Typically inhabits slow-moving, shallow, shady rainforest streams and swamps with dense submerged and marginal vegetation. The conditions are often rather turbid and the substrate composed of mud or fallen leaves, twigs and branches. Such environments characteristically contain soft, weakly acidic water and are often dimly-lit due to the rainforest canopy above. The fish are found sheltering among overhanging tree roots and aquatic vegetation.

The identity of this species was unclear for a number of decades prior to its redescription by Ng and Kottelat (2013).

The confusion originated with Brittan (1954) who misidentified specimens of R. tornieri as R. dusonensis and was exacerbated by Alfred (1963) who concluded that the holotype of R. dusonensis was conspecific with R. myersi.

D. foerschi is sometimes traded as ‘boomerang barb’ or ‘Foersch’s fire barb’ and is included in a group of closely-related, similar-looking fishes which were moved into the new genus Desmopuntius by Kottelat (2013).

It can be told apart from other vertically-striped congeners by possession of additional dark blotches between the second, third and fourth vertical bars and a further marking at the posterior base o…

In the exceptionally diverse Danau Sentarum lake system of the upper Kapuas River basin, West Kalimantan, sympatric species include Scleropages formosus, Barbonymus gonionotus, B. schwanenfeldii, Crossocheilus nigriloba, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, C. repasson, Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus, Labiobarbus ocellatus , Leptobarbus hoevenii, Luciosoma spilopleura plus various representatives of Barbodes, Rasbora and Osteochilus.

An ideal resident of the larger, well-furnished community set-up though it might upset slow-moving or timid companions simply by its size.

There are plenty of suitable tankmates including many cyprinids, loaches, cichlids, catfish and characins, but as always when selecting a compatible community of fish proper research is essential. A community based around one of its native countries or river basins…

This species is currently understood to have a considerable natural range extending eastwards from Myanmar via Thailand, Laos, Cambodia as far as Vietnam and to the south through Peninsular Malaysia and into the Greater Sunda Islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

It thus occurs in the Mekong, Mae Klong and Chao Phraya drainages as well as a host of other river basins, lakes and reservoirs including the Tonlé Sap river…

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.

This species is rarely-exported for the aquarium hobby but is available on occasion. The name ‘P.‘ kuchingensis is frequently misapplied, however, with subadult forms of ‘P.‘ everetti and some populations of the geographically-variable ‘P.‘ lateristriga regularly traded as such, for example.

Though closely-affiliated with and superficially very similar to…

This species is occasionally marketed as ‘Burmese Rainbow Barb’ in the ornamental trade. others may have been exported in small numbers or as bycatch among shipments of other species.

It was referred to as Mystacoleucus marginatus for decades, but that name is a simultaneous subjective synonym of M. obtusirostris following Kottelat (2013).