| Freshwater Fish of Singapore |
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| I used to be very prolific in keeping freshwater fish, in particular native freshwater fish found in Singapore. As many of these fishes are not really popular aquarium fishes here in Singapore, I either have to procure them from catching them from the wilds (something which i have long since quited!) or checking through Singapore's everything-also-have aquariums, the best ones I recall are the aquariums at Clementi central and Bukit Timah Area, as well as one near my house 'GreenSea Aquarium' which strangely have things like Einthoven's Rasbora and Forest Walking-Catfish..Some of the pictures of my fishes (taken by my friend Robert Zhao) are shown below. I will be adding a few new pictures soon..... |
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| Portraits of some 4 handsome native fish |
| Pikehead Luciocephalus pulcher Central Catchment Forest (2000) |
| Buff-backed Spiny-Eel Macronagthus maculatus Central Catchment Forest (2001) |
| Dwarf Snakehead Channa gachua Central Catchment Forest (2000) |
| Grey-banded Loach Nemacheilus selangoricus Central Catchment Forest / Panti (2000) |
| All these fishes are less adaptable compared to their introduced congeners (eg mollies and gambusia holbrooki aka mosquitofish) and are mostly confined to deep swamp forest streams that are inaccessible. They are extremely sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and are the best indicators of the health of our forest streams. If you see them, please do not attempt to catch them, many of our native fishes are very rare and will certainly not be able to withstand even the slightest poaching pressures. The best place to see them, both dead or alive (in preserved specimens) will be at the Zoological reference collection (ZRC) at NUS. |
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| The highly endangered Dwarf Snakehead (Channa gachua) is one of the 5 Channa species found here. This individual is coming to the surface to take in atmospheric air, like all other labyrinth fish. |
| Coolie Loaches (Pangio semicincta) shown here, of which 2 species are found in Singapore are extremly secretive, often hiding in stream bottom substrate and plant litter. |
| Forest Halfbeaks (Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus) inhabit the surface layer of gentle flowing streams or in forest ponds, feeding largely on small invertebrates that has fallen to the water's surface.What strikes most people about this unusual fish is its long lower jaw which extends beyond the upper mandible. |
| Bettas, particularly the Siamese Fighting-Fish are popular aquarium fishes throughout South-East Asia, thanks to their beauty, aggressiveness and ease of catching and keeping. Unlike the rest of its relatives, the native Forest Betta (Betta pugnax) has not much commercial value due to. 2 notable attributes of this docile fish is its labyrinth organs which allows it to breath air and its mouthbrooding habits. |