Khwae Noi

The Mae Klong chameleon catfish, Acrochordonichthys septentrionalis, is an akysid from western Thailand, possibly endemic to the Mae Klong drainage. It differs from other members of the A. ischnosoma group in its almost uniformly cream body with a few small brown spots, though colouration in the genus is variable. Like its congeners it can secrete a milky substance from the axillary pore when stressed, and this can quickly kill other fishes in an aquarium.

Badis khwae is a badid that appears to be endemic to the Khwae Noi River basin in western Thailand, close to the border with Myanmar. It is most easily confused with B. ruber and B. siamensis, but lacks the rows of dark spot-like markings both have on the flanks. Its restricted range means it is unlikely ever to be available in large numbers. It lives in small forest streams with sluggish to moderate flow, usually in marginal areas or still pools.

Batasio tigrinus is a small bagrid catfish that appears endemic to the Khwae Noi basin, often called the River Kwai, in western Thailand. The Khwae Noi is part of the larger Mae Klong watershed. Like its congeners it is an obligate inhabitant of shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwater streams, and it is largely unsuitable for the 'general' community aquarium.

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

Microdevario kubotai is a miniature cyprinid from peninsular Thailand and the Salween drainage in southern Myanmar. Relatively common in the ornamental trade, it is sold under names including 'green neon rasbora' and 'yellow neon rasbora'. It apparently inhabits calm to moderately-flowing, well-oxygenated headwaters and minor tributaries. In nature it typically occurs in groups of 20-50, and at least 8-10 are recommended.

Opsarius signicaudus is a cyprinid known only from headwater tributaries of the Mae Klong River in western Thailand. It inhabits well-oxygenated, moderate to fast-moving rivers and streams over gravel, cobbles and boulders, and is intolerant of organic wastes. A large, elongated blotch at the caudal-fin base helps separate it from congeners. It may have been exported for aquaria, though probably not under the correct name.

Schistura aurantiaca is a small nemacheilid loach known only from the Mae Khlong basin in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. It is told apart from congeners solely by its colour pattern of 3-9 vertical orange bars on each flank. It inhabits riffles in clear, well-oxygenated headwater streams shaded by forest, and is possibly exported alongside similar-looking species such as S. cf. balteata.

The giant snakehead, Channa micropeltes, is a predatory fish from Southeast Asia that grows to well over a metre. Juveniles are sold as 'red' or 'redline' snakehead, but it is suitable only for public installations or the very largest private aquaria. Unlike most Channa species it is pelagic and needs plenty of room to swim, and adults become aggressive at sexual maturity.

Nemacheilus troglocataractus is a blind cave loach known only from the Tham Sai Yok Noi cave system in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. Most specimens have no externally visible eyes and all are entirely depigmented. It is protected by Thai law and illegal to remove from its habitat, so the profile includes it for interest only.