Barbodes rhombeus
Barbodes is a genus of small to medium-sized cyprinid fish native to tropical Asia.
The majority of the species are from Southeast Asia.
Many species are threatened and some from the
Philippines (Lake Lanao) are already extinct.
Barbodes rhombeus is a species of cyprinid fish native to the Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos
and Thailand where it inhabits in shallow clear hill streams.
This species can reach a length of 6.5 centimetres (2.6 in) SL. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is an introduced alien species but has a restricted distribution.
Body measurements are similar to other members of the Binototus group with a body coloration of a light greenish brown to silver.
The identifying trait is the small black spot below the dorsal fin and another black spot at the base of the caudal fin. An additional dark line running down the flank may be present in some specimens.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Barbodes
Species: B. rhombeus
Binomial name Barbodes rhombeus
(Kottelat, 2000)
Synonyms :
Puntius rhombeus Kottelat, 2000
The majority of the species are from Southeast Asia.
Many species are threatened and some from the
Philippines (Lake Lanao) are already extinct.
Barbodes rhombeus is a species of cyprinid fish native to the Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos
and Thailand where it inhabits in shallow clear hill streams.
This species can reach a length of 6.5 centimetres (2.6 in) SL. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is an introduced alien species but has a restricted distribution.
Body measurements are similar to other members of the Binototus group with a body coloration of a light greenish brown to silver.
The identifying trait is the small black spot below the dorsal fin and another black spot at the base of the caudal fin. An additional dark line running down the flank may be present in some specimens.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Barbodes
Species: B. rhombeus
Binomial name Barbodes rhombeus
(Kottelat, 2000)
Synonyms :
Puntius rhombeus Kottelat, 2000
Clarias leiacanthus
Forest walking catfish
Forest walking catfish
Clarias is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes.
The name is derived from the Greek chlaros, which means lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water.
They are found in inland waters throughout much of the Old World, and are one of the most widespread catfish genera in the world.
The genus is found in Southeast Asia and East Asia westwards through India and the Asia Minor to Africa. The diversity of these catfishes is highest in Africa. Some (notably the walking catfish) have become pest species where they have been accidentally introduced, and particularly in Cuba, where their introduction was intentional.
Clarias species are recognized by their long-based dorsal and anal fins, which give them a rather eel-like appearance. These fish have slender bodies, a flat, bony head, and a broad, terminal mouth with four pairs of barbels. They also have a large, accessory breathing organ composed of modified gill arches. Also, only the pectoral fins have spines.
The Forest Walking Catfish is a species from the forest streams where it often lies concealed amongst leaf litter and other debris. As with most catfish it feeds on benthic organisms.
Clarias leiacanthus is a species of ray-finned fishes in the family labyrinth catfishes. They are associated with freshwater habitat. Individuals can grow to 33.0 cm. They have sexual reproduction.
There is a gap between the start of the dorsal fin and the reddish-brown, exposed bony plates of the skull. The dorsal fin extends along most of the vertebral line, but is not fused with the small, rounded tail fin. The four pairs of barbels are long, straight and stiff.
The flanks are olive-brown and are adorned with vertical lines of pale spots.
It can be found in Asia, Sumatra, Borneo,Thailand, Kapuas River in West Kalimantan and Indonesia.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Clariidae
Genus: Clarias
Scopoli, 1777
Type species : Clarias
leiacanthus Bleeker, 1851
The name is derived from the Greek chlaros, which means lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water.
They are found in inland waters throughout much of the Old World, and are one of the most widespread catfish genera in the world.
The genus is found in Southeast Asia and East Asia westwards through India and the Asia Minor to Africa. The diversity of these catfishes is highest in Africa. Some (notably the walking catfish) have become pest species where they have been accidentally introduced, and particularly in Cuba, where their introduction was intentional.
Clarias species are recognized by their long-based dorsal and anal fins, which give them a rather eel-like appearance. These fish have slender bodies, a flat, bony head, and a broad, terminal mouth with four pairs of barbels. They also have a large, accessory breathing organ composed of modified gill arches. Also, only the pectoral fins have spines.
The Forest Walking Catfish is a species from the forest streams where it often lies concealed amongst leaf litter and other debris. As with most catfish it feeds on benthic organisms.
