenance.

L. chrysophekadion is also known as 'black sharkminnow'. It continues to be available in the ornamental trade despite its patent unsuitability for the home aquarium, and an albino form has been selectively bred for the purpose. It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination...

Apparently native to Peninsular Malaysia plus the Greater Sunda Islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. Reports of this species from the Mekong, Chao Phraya, and other rivers in Indochina refer to the congener L. rubripinna (see 'Notes'). Type locality is 'Indonesia: Borneo: Kalimantan Selatan: Banjarmasin'.

It is thought to have been extirpated from the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong rivers, Lake Songkhla, and the entire island of Java due to a variety of anthropogenic factors, and the Mekong populations have also been drastically reduced. In particular, it is sensitive to pollution and gillnetting, and is heavily overfished.

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.

P. apogon has formerly been placed within the genera Kryptopterus, Micronema (Rainboth, 1996) and more recently Phalacronotus (Ferraris, 2007) and is an important food fish across much of its native range. It's very similar to P. micronema but can be told apart by its longer head (HL fits 4.6± 5.3 times in...

This species is distinguished from its Australian congeners S. jardinii and S. leichardti by possessing a lower number of lateral line scales (21-26 vs 32-36). It occurs naturally in a number of colour forms of which three were elevated to distinct species status in 2003, but the current majority view is that all represent S. formosus pending a detailed review. Kottelat (2013) mentions that the red form may...

Known from the Pahang River system in southern Peninsular Malaysia, and the Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra and Borneo. On the latter records exist from the Kapuas, Barito, and Mahakam watersheds in Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of the island Type locality is 'Pangabuang, Lampong Province, Sumatra, Indonesia'.

This species is poorly known in general and is not present in the ornamental trade, although its name is widely misapplied to other Luciosoma species. Its congeners are mostly marketed as 'apollo shark', 'shark minnow', or similar, and often labelled with incorrect scientific names. Identification of the fish pictured here is based on Bleeker (1855, 1860) and Roberts (1989), plus drawings by Bleeker, thus...