Myanmar

The Chinese false gudgeon, Abbottina rivularis, is a small bottom-dwelling cyprinid native to China, the Korean peninsula and southern Japan. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, including the Mekong and Salween basins, Taiwan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is considered invasive. It has started to appear in the aquarium trade and should never be released into natural waters outside its native range.

The Sittaung stream catfish, Akysis longifilis, is a small akysid catfish known from the Sittaung River system in southern Myanmar. One of the few members of the family exported for the hobby, it has noticeably long nasal and maxillary barbels and two saddle-shaped light markings between the dorsal and caudal fins. The sympatric A. portellus is very similar, and differs mainly in its shorter adipose fin base and smaller mouth.

The smallmouth stream catfish, Akysis portellus, is a small akysid catfish from the Sittaung River system in southern Myanmar. One of the few members of the family exported for the hobby, it grows to around 43 mm SL. It closely resembles the sympatric A. longifilis, and differs in its shorter adipose fin base, smaller mouth and more rounded head when viewed from above.

The Indawgyi stream catfish, Akysis prashadi, is an akysid catfish from Lake Indawgyi and the upper Ayeyarwady drainage in northern Myanmar. It has also been recorded from the Lokchao river in Manipur, India. At up to 62 mm SL it ranks among the largest in the genus, and though it has been exported for the hobby it is by no means common.

The orange-banded stream catfish, Akysis vespa, appears endemic to headwaters of the Salween basin on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. One of the few members of the family exported for the hobby, it is also sold as 'wasp catfish' or 'orange micro bumblebee catfish'. Its yellow markings normally form wide bands, a pattern rarely seen in congeners, and the yellow on the snout extends to the base of the nasal barbels.

The western stream catfish, Akysis vespertinus, is an akysid catfish known only from the Ann Chaung river system in Rakhine State, western Myanmar. Exceptionally rare in the aquarium trade, it has a narrow snout that makes the head look triangular, and two light, saddle-shaped markings between the dorsal and caudal fins. The region holds several other locally endemic fishes, including Danio aesculapii, and the species seems likely to occur more widely there.

The dwarf chain loach, Ambastaia sidthimunki, is a small botiid loach from the Mae Klong basin in western Thailand and the Ataran drainage in Myanmar. Older records from the Yom River, Laos and Cambodia refer to A. nigrolineata. Gregarious, it should be kept in a group of at least five or six and preferably ten or more, and reports conflict on whether it stays peaceful with sedentary or long-finned fishes.

Badis corycaeus is a badid known only from the upper Ayeyarwady River basin in northern Myanmar, including nearby Lake Indawgyi. Its closest relative is B. pyema, but it is much the deeper, darker-bodied fish. At the type locality it lives in running water towards the margins of a clear stream, alongside B. kyar and Dario hysginon, which occupy different niches. Rare in the hobby, it is best kept alone with the emphasis on captive reproduction, and rival males can be very aggressive.

Badis ferrarisi is a badid endemic to the Ayeyarwady River drainage in Myanmar, although the full extent of its range remains unclear. It is difficult to confuse with any congener because of its body patterning of usually 11 short dark bars running along the flank from just behind the gill plate. Poorly documented and rare in the hobby, it is best kept alone with the emphasis on captive reproduction, and rival males can be aggressive towards one another.

Badis kyar is a slender badid from the upper Ayeyarwady River basin in northern Myanmar, recorded near Myitkyina and in the lower Shweli River. It shares its body shape with B. pyema, but has solid, uniform dark bars on the flanks and a solid bar on the caudal peduncle where B. pyema has rows of irregular spots and a blotch. At the type locality it occupies the faster flow towards the centre of the stream, and it needs more current than most other Badis in the aquarium.

Badis pyema is a slender badid known only from the remote, mountainous Putao area of Kachin state, northern Myanmar, in the Ayeyarwady system. It resembles B. kyar in shape, but its flank 'bars' are rows of irregular dark spots and it has a dark blotch on each side of the caudal peduncle. The type series came from a narrow, shallow, fast-moving forest stream with clear water over rocks, gravel and sand, and it needs more flow than most other Badis in the aquarium.

The Burmese badis, Badis ruber, is a badid common throughout much of lowland Myanmar, from the Ayeyarwady and Sittaung south to the Tenasserim. Among the better known Badis in the hobby, it is also traded as 'red badis' and appears in older literature as Badis badis burmicanus. It differs from B. khwae and B. siamensis in its rows of vertically arranged dark flank markings and relatively large caudal peduncle blotch. It tends to inhabit lentic biotopes such as roadside ditches and small, well-vegetated creeks.

The spotted barb, Barbodes binotatus, is a cyprinid ranging from Myanmar and Thailand through the Greater Sunda Islands to the Philippines. So ubiquitous across its range that it's often called simply 'common barb', it occurs from sea level to at least 2000 m in habitats from fast-flowing hill streams to irrigation canals and floodplain ponds. The basic pattern of a dark spot at the dorsal-fin origin and another on the caudal peduncle varies with origin.

Batasio feruminatus is a small bagrid catfish from the Ataran River system in southern Myanmar, to which it is possibly endemic. Some Ataran tributaries extend across the border into Thailand. Like its congeners it is an obligate inhabitant of shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwater streams. B. feruminatus alone in the genus has both an oblique dark bar in front of the dorsal fin and a thin black midlateral stripe.

Known in the trade as the 'Burmese loach', Botia histrionica is a botiid loach from Myanmar, Manipur in India and Yunnan, China. Young fish all carry five solid dark bars on each flank and are often confused with B. kubotai, but in B. histrionica the bars stay solid for longer and the central bar usually forms a 'y' shape. Adult patterning varies considerably between the Ayeyarwady, Salween, Manipur and Ataran forms, and there has been speculation that some represent distinct species.

The polka-dot loach, Botia kubotai, is a botiid loach that appears to be endemic to headwaters of the Salween basin in Myanmar and Thailand. It was traded before it was described and is still sold as 'angelicus', 'Burmese border loach' and 'marbled loach', among other names. Juveniles are often confused with B. histrionica, but the dark bars in B. kubotai split at a young age.