Clarias leiacanthus is a species of ray-finned fishes in the family labyrinth catfishes. They are associated with freshwater habitat. Individuals can grow to 33.0 cm. They have sexual reproduction.
There is a gap between the start of the dorsal fin and the reddish-brown, exposed bony plates of the skull. The dorsal fin extends along most of the vertebral line, but is not fused with the small, rounded tail fin. The four pairs of barbels are long, straight and stiff.
The flanks are olive-brown and are adorned with vertical lines of pale spots.
It can be found in Asia, Sumatra, Borneo,Thailand, Kapuas River in West Kalimantan and Indonesia.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Clariidae
Genus: Clarias
Scopoli, 1777
Type species : Clarias
leiacanthus Bleeker, 1851
Boleophthalmus boddarti
Mudskippers
Mudskippers
Mudskippers are amphibious fish. They are of the family Oxudercidae and the subfamily Oxudercinae.
An intertidal and amphibious air-breather that actively shuttles back and forth between rockpools and air. They are rank amongst the most fascinating of intertidal life of mangrove and mudflat habitats.
There are 23 living species of mudskipper. They are known for their unusual appearance and their ability to survive both in and out of water.
They can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and most are a brownish green colour that range anywhere from dark to light.
During mating season the males will also develop brightly coloured spots in order to attract females. The spots can be red, green or blue.
A mudskipper's eyes protrude from the tops of its flat head. Their most noticeable feature however is their side pectoral fins that are located more forward and under their elongated body. These fins function similarly to legs in that they allow the mudskipper to move from place to place.
Although having the typical appearance of any other fish, these forward fins allow the mudskipper to “skip” across muddy surfaces and even give them the ability to climb trees and low branches.
Mudskippers typically live in burrows in intertidal habitats, and exhibit unique adaptations to this environment that are not found in most intertidal fishes, which typically survive the retreat of the tide by hiding under wet seaweed or in tide pools.
These burrows are most often characterised by their smooth and vaulted ceilings. The way the males dig these burrows has been found to be directly linked to their ability to survive submerged in almost anoxic water. It has also been found to play a crucial role in the development of the eggs within the burrow.
Boleophthalmus is a genus of mudskippers native
to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It Inhabits brackish water of estuaries and freshwater tidal zone, occurs in burrows and is often found on mudflats in extremely shallow water where it browses on algae.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper Boleophthalmus boddarti (Boddart's goggle-eyed goby) is amongst the most conspicuous of its kind and, if present, is easily seen at low tide when active on exposed mudflats. At high tide they remain in their burrows, hidden from sight.
The eyes are large and bulging, species reaches around 20 cm in total length, and is boldly patterned with diagonal rows of blue spots along the flanks and scattered spots on the cheeks. Dark bands are generally present on the flanks too.
In some areas a similar and closely related species, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris ('Great Blue-spotted Mudskipper'), may live alongside this species.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper is highly territorial, and skirmishes between neighbouring males are frequent.
During such confrontations both dorsal fins are raised as a threat. At this time the soft fin spines running through the anterior dorsal fin are easily seen. Males also raise their dorsal fins and leap into the air to attract a female, who is then escorted to the burrow for mating.
Observations suggest these mudskippers feed both on plant material as well as small invertebrates.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper is found in Singapore and is widely distributed in coastal Southeast Asia and beyond, from India in the west to at least Indochina, Borneo and New Guinea in the east. In parts of Peninsular Malaysia it is locally abundant.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Oxudercidae
Subfamily: Oxudercinae
Gunther 1861
Genus: Boleophthalmus
Valenciennes, 1837
Species : Boleophthalmus boddarti (Pallas, 1770)
An intertidal and amphibious air-breather that actively shuttles back and forth between rockpools and air. They are rank amongst the most fascinating of intertidal life of mangrove and mudflat habitats.
There are 23 living species of mudskipper. They are known for their unusual appearance and their ability to survive both in and out of water.
They can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and most are a brownish green colour that range anywhere from dark to light.
During mating season the males will also develop brightly coloured spots in order to attract females. The spots can be red, green or blue.
A mudskipper's eyes protrude from the tops of its flat head. Their most noticeable feature however is their side pectoral fins that are located more forward and under their elongated body. These fins function similarly to legs in that they allow the mudskipper to move from place to place.
