This species occasionally appears in the aquarium hobby, but the trade is largely reliant on commercially-produced ‘tiger barbs’ of questionable origin.

It was considered a synonym of P. anchisporus for a number of decades following Alfred (1963), but revalidated by Kottelat and Tan (2011).

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.

The five species which currently comprise Luciosoma can be distinguished by elements of colour pattern. Popta described the colour pattern of L. pellegrinii as follows: body colour olive dorsally, with dark-edged scales, yellow ventrally; a lateral series of dark spots on the flank forming a midlateral band which extends onto the opercle but not the head; 4-8 blackish-brown, distinctly-separate spots on the lateral line; fins yellow; dorsal and anal fins with a blackish-brown band; anterior half of some pectoral-fin rays blackish-brown…

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.

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’.

Substrates are generally composed of gravel, rocks, boulders or bedrock carpeted with a rich biofilm formed by algae and other micro-organisms.

At a habitat in the Mendawai river basin in central Kalimantan, H. borneensis was collected from a foothill stream running swiftly over a rock and gravel substrate with clear water of pH 6.4.

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.

Likely to prey on insects and other small invertebrates/zooplankton in nature. Captive fish will normally accept dried products once they’re recognised as edible, but should be offered plenty of small live or frozen foods such as Daphnia, Artemia or bloodworm regularly to ensure development of optimal colour and condition.

Small insects such as crickets or Drosophila fru…

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.

Tan (2009) redescribed H. stephensoni and it possesses the following unique character set: sub-inferior mouth with thin barbels; five principle, 12-13 secondary pectoral fin rays (usually 12); scaleless belly; pattern of keeled scales on anterior, dorsal portion of body consisting of a single central keel in the posterior third of each scale; 43-50 lateral line…