Aplocheilus panchax
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cyprinodontiformes
Aplocheilidae (Rivulines)
Aplocheilus
Aplocheilus panchax
Description
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal.
Distribution
Asia: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and the Indo-Malaysian archipelago. Reported from Nepal (Ref. 9496) Cambodia, Viet Nam (Ref. 27139) and Sri Lanka (Ref. 6028).
Habitat Associations
Freshwater, brackish. benthopelagic. Found in: streams, lakes, estuaries, mangroves.
Biology
Occurs in lowland wetlands to estuaries and peats (Ref. 57235). Found in ponds and ditches (Ref. 4835) canals (Ref. 1479), reservoirs and mangrove creeks (Ref. 13061). Prefers clear water in areas with dense growth of rooted or floating macrophytes (Ref. 12693). Sometimes occurring in hypersaline waters. Feeds mainly on insects (Ref. 13061). Utilized for mosquito control. Is difficult to maintain in aquarium (Ref. 27139). Rarely caught by commercial fishermen and not seen in markets (Ref. 12693). Popular aquarium fish (Ref. 57235).
Max length: 9.0 cm TL; common length: 5.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. A perennial breeder (Ref. 27139), both in fresh and brackish waters, particularly from November to March (Ref. 7020).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-06-21. Resilience: High (tm<1).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Riehl, R. and H.A. Baensch (1991) Aquarien Atlas. Band. 1. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 992 p.
Lim, K.K.P. and P.K.L. Ng (1990) The freshwater fishes of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, Singapore. 160 p.
Huber, J.H. (1996) Killi-Data 1996. Updated checklist of taxonomic names, collecting localities and bibliographic references of oviparous Cyprinodont fishes (Atherinomorpha, Pisces). Société Française d'Ichtyologie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, 399 p.
Menon, A.G.K. (1999) Check list - fresh water fishes of India. Rec. Zool. Surv. India, Misc. Publ., Occas. Pap. No. 175, 366 p.
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