Although having the typical appearance of any other fish, these forward fins allow the mudskipper to “skip” across muddy surfaces and even give them the ability to climb trees and low branches.
Mudskippers typically live in burrows in intertidal habitats, and exhibit unique adaptations to this environment that are not found in most intertidal fishes, which typically survive the retreat of the tide by hiding under wet seaweed or in tide pools.
These burrows are most often characterised by their smooth and vaulted ceilings. The way the males dig these burrows has been found to be directly linked to their ability to survive submerged in almost anoxic water. It has also been found to play a crucial role in the development of the eggs within the burrow.
Boleophthalmus is a genus of mudskippers native
to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It Inhabits brackish water of estuaries and freshwater tidal zone, occurs in burrows and is often found on mudflats in extremely shallow water where it browses on algae.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper Boleophthalmus boddarti (Boddart's goggle-eyed goby) is amongst the most conspicuous of its kind and, if present, is easily seen at low tide when active on exposed mudflats. At high tide they remain in their burrows, hidden from sight.
The eyes are large and bulging, species reaches around 20 cm in total length, and is boldly patterned with diagonal rows of blue spots along the flanks and scattered spots on the cheeks. Dark bands are generally present on the flanks too.
In some areas a similar and closely related species, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris ('Great Blue-spotted Mudskipper'), may live alongside this species.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper is highly territorial, and skirmishes between neighbouring males are frequent.
During such confrontations both dorsal fins are raised as a threat. At this time the soft fin spines running through the anterior dorsal fin are easily seen. Males also raise their dorsal fins and leap into the air to attract a female, who is then escorted to the burrow for mating.
Observations suggest these mudskippers feed both on plant material as well as small invertebrates.
The Blue-spotted Mudskipper is found in Singapore and is widely distributed in coastal Southeast Asia and beyond, from India in the west to at least Indochina, Borneo and New Guinea in the east. In parts of Peninsular Malaysia it is locally abundant.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Oxudercidae
Subfamily: Oxudercinae
Gunther 1861
Genus: Boleophthalmus
Valenciennes, 1837
Species : Boleophthalmus boddarti (Pallas, 1770)
Channa striata
striped snakehead
striped snakehead
The snakeheads are members of the freshwater perciform fish family Channidae, native to parts of Africa and Asia.
These elongated, predatory fish are distinguished by their long dorsal fins, large mouths, and shiny teeth. They breathe air with gills, which allows them to migrate short distances over land. They have suprabranchial organs, which are primitive forms of labyrinth organs, that develop when they grow older.
The two extant genera are Channa in Asia and
Parachanna in Africa, consisting of more than 50 species. Channa striata, the striped snakehead
is a species of snakehead fish.
It is also known as the common snakehead, chevron snakehead, or snakehead murrel and generally referred simply as mudfish. It is native to South and Southeast Asia, and has been introduced to some Pacific Islands.
It is a bony fish with endoskeleton ribcage, grows up to a meter in length, though because of fishing, this size is rarely found in the wild.
It has a widespread range covering southern China, Pakistan, most of India, southern Nepal, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, and most of Southeast Asia. It has more recently been introduced to the outermost parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Mauritius.
Channa striata occurs mainly in shallow freshwater habitats, typically at depths of 1-2 m, rarely below 10 meters. This species can be found in most types of slow-moving freshwater habitat, including rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, creeks, flooded rice paddies, irrigation reservoirs, and swamps.
Compared to most freshwater fish it is quite tolerant of turbid conditions and low oxygen levels. In regions with rainy and dry seasons, these fish may migrate out from permanent lakes and streams into flooded areas during the rainy season, and then return to permanent waters as the flooded areas dry.
It is an important food fish in its entire native range, and is of considerable economic importance. Adults are dark brown in colour with faint black bands visible across its entire body.
Males and females both help to construct a nest out of water vegetation during breeding time. Eggs are guarded by both parents. Fry are reddish orange and are guarded by both parents until they turn greenish brown at around 5–6 cm.
It is common in freshwater plains, where it migrates from rivers and lakes into flooded fields, returning to the permanent water bodies in the dry season, where it survives by burrowing in the mud.