The emperor botia, Botia udomritthiruji, is a botiid loach known only from the Tanintharyi River drainage in southern Myanmar. Known since 1993, it was occasionally traded as B. sp. 'Tenasserim' before it was described. At first glance it is most easily confused with B. histrionica but keeps its wider vertical bars at all ages, while in B. histrionica the bars become irregular or break up completely as the fish mature.

The crazy fish, Butis butis, is a flathead gudgeon of coastal and brackish waters across the Indo-Pacific, from eastern Africa to Fiji. The most commonly traded member of the genus, it has many other names, including crocodile fish, duckbill sleeper and upside-down sleeper. A nocturnal ambush predator, it often swims upside-down, and it is territorial and not sociable with conspecifics, so is best kept singly.

Chagunius baileyi is a large cyprinid endemic to the Salween and Sittaung river basins in Myanmar and western Thailand. Rarely kept, it turns up occasionally as bycatch among shipments of wild fish from Thailand and Myanmar. It looks almost identical to C. chagunio and C. nicholsi, and the three are most easily separated by collection details since their ranges do not overlap. At up to 200 mm it needs a very large tank with plenty of open swimming space.

The humphead perchlet, Chanda pulcinella, is a freshwater ambassid endemic to Myanmar, where it inhabits large, fast-flowing, clear streams. Described in 2003, it takes its name from the scaleless hump on its head, formed from an extension of the spine and apparently smaller in females. Artificially dyed specimens have reached the market and should be avoided, since the process is cruel and usually shortens the fish's life considerably.

The Indian glass fish, Chanda ranga, is a small ambassid from South and Southeast Asia, with translucent skin that shows its bones and organs. For many years it was injected with luminous dyes on Asian fish farms and sold as 'painted' glass fish, and most injected fish do not survive more than a few months. It is found most often in freshwater, frequently soft and acidic, and needs no added salt. Parambassis lala and C. siamensis are often imported under its name.

Channa burmanica is a snakehead that appears endemic to the headwaters of the Ayeyarwady in northern Myanmar, known only from the Mali Hka drainage. It is exceptionally rare in the aquarium trade, and its name has been applied to other snakeheads, including an unidentified fish known as C. sp. 'fire and ice'. It lacks pelvic fins, and aquarium specimens suggest orangey-brown patches between the eye and upper lip are typical.

The dwarf snakehead, Channa gachua, is a snakehead recorded across an enormous range from Iran to Taiwan and Bali. There is significant evidence that C. gachua as currently understood is a complex of similar-looking species in need of taxonomic review. A mouthbrooder bred regularly in captivity, it can share a well-chosen community with peaceful fishes too large to be prey, but populations should not be mixed as some may hybridise.

The forest snakehead, Channa lucius, is a predatory snakehead from Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia and the Greater Sunda Islands. Also referred to as the 'splendid' or 'shiny' snakehead, it occurs on Sumatra, Borneo and Java, grows to 400 mm SL and favours forest swamps and tributaries. Like others in the genus it breathes atmospheric air, and it needs a dimly-lit tank with plenty of cover and a tightly-fitting lid, since Channa spp. are notorious for their ability to escape.

Channa sp. 'fire and ice' is an unidentified snakehead apparently collected in the border region between Myanmar and western Thailand. Named for the red and blue colour pattern on its head, it first appeared in the aquarium trade in 2009 and has also been sold as C. sp. 'cherry'. A paternal mouthbrooder, it has been bred in captivity, and young fish turn highly aggressive towards one another as they mature.

The neon hatchet fish, Chela cachius, is a deep-bodied cyprinid mostly recorded from the Ganges and Brahmaputra systems of India and Bangladesh. Its extremely deep body means it is unlikely to be confused with any related species, and it is the only valid member of the genus. A habitat generalist, it is an active schooling fish that is best kept in a group of at least 8-10 in a tank with a tightly-fitting cover, since it is an accomplished jumper.

The golden puffer, Chonerhinos naritus, is a pufferfish from estuarine rivers in China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Much of the available information describes it as a freshwater species, but it appears to be estuarine, and all museum specimens were collected in brackish or marine conditions, so it needs marine salt in aquaria. An aggressive, intolerant fish, it requires its own aquarium and can easily bite chunks from other fish.

The beardless barb, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, is a cyprinid ranging from Myanmar to Vietnam and south via Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo and Sumatra. Also sold as 'skinhead barb', it lacks barbels and has a black blotch at the caudal-fin base plus rows of dark spots along the scale rows. It favours slower-moving or still water and grazes the biofilm on submerged roots and branches. Rarely imported in numbers, it most often arrives as bycatch.

The panther danio, Danio aesculapii, is a small cyprinid endemic to the Rakhine Yoma (Arakan mountains) of western Myanmar. It continues to be traded under names such as 'Danio sp. pantheri', 'D. sp. hieroglyph' and 'D. sp. TW03'. Six or seven brown vertical bars on the front of the body and two rows of small brown spots behind them set it apart from congeners. One of the smaller members of the genus at 25 to 30 mm, it inhabits seasonal streams and pools.

The pearl danio, Danio albolineatus, is a small cyprinid recorded from Myanmar and Indochina south to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. Colour and patterning differ between localities, and doubts remain whether it is a single species or a group of closely related fish. Wild examples are rare in the trade, with most produced commercially in South East Asia or eastern Europe, and some of the fish traded are likely to be hybrids with D. roseus.

The glowlight danio, Danio choprae, is a small cyprinid from northern Myanmar, apparently restricted to the Mogaung Chaung system. Available in the trade since around 2003, it quickly became one of the most popular small danionins in the hobby, and commercial breeding means wild fish are hard to come by. It closely resembles D. flagrans, and the spelling 'choprai' seen in some sources is not the accepted one.

The moustached danio, Danio dangila, is a cyprinid from the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages, with most records from Nepal, India and Bangladesh. The common name refers to its exceptionally long barbels, and despite its apparent abundance in nature it remains uncommon in the hobby. Its constant activity can upset slow-moving or timid tankmates, so it suits larger tanks with similarly-sized fishes, and adult size appears to vary by population from 60 to 130 mm.

