It can be distinguished from congeners by possessing one or two pairs of barbels, a black blotch at the base of the caudal-fin, and rows of dark spots along the lateral scale rows.

Members of Cyclocheilichthys are characterised by possessing a serrated dorsal fin spine, 9 branched pelvic fin rays, a conical snout, small, subterminal…

Given its wide natural range it seems logical that this species is or has been available in the aquarium trade, although its correct name may never have been applied.

It is told apart from congeners by the following combination of characters: two pairs of barbels; a continuous midlateral stripe from the tip of the snout to the base of the caudal-fin, with a conspicuous small blotch at the posterior extremity, faintly marked on the caudal-fin; a faint mark between the anus and the anal-fin origin in juveniles; a narrow mouth.

The genus Amblypharyngodon currently contains five valid species, and A. chulabhornae can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 42-50 (vs. 50-79) scales in the lateral row; lateral line incomplete with 6-7 (vs. 7-23) perforated scales; 4-5 scales on a transverse row between the lateral line and pelvic-fin base. All members of the genus lack barbels.

Native to continental China, the Korean peninsula, and southern Japan. Type locality is given only as ‘Lakes and rivers, northern China’, with the type series possibly originating from the Pai-ho River near Beijing.

It has been widely introduced and is considered invasive elsewhere, including the Mekong river basin (records from Laos and Thailand), Salween river (Myanmar), northern Japan, Taiwan, Turkmeni…

This species is also referred to as ‘clown knifefish’ in the aquarium trade. It arguably has no place in the ornamental hobby given its adult size and specialised requirements but remains inexplicably popular and an albino form has even been line-bred for the purpose.

It can be distinguished from all congeners by presence of one or more rows of large ocellated spots above the base of the anal-fin, but…

This species is not collected for the aquarium trade at time of writing.

In contrast to other members of the genus older juvenile and adult individuals lack dark markings on the body while the jaw is more pronounced.

There is considerable confusion surrounding the identity of B. bagarius with its name having been widely applied to a relatively small species that is said to reach only 200 mm SL and considered to be common in northern India and much of Indochina.

The genus Bagarius is distinguished from all other genera in the putative subfamily Sisoridae by having markedly heterodont teeth in the lower jaw. Teeth are present in two or three outer rows of relatively numerous, close-set conical teeth, and one or two inner rows of less numerous, widely separated, and much larger conical teeth (vs. dentition of the lower jaw consisting of only small conical teeth, or a roughened bony plate).

This species is clearly unsuitable for the home aquarium given its eventual size and natural behaviour, and we know of only a handful of private aquarists with the facilities required to house it long-term.

The grouping currently contains four species but is in urgent need of review with a number of additional taxa thought to exist and B. yarrelli possibly representing a synonym of B. bagarius.

This species is also referred to as ‘giant’, ‘great’, ‘cobra’, or ‘Indian’ snakehead.

Although currently-considered to be distributed throughout much of southern Asia it is widely-accepted to represent a complex of related species in need of additional research.

A number of geographical variants exhibiting diffe…