Snakeheads are thrust-feeders that consume plankton, aquatic insects, and mollusks when small. As adults, they mostly feed on other fish (such as carp) or on frogs. In rare cases, small rodents such as rats are eaten, it will attack anything moving when breeding.
Snakeheads can become invasive species and cause ecological damage because, in many areas to which they are not native, the absence of natural enemies give them apex predator status. Not only can they breathe air, but they can also survive on land for up to 4 days, provided they are wet, and are known to migrate up to 400 m (1/4 mi) on wet land to other bodies of water by wriggling with their bodies and fins.
National Geographic has referred to snakeheads as "fishzilla" and the National Geographic Channel reported the "northern snakehead reaches sexual maturity by age two or three. Each spawning-age female can release up to 15,000 eggs at once. Snakeheads can mate as often as five times a year.
They are valuable as a food source and have become notorious as an intentionally released invasive species. These fish have been kept as pets but as they get larger, people let them go into ponds, lakes, and rivers, making these fish invasive.
Common snakeheads are very popular in Thai cuisine, where they are prepared in a variety of ways. Grilled fish is a common food item offered by street vendors .
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Channidae
Genus: Channa
Species: C. striata
Binomial name Channa striata
(Bloch, 1793)
These elongated, predatory fish are distinguished by their long dorsal fins, large mouths, and shiny teeth. They breathe air with gills, which allows them to migrate short distances over land. They have suprabranchial organs, which are primitive forms of labyrinth organs, that develop when they grow older.
The two extant genera are Channa in Asia and
Parachanna in Africa, consisting of more than 50 species. Channa striata, the striped snakehead
is a species of snakehead fish.
It is also known as the common snakehead, chevron snakehead, or snakehead murrel and generally referred simply as mudfish. It is native to South and Southeast Asia, and has been introduced to some Pacific Islands.
It is a bony fish with endoskeleton ribcage, grows up to a meter in length, though because of fishing, this size is rarely found in the wild.
It has a widespread range covering southern China, Pakistan, most of India, southern Nepal, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, and most of Southeast Asia. It has more recently been introduced to the outermost parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Mauritius.
Channa striata occurs mainly in shallow freshwater habitats, typically at depths of 1-2 m, rarely below 10 meters. This species can be found in most types of slow-moving freshwater habitat, including rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, creeks, flooded rice paddies, irrigation reservoirs, and swamps.
Compared to most freshwater fish it is quite tolerant of turbid conditions and low oxygen levels. In regions with rainy and dry seasons, these fish may migrate out from permanent lakes and streams into flooded areas during the rainy season, and then return to permanent waters as the flooded areas dry.
It is an important food fish in its entire native range, and is of considerable economic importance. Adults are dark brown in colour with faint black bands visible across its entire body.
Males and females both help to construct a nest out of water vegetation during breeding time. Eggs are guarded by both parents. Fry are reddish orange and are guarded by both parents until they turn greenish brown at around 5–6 cm.
It is common in freshwater plains, where it migrates from rivers and lakes into flooded fields, returning to the permanent water bodies in the dry season, where it survives by burrowing in the mud.
Snakeheads are thrust-feeders that consume plankton, aquatic insects, and mollusks when small. As adults, they mostly feed on other fish (such as carp) or on frogs. In rare cases, small rodents such as rats are eaten, it will attack anything moving when breeding.
Snakeheads can become invasive species and cause ecological damage because, in many areas to which they are not native, the absence of natural enemies give them apex predator status. Not only can they breathe air, but they can also survive on land for up to 4 days, provided they are wet, and are known to migrate up to 400 m (1/4 mi) on wet land to other bodies of water by wriggling with their bodies and fins.
National Geographic has referred to snakeheads as "fishzilla" and the National Geographic Channel reported the "northern snakehead reaches sexual maturity by age two or three. Each spawning-age female can release up to 15,000 eggs at once. Snakeheads can mate as often as five times a year.
They are valuable as a food source and have become notorious as an intentionally released invasive species. These fish have been kept as pets but as they get larger, people let them go into ponds, lakes, and rivers, making these fish invasive.
Common snakeheads are very popular in Thai cuisine, where they are prepared in a variety of ways. Grilled fish is a common food item offered by street vendors .