Danio erythromicron is a miniature danionin from Lake Inle and its surrounding watershed in Shan State, eastern Myanmar. Fully grown at just 20 mm, it is sold under trade names including 'emerald dwarf danio' and 'cross-banded dwarf rasbora'. It will not do well in acidic water, and there is limited evidence that it has been hybridised with D. margaritatus and the offspring sold as females of that species.

The Yoma danio, Danio feegradei, is a cyprinid considered endemic to the western slopes of the Rakhine Yoma in western Myanmar. Seen in the hobby since around 2005, it is traded under names such as 'Danio sp. Yoma', 'D. sp. gold laser' and 'D. sp. rocket'. The spot-like markings on the flanks vary, and some specimens lack them entirely. It inhabits small, seasonal forest streams, and its constant activity suits it to larger tanks with similarly sized fishes.

The northern glowlight danio, Danio flagrans, is a small cyprinid known only from a handful of streams near Putao in far northern Myanmar. It has reached the hobby in limited numbers, also traded as 'Danio sp. Putao', 'D. putaoensis' or 'D. cf. choprae'. It looks very similar to D. choprae and is told apart by its more slender body, longer barbels and an almost always present lateral line.

The orange-finned danio, Danio kyathit, is a small cyprinid from the upper Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River drainage in northern Myanmar. Its body patterning varies, with the lateral stripes solid in some specimens and wavy or broken into spots in others, and the striped form was recovered as genetically distinct from the spotted one. Striped fish resemble D. rerio but have much longer barbels and red to orange fins. Very peaceful, it seems most comfortable at 16 to 26 °C.

The celestial pearl danio, Danio margaritatus, is a miniature cyprinid from the Salween drainage in Shan State, eastern Myanmar. First marketed as 'Galaxy Rasbora' after its discovery in 2006, it became one of the most hyped fishes the hobby has known, and Myanmar banned exports in 2007 after reports of overfishing. Intensive commercial breeding means specimens with spotted fins or deformities are now common in the ornamental trade.

The dwarf spotted danio, Danio nigrofasciatus, is a small cyprinid endemic to central Myanmar, on both sides of the Bago Yoma range. It inhabits streams, minor rivers, ponds, ditches and rice paddies, many of them seasonal. A spotted anal-fin separates it most easily from similar species such as D. rerio and D. kyathit. Very peaceful but rather timid, it does best alone or with similarly sized species that enjoy similar conditions.

The rosy danio, Danio roseus, is a small cyprinid from the Mekong basin in northern Thailand and Laos, also recorded in northern Myanmar. Colourful, hardy and usually cheap, it has proved very popular and is sometimes sold as 'purple passion danio'. It is very similar to D. albolineatus sensu stricto but has a slimmer body, shorter rostral barbels and no dark stripes on the rear half of the body. Many fish in the hobby are thought to be hybrids of the two.

The hikari danio, Danio sp. 'hikari', is a probable undescribed cyprinid from the Tanintharyi River drainage in southern Myanmar. First available in 2002, males and females were sold as 'Danio sp. hikari yellow' and 'D. sp. hikari blue'. DNA testing showed them to be one species, distinct from the very similar D. kerri, in which the central body stripe ends at the caudal peduncle. Only one population of D. kerri was sampled, so it could still be a colourful form of that species.

The black-barred danio, Danio sp. 'TW01', is a cyprinid apparently discovered near the coastal town of Gwa in Rakhine State, western Myanmar. It remains unclear whether it is an undescribed species or a geographical form of D. feegradei, which it resembles apart from lacking pale spots on the body. A dark marking on the caudal peduncle separates it from the superficially similar 'Inlecypris' maetaengensis and 'I.' shanensis.

The gold ring danio, Danio tinwini, is a tiny cyprinid from the Mogaung Chaung, an Irrawaddy tributary in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. Seen in the trade since 2003, it has been sold as 'Danio sp. TW02', 'D. sp. fire ring', 'D. sp. gold ring' and 'D. sp. spotted', among other names. Smaller than the similar D. kyathit and D. nigrofasciatus, it has spotted unpaired fins and much shorter barbels. Adults measure just 20 to 30 mm, so tankmates need choosing with that in mind.

Danionella dracula is a miniature cyprinid known only from the Mogaung Chaung, a tributary of the Ayeyarwady in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. Males carry a row of tooth-like processes in the jaws ending in a large fang-like pair, a structure unique among cypriniform fishes according to current knowledge. It grows to around 17 mm SL, has been sold as Danionella sp. 'neon green', and is best kept alone in a school of a dozen or more.

Danionella translucida is a miniature, almost transparent cyprinid from a handful of streams draining the Bago Yoma range in Myanmar. Adults measure only 9 to 11 mm SL, and it has been referred to as 'micro glassfish' in the ornamental trade. It inhabits wide, low-altitude streams with turbid water, and it is best kept alone in a school of a dozen or more.

Dario hysginon is a tiny badid endemic to Myanmar, known from streams near Myitkyina in Kachin State and from nearby Lake Indawgyi. Traded as 'red melon Dario' or 'flame red Dario', it reaches around 20 mm in males and 15 mm in females. The barred form sold as Dario sp. 'Myanmar' is officially a colour form of this species, but it grows larger and the two will not hybridise in aquaria.

The black tiger Dario, Dario tigris, is a small badid from mountain streams south of Mogaung in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. First available to hobbyists in 2005, it was sold as Dario sp. 'Myanmar', D. sp. 'pyjamas' or 'fire red tiger badis' until Britz, Kullander and Rüber described it in 2022. It had been treated as a colour form of D. hysginon, but it grows appreciably larger, its females are distinguishable, and the two will not hybridise in aquaria.

The silver tiger perch, Datnioides polota, is a tiger perch widely distributed in southeastern Asia, from India and Bangladesh east to Indonesia. Mostly found in brackish habitats such as estuaries, mangroves and coastal lagoons, it has a highly variable colour pattern with up to 7 dark bars. The name D. quadrifasciatus is sometimes applied to it, but that name is a junior homonym and polota takes precedence.

Sometimes called the 'Hora danio' or 'Salween danio', Inlecypris shanensis is a small cyprinid from Shan state, Myanmar. Known from the Duthawadi and Salween river systems, it is most easily confused with 'I.' maetaengensis and Devario interruptus, and differs in having a P stripe that is not broken into a series of blotches. It has been collected from fast-flowing streams with clear water and substrates of rocks, pebbles and sand.

