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Related FAQs: Siamese Tiger Fishes (Were Datnoides, Now Coius)

Related Articles: Brackish Water Fishes,

/The Conscientious Brackish Water Aquarist

The Siamese Tiger Fishes, "Datnoides", Family Coiidae

 

By Bob Fenner

 A "too skinny" Dat

I am no great fan of taxonomic changes... from species to so-called "higher" levels... And my favorite unfavorite example of high taxonomic move-abouts is this small group of interesting fishes... Currently, they are placed in no less than three different families.... Nelson (1994) has them in with the otherwise monotypic Tripletail (Family Lobotidae), to keep pace, place with one standard reference I have moved my materials on this group (images, articles) to fishbase.org's Coiidae from the oh-so beloved Datnoididae... You may find them here/there in the literature.

    Wherever they're placed above the genus ranking, there are five total species, two of which make their way into pet-fish markets on a semi-regular basis. Neither need to be "salted", but are indexed here (as brackish) to make this point.

Coius microlepis (Bleeker 1853), the Finescale or Siamese Tigerfish. Found throughout the Chao Phraya and Mekong Basins in S.E. Asia, western Borneo, Sumatra and Thailand. To eighteen inches in length. Deep bodied (2.1-2.4 into Standard Length), with five body bars. Feeds on live foods as juveniles and adults.

Bigger PIX: The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Coius quadrifasciatus (Sevastianov 1839), the Four-Barred or Siamese Tigerfish (up to seven body bars...). India, Indonesia, New Guinea. To a foot in length. Found in freshwater lakes to brackish settings. Aquarium images.

 



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