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Channidae
Genus: Channa
Species: C. striata
Binomial name Channa striata
(Bloch, 1793)
Betta pugnax
Forest betta
Forest betta
The Penang betta (Betta pugnax) is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia and common in swiftly flowing forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Thailand, Sumatra, and the Riau Islands.
Betta pugnax.... other names include.. Penang Betta, Breder's Betta, King Betta, Forest Betta and additional scientific names Betta brederi.
The Forest Betta belongs to the same genus as the Siamese Fighting Fish Betta splendens, but it is less agressive. The male Forest Betta is quite territorial.
In addition to its native range, the species has been introduced to Guam. It can be found amongst the vegetation growing along the banks. This species can reach a length of 6.7 centimetres (2.6 in)
B.pugnax is one of the mouthbrooding Betta species.
This species, as a natural predator of mosquito larvae, has found use in mosquito control efforts. Prior to its being eclipsed in Western public recognition by the mass-imported B. splendens (the Siamese fighting fish), B. pugnax was well known as a fighting fish, as denoted by the specific epithet of pugnax, attracting the interest of scientists studying animal behaviour at least as long ago as the 1880s.
The substrate is most often sandy with little to no aquatic vegetation and the fish can be found among submerged leaf litter or sheltering under overhanging marginal vegetation and tree roots. It is also know to inhabit flowing streams, some of which contain large quantities of submerged vegetation.
This species requires acidic conditions with negligible carbonate hardness and very low general hardness, meaning a reverse osmosis unit or other method of obtaining soft water may need to be employed.
Like others in the genus this species seems to do best under fairly dim lighting and is an excellent jumper.
B. pugnax is very tolerant of water chemistry as long as the water is well filtered and clean. Should be kept in mid 70s F however will tolerate water from mid 60s to 80s.
Males grow larger possess a greater amount of iridescent scaling on the head and it had a broader head shape then females and much longer pelvic fins and will have spikes on the anal and caudal fins. Males will also develop “green cheek flashes”.
Following a protracted courtship, eggs and milt are released during an ’embrace’ typical of osphronemids,
with the male wrapped around the female. Several ‘dummy’ embraces may be required before spawning commences.
Fertilised eggs are caught on the anal fin of the male then picked up in the mouth of the female before being spat out into the water for the male to catch. Once the male has all the eggs in his mouth the process is repeated until the female is spent of eggs, a process which can take some time.
A brooding male may swallow or release the eggs prematurely if stressed or inexperienced, so it is preferable to leave the female and any other fishes in situ.
The incubation period is 9-16 days, after which the male will begin to release free-swimming fry. At this point they can be removed or left to grow alongside the parents, though some may be lost to predation under the latter circumstances.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Genus: Betta
Species: B. pugnax
Binomial name Betta pugnax
(Cantor, 1849)
Betta pugnax.... other names include.. Penang Betta, Breder's Betta, King Betta, Forest Betta and additional scientific names Betta brederi.
The Forest Betta belongs to the same genus as the Siamese Fighting Fish Betta splendens, but it is less agressive. The male Forest Betta is quite territorial.
In addition to its native range, the species has been introduced to Guam. It can be found amongst the vegetation growing along the banks. This species can reach a length of 6.7 centimetres (2.6 in)
B.pugnax is one of the mouthbrooding Betta species.
This species, as a natural predator of mosquito larvae, has found use in mosquito control efforts. Prior to its being eclipsed in Western public recognition by the mass-imported B. splendens (the Siamese fighting fish), B. pugnax was well known as a fighting fish, as denoted by the specific epithet of pugnax, attracting the interest of scientists studying animal behaviour at least as long ago as the 1880s.
The substrate is most often sandy with little to no aquatic vegetation and the fish can be found among submerged leaf litter or sheltering under overhanging marginal vegetation and tree roots. It is also know to inhabit flowing streams, some of which contain large quantities of submerged vegetation.
This species requires acidic conditions with negligible carbonate hardness and very low general hardness, meaning a reverse osmosis unit or other method of obtaining soft water may need to be employed.
Like others in the genus this species seems to do best under fairly dim lighting and is an excellent jumper.
B. pugnax is very tolerant of water chemistry as long as the water is well filtered and clean. Should be kept in mid 70s F however will tolerate water from mid 60s to 80s.