The fireline devario, Devario sondhii, is a small devario from southern Shan State, Myanmar, described from a spring near Hopong. It first appeared in the trade in the mid-2000s and was initially confused with the sympatric Microrasbora cf. rubescens and with D. acuticephalus, but a dark cleithral spot behind the gill opening separates it from both. The habitat near Hopong is shallow, permanently-flooded grassland at around 1,040 metres AMSL with dense aquatic plants.

Devario sp. 'giraffe' is an unidentified devario from Myanmar, first collected in 2007, about which very little is known. Its name refers to a giraffe-like colour pattern, with the stripes broken up towards the front of the body into spots, rings and vertical bars. It has a deep, bulky body.

The blue moon 'danio', Devario xyrops, is a devario known only from small streams draining the western slope of the Rakhine Yoma in western Myanmar. Before its description it was sometimes called D. sp. 'broken line'. A dark blotch of 4 or 5 short vertical bars on the front of the flank and a wide dark P stripe behind it are shared only with D. anomalus, which has a shallower body and more lateral line scales.

The green puffer, Dichotomyctere fluviatilis, is a widespread puffer from South and Southeast Asia, found in slow-moving rivers and estuaries. It is often confused with D. nigroviridis and Tetraodon schoutedeni but has a more slender, streamlined shape. Though often sold in freshwater, it is a true brackish species and needs a specific gravity of around 1.005 to 1.010 to survive long term. It is still often sold as Tetraodon fluviatilis.

Erethistes filamentosus is a small erethistid catfish from the Ataran, Salween and Sittang river drainages of Myanmar and Thailand. It lives in shallow, fast-flowing water over rocks and spends much of its time buried in the substrate or hiding in caves. The Catalog of Fishes places it in Erethistes and FishBase in Hara, and its outwardly pointing pectoral-fin denticles are a Hara character.

The flying barb, Esomus danrica, is a cyprinid with an enormous range across Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, most of India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It shows a marked preference for shallow, slow-moving and standing waters such as rice paddies with dense vegetation, and is generally absent from major river channels. Reports on its suitability for community aquaria are mixed, with some keepers seeing a pronounced tendency to nip fins.

The striped flying barb, Esomus metallicus, is a cyprinid found from the Salween basin in Myanmar east across Thailand to Laos and Cambodia. It is abundant over most of this range and moves into rice paddies and other flooded ground at the onset of the wet season, returning to permanent water when the flooding recedes. Its lateral stripe grows more intense towards the tail and ends at the caudal-fin base.

Folifer brevifilis is a large cyprinid from the Mekong, Salween and Ayeyarwady systems of southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. It has also been recorded from Hainan and Hong Kong. Growing to 300 mm SL, it is unsuitable for the majority of home aquaria and extremely rare in the ornamental trade. It inhabits flowing middle and lower sections of major rivers and may migrate seasonally to spawn.

The panda garra (Garra flavatra) is a stream-dwelling cyprinid endemic to the Rakhine Yoma, or Arakan, mountain range in western Myanmar. It reached the hobby in 2005 and is traded as the 'panda', 'clown', 'banded butterfly' or 'rainbow' garra, sometimes incorrectly as a loach. Colour pattern varies considerably between individuals. It has been bred commercially in Myanmar since 2008.

The Burmese red-tailed garra, Garra sp. 'redtail', is a cyprinid from headwaters of the Salween basin around the border between Myanmar and Thailand. A putatively undescribed species, it is often sold as G. sp. 'burmanicus' and first appeared in the trade in 2005. A flexible, proboscis-like rostral process between the eyes becomes erect during territorial conflicts or courtship. It inhabits shady, fast-flowing stretches and riffles.

Garra spilota is a small cyprinid probably endemic to the Rakhine Yoma, or Arakan, mountains in western Myanmar, and occasionally seen in the trade. It has reddish fins, a series of dark blotches on the flanks and an unusual upper lip lined with unculi, and differs from the similar G. flavatra in some meristic counts. It is less territorial with conspecifics than some Garra, and a group of 3-4 is the minimum.

The 'freshwater' moray eel, Gymnothorax tile, is a moray from coastal regions of the Indo-West Pacific, from eastern India to the Philippines. Although typically sold as a freshwater fish, this is not strictly the case, and the profile treats a marine salt mix as mandatory. It has small pale spots on a darker head and body, where the congener G. polyuranodon has much larger dark spots on a paler background. Highly piscivorous, it is best kept alone in all but the very largest aquaria.

Hampala salweenensis is a riverine cyprinid endemic to the Salween basin in northwestern Thailand and Myanmar. It has two roundish dark blotches on each flank, one beneath the dorsal-fin origin and one on the caudal peduncle, and a black marginal band on both caudal-fin lobes. It is poorly known in the aquarium hobby, and the full extent of its distribution within the watershed is unclear.

The liver catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis, is a catfish from Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and the Andaman Islands. Also known as the stinging or fossil catfish, it carries venom sacs at the base of the pectoral spines and its sting is very painful, so it is not recommended for the inexperienced. Exceptionally hardy and long-lived, it can breathe atmospheric air to a certain extent and survives in sluggish, oxygen-deficient swamps and ditches.

Homaloptera bilineata is a 'lizard' loach from the Sittaung and Salween basins of Myanmar and tributaries of the Mae Klong in western Thailand. Uniquely in the genus, the dark markings running back from the snout form two distinct stripes meeting at the dorsal fin and do not form saddles. An obligate dweller of swift, oxygen-saturated streams, it needs clean, well-oxygenated water and is best kept in a group of six or more.

Homalopteroides modestus is a small hillstream loach from the Salween, Mae Klong and Tenasserim rivers of southern Myanmar and western Thailand. Randall and Page (2012) redescribed it from Mae Klong specimens that had previously been identified as the congener H. smithi. A specialised micropredator of swift, clear, oxygen-saturated streams, it needs clean, well-oxygenated water and regular meals of live or frozen food.

