Siamese tigerfish facts for kids
The Siamese tigerfish (Datnioides pulcher), also called the Siamese tiger perch, is a type of ray-finned fish. This means it has fins supported by bony spines. It belongs to the family called Lobotidae, which includes tripletails and tiger perches. This fish is only found in Indochina, a region in Southeast Asia. Sadly, it is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, which means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
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What's in a Name?
The Siamese tigerfish was first officially described in 1998. A Swiss fish expert named Maurice Kottelat gave it the scientific name Coius pulcher. He found it in a place called Bung Borapet in Thailand.
Later, scientists realized that the name Coius wasn't quite right for this group of fish. So, the correct name for the tiger perch group became Datnioides. The specific name pulcher means "beautiful" in Latin. It's thought that Kottelat chose this name because of the fish's striking striped pattern.
How to Spot a Siamese Tigerfish
The Siamese tigerfish has a unique look. It has a rounded tail fin. Its anal fin and second dorsal fin also have rounded parts. This makes it look like it has three tail fins!
Its body is orange-brown with four, sometimes five, wide dark stripes.
- The first stripe goes from its head, over its gill cover, and down to its chest.
- The second stripe starts at the front of its dorsal fin and goes down towards its belly.
- The third stripe is in the middle of its back fin and goes down to its anal fin.
- The fourth stripe is near its tail.
The back of the fish, right before the dorsal fin, is straight. These fish can grow up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long.
Where Do They Live?
The Siamese tigerfish lives only in Indochina. You can find them in the big Mekong and Chao Praya river systems. This includes parts of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Sadly, they are no longer found in Thailand. They prefer freshwater areas like main rivers, smaller rivers, and lakes connected to these rivers. They like to hide in places with submerged wood and rocks that have small cracks.
What Do They Eat?
The Siamese tigerfish is a predator. This means it hunts other animals for food. Its main diet includes smaller fish and shrimp.
Why Are They Endangered?
The Siamese tigerfish is in serious trouble. It's listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. There are two main reasons for their decline:
- Overfishing: People used to catch these fish for food in Thailand and Cambodia. However, they became very popular as aquarium pets. Many were caught and sold for the pet trade, especially for export.
- Habitat Loss: Dams built on the rivers where they live have changed their natural homes. This makes it harder for the fish to survive and reproduce.
Because of these problems, the Siamese tigerfish has not been seen in Thailand since the 1990s. Only Vietnam sometimes exports live fish for the aquarium trade now. Scientists are trying to breed these fish in special facilities to help save them.
See also
- List of brackish aquarium fish species
- Brackish-water aquarium