Males grow larger possess a greater amount of iridescent scaling on the head and it had a broader head shape then females and much longer pelvic fins and will have spikes on the anal and caudal fins. Males will also develop “green cheek flashes”.
Following a protracted courtship, eggs and milt are released during an ’embrace’ typical of osphronemids,
with the male wrapped around the female. Several ‘dummy’ embraces may be required before spawning commences.
Fertilised eggs are caught on the anal fin of the male then picked up in the mouth of the female before being spat out into the water for the male to catch. Once the male has all the eggs in his mouth the process is repeated until the female is spent of eggs, a process which can take some time.
A brooding male may swallow or release the eggs prematurely if stressed or inexperienced, so it is preferable to leave the female and any other fishes in situ.
The incubation period is 9-16 days, after which the male will begin to release free-swimming fry. At this point they can be removed or left to grow alongside the parents, though some may be lost to predation under the latter circumstances.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Genus: Betta
Species: B. pugnax
Binomial name Betta pugnax
(Cantor, 1849)
Monopterus javanicus
asia swamp eel
asia swamp eel
Monopterus is a genus of swamp eels native to Asia. They live in various freshwater habitats and some have a fossorial lifestyle.
The swamp eels are a family (Synbranchidae) of freshwater eel-like fishes of the tropics and subtropics.
Most species are able to breathe air and typically live in marshes, ponds and damp places, sometimes burying themselves in the mud if the water source dries up.
They have various adaptations to suit this lifestyle; they are long and slender, they lack pectoral and pelvic fins, and their dorsal and anal fins are vestigial, making them limbless vertebrates. They lack scales and a swimbladder, and their gills open on the throat in a slit or pore. Oxygen can be absorbed through the lining of the mouth and pharynx, which is rich in blood vessels and acts as a "lung".
The Asian swamp eel is a freshwater, eel-like fish belonging to the family Synbranchidae (swamp eels) it is also known as rice eel, ricefield eel, or rice paddy eel, is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the family Synbranchidae.
It occurs in East and Southeast Asia, where it is a very common foodstuff sold throughout the region.
The Asian swamp eel has a scaleless, anguilliform body that grows to a meter or less, typically 25 to 40 cm as an adult.
The Asian Swamp Eel is rounded in cross-section, has a distinctive blunt snout and a tapered tail and lacks pectoral and pelvic fins. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are rudimentary, with the caudal fin often absent. These fins serve to protect the swamp eel against rolling, and assist in sudden turns and stops. Swamp eels lack scales, its gill membranes are fused, but one v-shaped gill is located beneath the head. Such a shape prevents reverse flow.
Colour is variable, but generally comprises a greenish-grey or brown background speckled with pale-coloured spots or flecks.
Their eggs are laid in bubble-nests in shallow water. Fry and juveniles are all female, but with the onset of adulthood some females will develop into males.
Their colour is variable, but generally olive or brown, with irregular dark flecks.
The mouth is large and protractile, and both upper and lower jaws have tiny teeth for eating fishes, worms, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals.
It is tolerant of polluted water or low oxygen levels, and can breathe air efficiently enough to allow migration across short distances of dry land. They are mainly nocturnal, emerging to feed on fishes, crustaceans and other invertebrates and occasionally detritus.
The preferred environment for the Asian swamp eel includes a wide variety of muddy, freshwater, shallow wetlands, such as rice paddies, ditches, ponds, marshes, streams, rivers, canals, lakes, and reservoirs.
Asian swamp eel is hermaphroditic.
In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes.
All young are females. As juvenile fish begin to mature, some take on the masculine phenotype. Males are capable of changing sex, allowing them to replenish female populations when female densities are low. This change from one sex to another can take up to a year. Spawning can occur throughout the year.
Swamp eels are a host for Gnathostoma spinigerum. Eating raw or undercooked swamp eel could cause gnathostomiasis, a disease that occurs in Thailand and Vietnam.
The fish is an important protein source for people in Thailand. It is cultured throughout Vietnam. In Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian countries, swamp eels are farmed in polyculture rice fields and sold as a food product with the rice crop.
In Balinese, the eels are known as lindung, they are sold dried in almost all village markets for use in Hindu offerings.