The armoured stickleback, Indostomus paradoxus, is a tiny fish from Myanmar, described from Lake Indawgyi and recorded in the Ayeyarwady basin. It appears to be considerably more widespread than previously thought, having been found as far south as the river's delta. It is rare in the aquarium hobby, and its name is often misapplied to the closely related I. crocodilus, in which adult males have dark bands in the dorsal and anal fins.

Inlecypris auropurpurea is a cyprinid known only from Lake Inlé and its surrounding watershed in Shan state, eastern Myanmar. It is listed as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List after a significant decline, as farming around the lake has increased sedimentation, eutrophication and pollution. A peaceful schooling fish, it suits a densely planted tank with a tightly fitting cover, since it is a particularly accomplished jumper.

The violet shark, Labeo boga, is a cyprinid from most major river systems in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. It inhabits major river channels and larger tributaries and grows to 250 mm, needing a tank of at least 240 x 60 cm. It is unsuitable for most home aquaria but turns up in the trade irregularly, also as the 'violet-gilled shark' or 'blushing violet shark'. L. boga as currently recognised probably represents a complex of closely-related species.

Labiobarbus leptocheilus is a large cyprinid widespread in Southeast Asia, from the Mekong and Salween to the Greater Sunda Islands. Different populations vary somewhat in appearance, and it may turn out to represent a group of closely-related species. The Cambodian Mekong population has been considered a distinct species, Labiobarbus lineatus, and that name is widely used in the ornamental trade although it is currently a synonym. It grows to 260 mm SL and needs spotless, well-oxygenated water.

Lepidocephalichthys berdmorei is a cobitid loach found across Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, north-eastern India and Bangladesh. One of the most frequently-traded members of the genus, it is an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. Unlike most congeners it shows a preference for headwaters and streams with clear, flowing water, and its larger adult size separates it from the similar L. thermalis.

Lepidocephalichthys goalparensis is a cobitid loach from the Brahmaputra, Ganges and upper Irrawaddy basins in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Rarely seen in the hobby, it was imported into the UK in late 2011 as bycatch among mastacembelid eels from northern India, and the identification was confirmed by Justin Havird. The forked caudal fin normally carries four or five broad, dark V-shaped bars.

Lepidocephalichthys guntea is a cobitid loach from the Ganges and Brahmaputra systems of northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and much of Myanmar. One of the most frequently-traded members of the group, it is an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. Males carry a solid, dark lateral stripe and females spotted flanks, and patterning varies with origin. It is also used as a food fish, eaten fresh and dried.

Lepidocephalichthys hasselti is a cobitid loach described from Java and recorded from Myanmar to Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Its wide distribution makes it relatively common in the aquarium hobby. Colour and pattern vary with locality and have led to problems with identification, and the flanks usually show a row of dark blotches or a solid stripe with a light, unpigmented stripe above.

Lepidocephalichthys micropogon is a cobitid loach from Myanmar, western Thailand, Bangladesh and Assam, India. Known from the Salween, Sittaung, Irrawaddy and Brahmaputra drainages and occasionally exported as bycatch, it grows to 55 mm SL and has a strongly forked caudal fin with broad, dark V-shaped bars. Kottelat (2012) treats L. manipurensis as a synonym, though Havird and Page (2010) list the two separately.

The zebra spiny eel, Macrognathus zebrinus, is a spiny eel from Myanmar, found in rivers and swamps with large amounts of aquatic vegetation. It was previously included in the closely related genus Mastacembelus. The sharp dorsal rays that give spiny eels their name can easily puncture human skin. Peaceful with fish it cannot swallow, it tends to be territorial with its own kind and grows to 460 mm, although usually smaller in aquaria.

The tyre-track eel, Mastacembelus armatus, is a spiny eel from South Asia and Myanmar, also known as the white-spotted spiny eel. Growing to around 91 cm, it hides during the day and often buries itself, so it needs sand, plenty of hiding places and a close-fitting hood. It eats live fish in the wild, and tankmates should be too large to be considered prey.

Microdevario gatesi is a miniature cyprinid from the lower Irrawaddy basin in Myanmar, growing to around 23 mm SL. Uncommon in the aquarium hobby, it is sometimes traded as 'Burmese golden rasbora' and can be told from its congeners by its hyaline dorsal and anal fins. It is likely to inhabit sluggish and standing waters such as rice paddies, swamps and weedy ditches, and is possibly endemic to the Irrawaddy Delta.

Microdevario kubotai is a miniature cyprinid from peninsular Thailand and the Salween drainage in southern Myanmar. Relatively common in the ornamental trade, it is sold under names including 'green neon rasbora' and 'yellow neon rasbora'. It apparently inhabits calm to moderately-flowing, well-oxygenated headwaters and minor tributaries. In nature it typically occurs in groups of 20-50, and at least 8-10 are recommended.

Microdevario nanus is a miniature cyprinid from the lower Sittaung and Bago drainages of the Irrawaddy system in Myanmar. Sometimes referred to as 'green dwarf rasbora' or 'nana rasbora' in the ornamental trade, it grows to around 16 mm SL. A black blotch at the tip of the dorsal fin and a greyish marking at the tip of the anal fin immediately distinguish it from congeners.

The flame red 'rasbora', Microrasbora cf. rubescens, is a small cyprinid from Shan State in eastern Myanmar. Possibly an undescribed species, it has been marketed as 'Asian Cardinal Rasbora', M. sp. 'rose blue line' or M. 'thuzari'. It differs from M. rubescens in its larger adult size, a greenish to bluish lateral stripe and less orange on the body, and appears to represent a distinct genetic lineage.

The red dwarf 'rasbora', Microrasbora rubescens, is a small cyprinid endemic to Lake Inle and its watershed in Shan State, eastern Myanmar. It is listed as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List after a significant decline in the wild, as sedimentation, eutrophication, pollution and introduced predatory Parambassis and Tilapia have degraded the lake. It may also be sold as 'red-line dwarf rasbora' or 'emerald dwarf rasbora'.

The swamp eel, Monopterus albus, is very widespread, found from India and China to Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia. Not a true eel, it has a single gill slit and an accessory breathing organ, and during dry spells it burrows into wet earth. Growing to around 100 cm, nocturnal and piscivorous, it is best kept singly, and the tank must have an extremely tightly-fitting, heavy cover.

