Results for “ex gr.”

This species is almost identical to the wild form of 'P.' semifasciolatus which is best known as the 'golden barb' in the aquarium hobby due to the popularity of a yellowish ornamental strain. The natural colour pattern is greenish in both species, however, and in terms of external characters they're only reliably distinguished by the fact that 'P.' semifasciolatus possesses a pair of prominent maxillary barbels wherea...

There are a number of unidentified species within the grouping of which several are referred to using a two-letter code based on their respective colour pattern for ease of reference, with 'CB' shorthand for 'cross band', for example. R. sp. 'CB' is the commonest member of the grouping in Japan but has not yet entered the international aquarium trade as far as we know.

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...

Crenicichla compressiceps are an excellent little fish. They are small, but they swim a great deal (and can be incredibly quick) so require larger aquaria than other, similar sized fish. In the wild, Compressiceps are insect feeders. They will wait quietly then quickly sweep down and prey on any nearby insects. They have good vision in the night and will often feed in the dark. Be careful when choosing tankmates, though as previously mentioned it may be mandatory to include some fish to e...

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.

An incredibly hardy, long-lived fish which can survive for over 20 years in captivity. These fish develop real personality and can learn to recognise their owner. They are often sold as cute juveniles in aquatic shops with no information provided as to their adult size. The young have an attractive barred patterning which fades as the fish grow, which they do very quickly. A golden variety also exists in aquaria. O. goramy is cultured commercially for food on a large scale in several countrie...

Native to extreme northern Peru and coastal drainages of western Ecuador as far north as the Río Esmereldas drainage and possibly beyond. The form from the Esmereldas and above may represent a different species (see 'notes').

This species can be told apart from the very similar-looking congener B. filamentosum by its smaller adult size (B. filamentosum can grow to almost 3 m in length), shorter maxillary barbels (never extending beyond base of adipose fin (vs. extending beyond base of adipose fin), moderately-forked with lobes of equal size (vs. deeply-forked caudal fin with upper lobe usually longer than the lower) and body col...

This species is often confused with B. krataios in the aquarium trade, the latter having been known as B. sp. 'Kapuas' prior to description. The two can easily be told apart as the caudal-fin is rounded in B. krataios but spade-shaped and in adults, highly-extended in B. dimidiata. Together these two comprise the B. dimidiata group of closely-related species within the gen...

This species was traded as B. sp. 'Kapuas' prior to its formal description and continues to be mislabelled B. dimidiata. The two can easily be told apart as the caudal-fin is rounded in B. krataios but spade-shaped and in adults, highly-extended in B. dimidiata. Together these two comprise the B. dimidiata group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, members of which can be characterised b...

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...

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'.

P. leopoldi is aruably one of the most stunning freshwater species in the hobby and comes with a price tag to match. A fully grown one of these makes a jaw-dropping sight. Sadly exports from Brazil are now illegal under the IBAMA regulations, although captive bred fish are available occasionally. The price tends to be even more expensive as a result. A rare form in which the light spots appear as rings with black centres is known as P. leopoldi "eclipse" is more costly still. The stunn...

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.

The native name for this species is Caribito Parguasero. It's sometimes sold as the "green tiger piranha" in the trade and is usually highly coveted and expensive when available. A notoriously sensitive traveller, mortality rates are sadly quite high among imported fish. The lack of fully-grown specimens known to the hobby is also a worry, and would suggest that the majority are not being maintained correctly. This really is a species for the specialist with the resources necessar...

B. pinguis is included in the Betta akarensis group/complex of closely-related species within the genus, of which members share the following set of characters: possession of pre-orbital and post-orbital stripes (the post-orbital stripe is faint or interrupted in some species); chin bar present; caudal-fin lanceolate with highly extended median rays in mature males; caudal fin usually with transverse bars; greenish or bluish iridescent scales on body of males in some species; opercle without iridescent scales except in juveniles.

This species is poorly-known in the aquarium hobby but is sometimes exported as bycatch among shipments of other species, especially Nannostomus beckfordi to which it appears quite similar. The easiest way to tell the two apart is that N. grandis lacks pale white or bluish tips to the ventral fins. It can be further distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: body size up to 46.2 mm, the largest in the genus; bo...

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...

For aquarists perhaps more useful are the subtle differences in colour pattern with P. simulans differing from both P. innesi and P. axelrodi in possessing a greener (vs. bluer) lateral stripe which covers more (vs. less) of the eye/head and extends to the caudal-fin base (vs. terminating anterior to caudal-fin base), a lesser (vs. greater) amount of relatively duller (vs. brighter) red pigmentation on the flanks. The taxonomic history of all three species is complicated with earlier authors such as Géry (1960, 1977) ten...

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.