Results for “species”

Also known as the painted, saddle or marbled sailfin catfish, it's debatable as to whether this species should be considered an aquarium subject at all given its eventual size. All too often, juveniles are sold without adequate information regarding their long term care. These cats can and will attain something close to their maximum size in captivity, and will do so quite quickly. The myth that they will only grow to match the size of the tank they're kept in is just that. It's a...

Sand-dwelling loaches from the families Botiidae, Cobitidae and Nemacheilidae are also suitable but proper research is essential as some can be excessively territorial or otherwise aggressive. A community based around fishes from its natural waters could include species such as Badis badis,...

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.

The family Cobitidae, often referred to as 'true' loaches, is widely-distributed across most of Eurasia with the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China representing particular centres of species diversity. Phylogenetic analyses by Tang et al. (2006), Šlechtová et al. (2007) and Šlechtová et a...

This fish may only have been exported for aquaria on a single occasion to date. It exhibits characters reminiscent of both L. alkaia and L. guntea, and has been referred to as L. cf. guntea) but is most likely an undescribed species (Havird, pers. comm.).

This species is available sporadically and makes an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. It's distinguishable from congeners by a combination of characters including: truncate/rounded caudal-fin; no scales on top of head; dark, squarish spots o...

The type locality consisted of remnant ephemeral pools in otherwise dry agricultural land, and many adults were collected from such habitats. Other species present included the congener L. hasselti plus members of Anabas, 'Puntius', Rasbora, Channa, and Hampala.

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).

Leporacanthicus species are commonly referred to as "vampire plecs". This is derived from the unique upper jaw dentition exhibited by members of this genus, unsurprisingly consisting of two large teeth or "fangs". The exact use for these is unknown, but they're probably utilised to grip prey items such as snails or other aquatic invertebrates in some way. Another feature shared by all Leporacanthicus is a small bony growth of unknown use on top of the head. This particul...

Type locality is 'Tukeit, Guyana', and this species is known from various river drainages of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana including the Orinoco, Essequibo, and upper Courantyne (aka Corantijn) basins. Additional records exist from the upper Amazon basin in Guyana, these presumably corresponding to the Takutu river basin, itself part of the upper rio Branco.

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'.

L. elongata is the type species of the genus but according to current knowledge there exist 13 members in total, all of which are endemic to China and northern Vietnam. They're diagnosable by the following shared characters: possession of a simple (non-bifurcated), short sub-ocular spine not extending beyond the posterior edge of the eye; a laterally-compressed body; relatively deep caudal peduncle; pelvic fins reaching origin of anal-fin; anus below base of dorsal-fin and equidistant between pelvic and anal-fin origins.

Should be kept in a set-up designed to resemble a flowing stream with a substrate of variably-sized rocks, gravel and some water-worn boulders. This can be further furnished with driftwood roots and branches arranged to form some shaded spots while lengths of PVC piping or similar can be used to provide additional cover. Although most plant species will fail to thrive in such surroundings hardy genera such as Microsorum, Bolbitis or Anubias spp. can be grown attached to the décor and bright lighting will promote the growth of aufwuchs.

L. taeniops is almost unheard of in the aquarium trade although we know of one or two private collectors maintaining it. It was previously included in the related genus Parabotia. L. elongata is the type species of the genus but according to current thinking there exi...

This species was originally classified in the genus Limia before this was made a sub-genus of Poecilia. Confusingly they have been reclassified once more into Limia, but are still referred to as members of Poecilia in much of the available literature. L. melanogaster is endemic to Jamaica. It is not often seen for sale in the hobby....

L. disparis is sometimes available as bycatch among shipments of other species such as Rhinogobius duospilus but also appears on trade lists under the fictitious scientific name 'Homaloptera hoffmani'. It can be told apart from similar-looking members of the genus Formosania by its noticeably shorter barbels and from Vanmanenia spp. by the fact that the rostral fold is not lobed and the mouth is relatively small (25% head width. In addition the lower lip in Liniparhomaloptera is not divided and has a flat, papillated edge.

The majority of Lobocheilos species are endemic to the Greater Sunda Islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, and are uncommon in the aquarium trade, but the widespread Indochinese taxa L. melanotaenia and L. rhabdoura are available on a sporadic basis. L. melanotaenia can be distinguished from L. rhabdoura by the following comb...

An interesting addition to the Tanganyikan community that is not often seen in the hobby. There is a rumour that this cat can secrete a poisonous mucous when stressed that can kill other fish in the aquarium but this has not yet been 100% confirmed. It may be wise to keep it in as large an aquarium as possible just in case. There are currently just 4 species of Lophiobagrus described. All are from Lake Tanganyika....

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...

In 1996 the species was known from five localities in Hong Kong, but at least one of these has been destroyed and it is now known only from Tai Po and Sai Kung districts. Additional populations have subsequently been discovered in Guangdong and Fujian provinces on the southern Chinese mainland. Type locality is 'China: Hong Kong: Tai Po: Sha Lo Tung'.