Mystacoleucus argenteus is a cyprinid from the Salween and middle Irrawaddy basins in Myanmar and western Thailand. It is occasionally marketed as 'Burmese rainbow barb' and differs from the similar M. obtusirostris in lacking black-edged scales on the body. Little has been published since Day's original description of 1888. Vigorous when feeding, it can upset slow-moving or timid tankmates.

Day's mystus, Mystus bleekeri, is a bagrid catfish from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Indonesia. It superficially resembles the more common M. vittatus but grows larger, to around 155 mm, and has a much longer adipose fin. Peaceful and gregarious, it suits communities of larger fish, though adults will probably eat small fish, and it is more outgoing in a small group.

The Asian upside down catfish, Mystus leucophasis, is a bagrid catfish from rivers in Myanmar that spends most of its time swimming inverted. Often sold at only a couple of inches, it is confused with the much smaller Synodontis nigriventris but is a uniform black without countershading. It grows to around 300 mm, will eat smaller fish, is usually intolerant of its own kind and is unsuitable for the general community tank.

The butter catfish, Ompok bimaculatus, is a widespread silurid catfish recorded from Afghanistan and Pakistan east to China and Indonesia. Also known as the two spot glass catfish, it very likely contains a number of separate species, given the clear morphological differences between populations. It grows to 45 cm, needs a very large tank and will eat any smaller fish it can fit in its mouth.

Traded as 'striped hill trout' or 'banded hill trout', Opsarius barna is a cyprinid from the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins in northern India. It is thought to also occur in the Mahanadi and in river systems in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Rakhine State, Myanmar, in well-oxygenated, fast-flowing rivers over gravel, cobbles and boulders. An extremely fast swimmer and vigorous feeder, it is unsuitable for the general community.

Barilius bendelisis is a large, fast-swimming cyprinid from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and probably Bhutan. Occasionally sold as 'Indian hill trout' or 'Hamilton's baril', it has 8 to 12 bluish vertical bars and, in adults, a blue-black spot on each scale. It grows to around 200 mm SL and inhabits well-oxygenated, fast-flowing rivers and streams, and its speed and vigorous feeding make it unsuitable for the general community.

The Manipur baril, Opsarius dogarsinghi, is a cyprinid from the Chindwin river system in Manipur and Nagaland, northeastern India, and Myanmar. It occasionally appears in the trade as 'Burmese hill trout' or 'striped hill trout'. A large dark blotch at the caudal-fin base and 8-9 dark blue vertical bars help separate it from congeners, and it has been bred in aquaria.

Oreichthys sp. 'Myanmar Redfin' is a small cyprinid apparently native to parts of the Irrawaddy River basin in northern Myanmar. It appears to be an undescribed species, and is one of several fish sometimes imported and sold as O. cosuatis or O. parvus. Adult males lack a dark marking in the dorsal-fin, and a large, well-defined black blotch on the caudal peduncle is the easiest way to tell it from both.

The Indian ricefish, Oryzias dancena, is widely distributed through eastern and southern India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Mostly coastal but adaptable, it has been collected from strongly brackish mangrove swamps to acidic freshwater forest streams. It continues to be misidentified as O. melastigma, a name most recent workers consider invalid, or as O. javanicus, a valid but distinct taxon.

The dwarf medaka, Oryzias minutillus, is a miniature ricefish from Thailand, with records from Myanmar, Cambodia and southern China. It lives only in fresh, normally standing waters such as shallow pools, ditches, rice paddies and clear water swamps. Adults reach just 17 mm SL. Traded occasionally, it is also known as the 'dwarf ricefish'.

The zipper loach, Paracanthocobitis botia, is a nemacheilid loach from the Brahmaputra River in Assam, northeastern India. It was long thought to range from Pakistan to western Thailand, and several populations once included under the name are now treated as separate species. Relatively hardy and peaceful, it is one of the better choices for those new to nemacheilids, and its dark, eye-like ocellus at the top of the caudal peduncle is normally more intense in younger fish.

The cherry-fin loach, Paracanthocobitis pictilis, is a nemacheilid loach from the Ataran River, a Salween tributary on the Thailand-Myanmar border. Before its description it was traded as P. rubidipinnis, a species apparently endemic to the lower Irrawaddy. Bolder and less peaceful than other members of the genus, it inhabits shady, fast-flowing riffles, and some males become aggressive unless kept in a mixed-sex group of at least six.

Paracanthocobitis zonalternans is a nemacheilid loach ranging from Manipur in India through Myanmar into western and peninsular Thailand. Several species are thought to be confused under the name, and Singer and Page (2015) consider it likely to be a species complex. Among the more peaceful members of the genus, it does best in a mixed-sex group of at least half a dozen, and it has been bred in aquaria, first by UK aquarist Mick Wright.

Parasphaerichthys lineatus is a tiny gourami from the Irrawaddy delta, Myanmar, and at 15 to 19 mm SL the smallest member of the family Osphronemidae. It is sometimes traded as 'mini chocolate gourami' or 'Burmese chocolate gourami', or misidentified as P. ocellatus, from which it differs in its dark mid-lateral stripe and the lack of an ocellus on each flank.

The eyespot gourami, Parasphaerichthys ocellatus, is a small anabantoid from the upper Ayeyarwady basin in northern Myanmar, including Lake Indawgyi. It shares the trade names 'mini chocolate gourami' and 'Burmese chocolate gourami' with P. lineatus, but grows larger, to 32 mm SL, and has an ocellus-type marking in the middle of each flank with no dark mid-lateral stripe. In nature it is subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations and is comfortable between 15 and 25 °C.

Pethia didi is a small cyprinid from the Ayeyarwady drainage around Lake Indawgyi and Myitkyina, Kachin State, where it appears to be endemic. Rare in the aquarium trade though occasionally available, it has two black, vertically-orientated flank blotches, one behind the operculum and one on the caudal peduncle, a pattern shared with several congeners. The type locality is a swift, shaded stream through bamboo forest, and the species is subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations in nature.

