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.

While some laterally-striped members of the genus look very similar to one another the combination of silvery body, dark-edged scales and dark caudal peduncle blotch set C. reticulatus uniquely apart.

The names Crossocheilus tchangi, Epalzeorhynchos coatesi and E. stigmaeus are all now considered synonyms of the species but were erected because the fish vary, most often in minor aspects of patt…

While separating some of the fish that may be found on sale as ‘C. siamensis’ is a tricky task, C. nigriloba is quite simple to identify. The dark lateral body stripe uniquely breaks up into a series of blotches when the fish are sparring, stressed or sleeping and the lower caudal fin lobe contains dark pigmentation suffused with red. The latter feature has given rise to the trade name of ‘penguin flying fox’.

C. latius isn't often available in the trade but makes an excellent alternative to more commonly-offered members of the genus should you be lucky enough to find some. Shipments of similar-looking Indian Garra species such as G. mullya or G. gotyla sometimes contain the odd specimen. It exhibits morphological differences when compared with other members of the genus and may be assigned to a separate taxon at some point in the future.

This species is among a handful of near-identical congeners that are traded as ‘Siamese algae-eater’ (often abbreviated to ‘SAE’), ‘Siamese flying fox’ and ‘Crossocheilus siamensis’.

The latter name is not valid, however, and is a synonym of Epalzeorhynchos siamensis which is itself a synonym of Crossocheilus oblongus, a species described from Java. C. oblongus is currently accepted to…

This species only became available in the aquarium hobby during the early 21st century but has already achieved a measure of popularity since it’s attractive, easy to maintain and usually quite cheaply-priced.

You may see it on sale under various trade names including ‘Vietnamese minnow’, ‘cardinal minnow’, ‘royal white cloud’, ‘dwarf cardinal’ and others.

We’ve obtained images of what is said to be a naturally-occurring form with extremely elong…

Predominantly a riverine fish favouring clear, well-oxygenated, running water with substrates of sand or gravel and often present in rock and boulder-filled headwater streams.

In the Mun River, close to the Pak Mun dam, Thailand, sympatric species included Hampala dispar, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, Osteochilus hasseltii,…

This species is poorly-known in the aquarium hobby and may have never been maintained outside its native countries.

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 26-27 lateral line scales; two roundish, dark blotches on each flank, one beneath dorsal-fin origin and above the lateral line, the other on the caudal peduncle and passing thro…

R. sarawakensis is poorly-documented in the aquarium literature and we're not even sure if it has been exported for the hobby although it may be worth looking out for among shipments of wild fish from southern/western Borneo. We find this a little odd as it is an attractive, very peaceful little fish that would suit many home aquaria and is apparently quite common across its natural range.

Rainboth's 'Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong' characterised members of Rasbora by poss…

This species is traded under various names such as ‘red melon Dario’ or ‘flame red Dario’.

Among congeners D. dayingensis is most similar since it differs only in a few meristic counts and by its slightly larger adult size.

D. hysginon can be told apart by possessing 22-24, usually 23, lateral scales (vs. 24-25 in D. dayingensis), 8½ (vs. 9½) scales in the transverse scale row, a…