Vembanad

The green panchax, Aplocheilus blockii, is a small killifish from Sri Lanka and southern India, growing to around 45 mm SL. Euryhaline, it mostly inhabits lowland, often coastal, still or slow-moving brackish or fresh water with surface vegetation or overhanging cover, and is commonly found in mangrove swamps and rice paddies.

The orange chromide, Pseudetroplus maculatus, is a euryhaline cichlid native to peninsular India and Sri Lanka. It mostly inhabits brackish estuaries, coastal lagoons and the lower reaches of rivers, and can be kept in fresh or brackish water so long as acidic conditions are avoided. Wild examples are rarely seen in the hobby, where selectively bred strains traded as 'red' or 'yellow' chromide are widely available.

The spiketail paradisefish, Pseudosphromenus cupanus, is a small labyrinth fish restricted to southern India and Sri Lanka. It lives in sluggish and still waters such as rice paddies, swamps and weedy ponds. It lacks the two dark lateral stripes of its only congener, P. dayi. A secretive bubble nester, it is peaceful but too small and timid for most community aquaria.

The green chromide, Etroplus suratensis, is a euryhaline cichlid from peninsular India and Sri Lanka, growing to 350 mm SL. It mostly inhabits brackish estuaries, coastal lagoons and lower river reaches. Not especially popular in the hobby, it is an important food fish, and some populations have crashed through over-exploitation. In Sri Lanka's Negombo Lagoon Pseudetroplus maculatus has been seen acting as its cleaner while also eating its eggs and fry.