The lipstick barb, Pethia erythromycter, is a small cyprinid from the upper Ayeyarwady River basin in northern Myanmar, including Lake Indawgyi. Sometimes traded as 'Tulip barb', it first appeared in the hobby in 2006 and was described by Kullander (2008). Males have red pigmentation around the mouth and tubercules on the snout when nuptial. It may nip slow-moving or long-finned tankmates but does very well with other small, active cyprinids or nemacheilid loaches.

The Odessa barb, Pethia padamya, is a small cyprinid from central Myanmar, also recorded from the lower Chindwin, a tributary of the Ayeyarwady. In the trade since the early 1970s, it first appeared in Ukraine and was widely considered a hybrid until natural populations were found, with the formal description following in October 2008. Males carry a thick band of bright red-orange on the flanks, and farm-produced fish seem to hold their colour better when stressed.

Pethia sp. 'Myanmar' appears to be an undescribed small cyprinid, supposedly collected in northern Myanmar. This fish has been widely misidentified and sold as the congener P. tiantian or 'Burmese bumble-bee barb'. Generally very peaceful, it suits the well-researched community aquarium in a mixed-sex group of at least 8-10, where rival males display their best colours.

Pethia stoliczkana is a small cyprinid that appears to range from Manipur state in northeastern India through Myanmar and Thailand to western Laos. Much of the literature confuses it with P. ticto, but the two do not occur in the same waters and the lateral line is complete in this species and incomplete in P. ticto. The form from Mandalay division in Myanmar is sometimes sold as Puntius sp. 'pearlscale'. It mostly inhabits shady, flowing streams and tributaries.

Pethia tiantian is a small cyprinid known only from the remote, mountainous area of Putao in Kachin state, northern Myanmar. Both known localities, the Nan Hto Chaung and the Mali Hka River, are part of the upper Ayeyarwady system. The species is only exported occasionally, and an undescribed fish often traded as 'Burmese bumblebee barb' is sometimes mislabelled with its name. It is subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations in nature.

The ticto barb, Pethia ticto, is a small cyprinid widely distributed through most of the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan and Nepal to Bangladesh. Its name is frequently misapplied to P. padamya in aquarium literature, though P. ticto is much the less colourful fish and males lack reddish-orange pigmentation on the body. Morphology and colour pattern vary by population, and some populations have already been described as distinct species.

The Inle loach, Petruichthys brevis, is a small nemacheilid loach known only from Lake Inlé and its watershed in Shan state, eastern Myanmar. Sometimes traded as 'Lake Inle red-tailed loach', it is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List due to deterioration of the lake. Unlike most loaches it spends a lot of time in the open, often hovering in midwater, and it is highly gregarious, needing a group of at least 8-10.

The rosy loach, Physoschistura mango, is a miniature nemacheilid loach from waters around Hopong in Shan State, eastern Myanmar, where it is collected alongside Danio margaritatus. It was sold for years as an undescribed Yunnanilus or Petruichthys, as Y. sp. 'orange' or 'Burmese pink loach', and under the fictitious name 'Tuberoschistura arakensis', until Conway and Kottelat described it in 2023. Peaceful and highly gregarious, it reaches 25-30 mm and should be kept in a group of at least 8-10. Often only the colourful males are exported.

The swamp barb, Puntius chola, is a cyprinid from much of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and western Thailand. Sometimes called the 'chola' or 'green' barb, it has a single pair of barbels and dark blotches behind the operculum and near the caudal-fin base. It apparently prefers stiller waters over mud or silt, and makes an ideal addition to a peaceful community of riverine fishes.

Sawbwa resplendens is a small cyprinid endemic to Inlé Lake and its associated watershed in Shan State, eastern Myanmar. It is traded as 'Asian rummynose', 'rummynose rasbora' and 'naked microrasbora', and is listed as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List. Rival males are engaged in a continual battle for dominance, so it is not an ideal choice for the general community aquarium, and keeping more females than males helps.

The sumo loach, Schistura balteata, is a nemacheilid loach from the Tanintharyi river system in southern Myanmar, also recorded in western Thailand. Quite uncommon in the hobby, its name is sometimes used for the similar-looking, apparently undescribed S. cf. balteata, and both are traded as 'sumo loach'. The real S. balteata has two dark vertical bars below the dorsal-fin and no black bar at the caudal-fin base.

The sumo loach II, Schistura cf. balteata, is an apparently undescribed nemacheilid loach from the Ataran River drainage in Myanmar and Thailand. Both it and the real S. balteata have been traded as 'sumo loach', but this fish has brighter colouration, a smaller adult size and seems more peaceful. The colour pattern is highly variable, with the rear half of the body bright pink in some specimens and yellow in others.

The super convict loach, Schistura hypsiura, is a nemacheilid loach known only from a short coastal river in southern Rakhine State, western Myanmar. Traded as S. sp. 'super convict', it has a deep caudal peduncle, a deeply forked caudal-fin and 6-8 very regular bars along the flank. Not among the more aggressive members of the genus, it can be kept in a community aquarium provided tankmates are selected with care.

Schistura kengtungensis is a nemacheilid loach from the middle Mekong basin in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Yunnan Province, southern China. It has 9-13 vertical bars as wide as or wider than the interspaces, and specimens from China differ from those in Thailand and Myanmar in several morphological characters. It inhabits shallow, narrow branches of streams over gravel or stone.

Schistura vinciguerrae is a nemacheilid loach from the Irrawaddy, Salween and Chindwin river basins in Myanmar and northeastern India. Traded fairly regularly, it belongs to the Schistura multifasciata group, in which the anterior flank bars are divided and thinner than those behind. Males lack a suborbital flap, and this separates it from S. bella, S. mahnerti, S. reticulata and S. udomritthiruji. It inhabits clear, well-oxygenated forest streams over coarse sand, gravel, rocks and boulders.

The chameleon loach, Syncrossus beauforti, is a botiid loach from Thailand and southern Myanmar, including the Chao Phraya and the Ataran River. It has been widely mislabelled as S. berdmorei in older aquarium literature, but has 9-10 branched dorsal-fin rays and rows of small dark markings across the body and head even when young. Adults reach 160-180 mm, and wild populations appear to have declined by at least 20-29% since 1997.