In Japan, it is known as ta-unagi, from 田, pronounced "ta", meaning paddy and 鰻, pronounced "unagi", meaning eel, usually written in katakana as タウナギ, and usually not eaten.
Adult and juvenile swamp eels are air-breathers, while young absorb oxygen directly through the skin. As such, standard fish poisons or piscicides (e.g., rotenone and antimycin A) that are transmitted across the gill membrane may not be effective.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Synbranchiformes
Family: Synbranchidae
Subfamily: Synbranchinae
Genus: Monopterus
Lacépède, 1800
Type species Monopterus javanicus
Lacépède, 1800
The swamp eels are a family (Synbranchidae) of freshwater eel-like fishes of the tropics and subtropics.
Most species are able to breathe air and typically live in marshes, ponds and damp places, sometimes burying themselves in the mud if the water source dries up.
They have various adaptations to suit this lifestyle; they are long and slender, they lack pectoral and pelvic fins, and their dorsal and anal fins are vestigial, making them limbless vertebrates. They lack scales and a swimbladder, and their gills open on the throat in a slit or pore. Oxygen can be absorbed through the lining of the mouth and pharynx, which is rich in blood vessels and acts as a "lung".
The Asian swamp eel is a freshwater, eel-like fish belonging to the family Synbranchidae (swamp eels) it is also known as rice eel, ricefield eel, or rice paddy eel, is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the family Synbranchidae.
It occurs in East and Southeast Asia, where it is a very common foodstuff sold throughout the region.
The Asian swamp eel has a scaleless, anguilliform body that grows to a meter or less, typically 25 to 40 cm as an adult.
The Asian Swamp Eel is rounded in cross-section, has a distinctive blunt snout and a tapered tail and lacks pectoral and pelvic fins. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are rudimentary, with the caudal fin often absent. These fins serve to protect the swamp eel against rolling, and assist in sudden turns and stops. Swamp eels lack scales, its gill membranes are fused, but one v-shaped gill is located beneath the head. Such a shape prevents reverse flow.
Colour is variable, but generally comprises a greenish-grey or brown background speckled with pale-coloured spots or flecks.
Their eggs are laid in bubble-nests in shallow water. Fry and juveniles are all female, but with the onset of adulthood some females will develop into males.
Their colour is variable, but generally olive or brown, with irregular dark flecks.
The mouth is large and protractile, and both upper and lower jaws have tiny teeth for eating fishes, worms, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals.
It is tolerant of polluted water or low oxygen levels, and can breathe air efficiently enough to allow migration across short distances of dry land. They are mainly nocturnal, emerging to feed on fishes, crustaceans and other invertebrates and occasionally detritus.
The preferred environment for the Asian swamp eel includes a wide variety of muddy, freshwater, shallow wetlands, such as rice paddies, ditches, ponds, marshes, streams, rivers, canals, lakes, and reservoirs.
Asian swamp eel is hermaphroditic.
In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes.
All young are females. As juvenile fish begin to mature, some take on the masculine phenotype. Males are capable of changing sex, allowing them to replenish female populations when female densities are low. This change from one sex to another can take up to a year. Spawning can occur throughout the year.
Swamp eels are a host for Gnathostoma spinigerum. Eating raw or undercooked swamp eel could cause gnathostomiasis, a disease that occurs in Thailand and Vietnam.
The fish is an important protein source for people in Thailand. It is cultured throughout Vietnam. In Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian countries, swamp eels are farmed in polyculture rice fields and sold as a food product with the rice crop.
In Balinese, the eels are known as lindung, they are sold dried in almost all village markets for use in Hindu offerings.
In Japan, it is known as ta-unagi, from 田, pronounced "ta", meaning paddy and 鰻, pronounced "unagi", meaning eel, usually written in katakana as タウナギ, and usually not eaten.
Adult and juvenile swamp eels are air-breathers, while young absorb oxygen directly through the skin. As such, standard fish poisons or piscicides (e.g., rotenone and antimycin A) that are transmitted across the gill membrane may not be effective.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Synbranchiformes
Family: Synbranchidae
Subfamily: Synbranchinae
Genus: Monopterus
Lacépède, 1800
Type species Monopterus javanicus
Lacépède, 1800