Also known by the vernacular names ”black band garra’, ‘stone-lapping minnow’ or ‘false flying fox’ and continues to be traded as Garra taeniata, an invalid name synonymous with G. cambodgiensis.

It is often confused with those laterally-striped members of the genus Crossocheilus sold as ‘Siamese algae eater’ or ‘Siamese flying fox’, but in those species the dark lateral body stripe continues into the caudal-fin whereas in G. cambodgiensis it terminates…

This fish first became available to hobbyists in 2005 and has also been referred to as Dario sp. ‘pyjamas’ or ‘fire red tiger badis’.

Despite the striking differences in colour pattern it’s officially recognised as a colour form of D. hysginon as per Kullander and Britz (2002) although D. sp. ‘Myanmar’ is now known to have an appreciably larger adult size (S. van der Voort, pers. comm.).

The type locality is located in a hilly area mostly comprising bamboo forest. At time of collection the water was clear, colourless and flowing at a moderate pace over a substrate of rocks and gravel. It was 1-2 metres wide and maximum depth was only 0.5 metres.

Due to the surrounding forest some stretches were shaded and others more open. Sympatric species included…

The preciose function of the secondary rostrum remains unknown; some have suggested it may have some hydro-mechanical purpose but it’s perhaps more likely related to reproductiion and/or social interactions. Only males develop prominent rostra…

This apparently undescribed species has been available in the hobby since around 2006 and has been traded under several trade names of which others include ‘tri-band sumo loach’ and ‘chubby loach’.

The name ‘Sumo II’ is now in wide use to distinguish it from the real S. balteata since both have been traded as ‘Sumo loach’…

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 61-68 scales in the lateral series; a small, well-defined, sometimes ocellated black spot on the shoulder and another in the centre of the caudal peduncle; body without longitudinal stripes formed by spots on scales; caudal fin uniformly dusky or colourless, lobes without stripes or black margins.

This species is still very rare in the hobby although it has built up something of a following among enthusiasts of planted 'nano' aquaria and you may see it on sale under the trade names of 'dwarf amber/ember barb'. Its small adult size evolved via a process known as miniaturisation characterised by sexually mature adults with a significantly reduced size of less than 20mm SL. Among bony fishes cyprinids are one of the few groups in which this phenomenon occurs repeated…

In the aquarium trade this species may also be seen on sale as ‘skinhead barb’. As with others in the genus little has been written regarding its captive care but it makes a peaceful and unusual addition to larger aquaria. The best way of obtaining it may be to keep an eye on shipments of wild fishes from Indochina and the Greater Sunda Islands as it’s rarely imported in large numbers and most often arrives as bycatch.

Endemic to the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins and thus occurs in northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Type locality is ‘the Yamuna River, and northern rivers of Behar and Bengal’.

The distribution of the genus as a whole is interesting because these fish occupy the area that geographically separates Indian and Southeast Asia barbs and it has been theorised that they may represent an evolutionary ‘link’ species…

There are currently three species which look almost identical and are most easily separated by collection details since their ranges do not overlap in nature; C. chagunio is endemic to the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages and C. nicholsi to the Ayeyarwady/Irrawaddy.