The redfin tiger loach, Syncrossus berdmorei, is a botiid loach from the Irrawaddy, Sittaung and Salween systems in Myanmar and Manipur, India. It looks very similar to S. beauforti but has 11-14 branched dorsal-fin rays, and in young fish its larger dark markings appear first behind the opercle. Colour and pattern vary with locality and age, and some of these forms may turn out to be separate species.

The green tiger loach, Syncrossus hymenophysa, is a botiid loach from Sumatra and Borneo, and the Pahang and Perak systems of Peninsular Malaysia. It may already have disappeared from Peninsular Malaysia, where only one confirmed specimen has been documented since 1955. Often associated with submerged branches, roots and logs, it is sometimes confused with S. helodes but has a dark spot in the dorsal fin and 12-15 body bars with bluish borders.

Systomus orphoides is a large cyprinid ranging from Myanmar to Vietnam and south through Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It mostly inhabits flowing tributaries and large streams, moving onto inundated farmland and forest in the wet season to feed and spawn. Not often available in the trade and usually seen as bycatch, it grows to 250 mm SL, is quite boisterous, and needs more-or-less spotless water.

The largescale archerfish, Toxotes chatareus, is an archerfish recorded from Pakistan and India through Southeast Asia to northern Australia. Its main habitats are brackish mangrove swamps and estuaries, and a brackish setup is recommended. Like its relatives, it shoots jets of water at insects on overhanging vegetation. It reaches 40 cm and is less often offered for sale than T. jaculatrix.

The banded archerfish, Toxotes jaculatrix, is an archerfish recorded from India through Southeast Asia to the Pacific islands and northern Australia. The most commonly available archerfish, it is sometimes sold as T. jaculator. It shoots jets of water at insects on overhanging vegetation. Its main habitats are brackish mangrove swamps and estuaries, and it is believed to migrate to full seawater to breed.

The thick-lipped gourami, Trichogaster labiosa, is a labyrinth fish known only from southern Myanmar, found in shady, weedy rivers and ponds. Easy to keep and peaceful, it is one of the best gouramis for a community tank. A gold or 'sunset' strain has been selectively bred for the trade. It should not be kept with the banded gourami because the two can hybridise freely.

The croaking gourami, Trichopsis vittata, is a labyrinth fish found through much of Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. The largest of its genus, it produces audible sounds with a specialised pectoral mechanism unique within the Osphronemidae. Wild populations vary in colour pattern, and records from Borneo, Sumatra and Java might refer to a distinct species.

The helicopter catfish, Wallago attu, is a giant predatory catfish found through much of Asia, from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Indonesia. It can reach 240 cm, and its mouth is filled with needle-sharp, backward-pointing teeth. It will bite aggressively when fed or handled, and the profile treats it as a genuinely dangerous fish that is clearly not an aquarium species.

The freshwater needlefish, Xenentodon cancila, is a belonid from Pakistan east through India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Often called 'freshwater garfish', it only superficially resembles the true gars, and most of its relatives in the Belonidae are marine or estuarine. A near-exclusive inhabitant of the upper water column, it is surprisingly peaceful with anything too large to swallow and is best kept in numbers of four or more, in a tank of 180 ∗ 60 cm or more.

The freshwater toadfish, Allenbatrachus grunniens, is a euryhaline toadfish from the Ganges delta in India and Bangladesh east to the Philippines. It is relatively common in the hobby and, contrary to popular belief, not venomous, but its dorsal and opercular spines can pierce the skin, so it needs netting with extreme caution. It rarely does well when kept in freshwater for prolonged periods.

The climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, is a labyrinth fish found from Pakistan and Sri Lanka east to southern China, Indonesia and Singapore. It lives in almost every kind of lowland water from rice paddies to main river channels, and can cross several hundred metres of land provided it stays moist. Its taxonomy is confused, and additional taxa probably exist. Its size and predatory nature make it unsuitable for the general community.

Badis juergenschmidti is a badid known only from the Ka Dat Chaung river system in Mon State, south-eastern Myanmar, part of the Sittaung drainage. Discovered by German aquarist Horst Linke in early 2010, it was known as B. sp. East Myanmar before its description. It has no opercular or cleithral blotch, and adult males have a broad, solid bar at the caudal-fin base and white margins to the caudal fin. The type locality is a shallow, slow-flowing river over boulders, stones and sand.

The bullseye snakehead, Channa marulius, is a large snakehead recorded from Pakistan across southern Asia to southern China, Laos and Vietnam. Also called the 'giant', 'cobra' or 'Indian' snakehead, it is widely accepted to represent a complex of related species in need of further research. Reports of 120-180 cm remain to be proven, with 500-600 mm a more common adult size, and it is suitable only for public installations or the very largest private aquaria.

Crossocheilus burmanicus is a cyprinid from Myanmar plus northeastern India and western Thailand, in rivers draining to the Irrawaddy and Salween. It lives in clear, flowing streams over boulders, pebbles, gravel and sand, browsing the biofilm on submerged surfaces. Its dark lateral stripe does not extend into the caudal fin, which separates it from the fish traded as 'Siamese algae eater' or 'SAE'.

The grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella, is a large cyprinid native to the Amur River system in eastern Russia and northeastern China. Adults typically reach 800 to 1200 mm, making it a wholly unsuitable aquarium subject, though an albino form is traded. Widely introduced for aquaculture and weed control, it has caused serious damage to natural waters, and unwanted fish should never be released.

Devario affinis is a poorly-known devario described from 'Tenasserim', the part of Myanmar south and east of the Irrawaddy delta. It was considered a synonym of D. aequipinnatus for a period and was revalidated by Fang in 2001. Little diagnostic detail exists beyond Blyth's description of 1860. It is likely restricted to hill streams and upper parts of small rivers with clear, well-oxygenated water.

Esomus caudiocellatus is a cyprinid from Myanmar, collected from the Salween river system in the east of the country and in northwestern Thailand. It lacks the dark lateral stripe of its congeners and has a prominent dark marking on the caudal peduncle. Like other Esomus it has greatly enlarged pectoral fins and very long maxillary barbels. Some hobbyists have recorded a wasting disease in Esomus spp. that usually kills within a couple of weeks.