SEAVR 2017: 001-002
ISSN : 2424-8525
Date of publication: 31 January 2017
Hosted online by ecologyasia.com

Stoliczka’s Barb Pethia stoliczkana
at Kuang Si waterfalls, Luang Prabang, LaosKelvin K. P. LIM & Marcus A. H. CHUA
nhmlimkp @ nus.edu.sg (Lim), nhmchua @ nus.edu.sg (Chua)
Observers: Kelvin K. P. Lim, Marcus A. H. Chua, Ng Bee Choo.
Photographs by: Kelvin K. P. Lim, Marcus A. H. Chua.
Subjects identified by: Kelvin K. P. Lim.
Location: Kuang Si Waterfall Park, Luang Prabang,Laos.
Elevation: About 460 metres.
Habitat: Shaded shallow pool (Fig. 1) next to
freshwater stream with cascades (Fig. 2) flowing
through limestone hill forest. Substrate consistedof clay and silt with accumulations of leaf litter.
Water depth was not over 60 cm, and watertemperature was estimated to be around 20
degrees Celsius.
Date and time: 6 January 2017, 10:40 hrs.
Identity of subjects: Stoliczka’s Barb, Pethia
stoliczkana (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae).
Description of record: An estimated three dark
reddish individuals were pursuing and displaying
to at least six conspecific examples of paler,yellowish colour (Fig. 3) in all parts of the pool. The
displays included the erecting of the dorsal, analand pelvic fins and vigorous shaking of the bodyfrom side to side. The fish were about 6 cm in total
length, and were observed being active mainly inthe middle and at the bottom of the watercolumn, occasionally going to the surface.
Spawning was not observed.
The barbs shared the pool with at least one otherspecies of silvery-grey fish, which could not beidentified.

Fig. 1. Pool containing Stoliczka’s Barb

© Kelvin K. P. LimRemarks: Stoliczka’s Barb is distributed in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos in the upper Mekong, Chao Phraya,Salween, Meklong and Irrawaddy basins (Smith, 1945 as Puntius stoliczkae; Kottelat, 2001: 74 as Puntius
stoliczkanus). It has some commercial importance in North America and Europe as an ornamental fish which isconsidered to be relatively peaceful and hardy, and can be bred in the aquarium (Axelrod et al., 1996: 1065 as
Puntius stoliczkai; Paysan, 1978: 148 as Barbus stoliczkanus).
As seen in Fig. 3, the dorsal fin of sexually active males is red with black markings. Courtship behaviour observedin captivity (see Axelrod et al., 1996: 1065) involves a large amount of butting and tail slapping as rival males
vigorously attempt to fend off each other. The eggs are deposited on the substrate, instead of adhering to plants:
these hatch in 30 to 36 hours, with fry becoming free swimming two days later. In the featured observation, thedark reddish fish are courting males, and the yellowish fish are presumed to be females (Fig. 3). It is noted that1

apart from the dorsal fin, the pelvic, anal and caudal fins of the courting males are also red. The pH of the waterin the pool is assumed to be hard and alkaline, given that the geology of the immediate area is dominated by(travertine) limestone.

Fig. 2. Series of cascades along the stream.

© Kelvin K. P. Lim

Fig. 3. Male Stoliczka’s barb (left) displaying to a female.

© Marcus A. H. Chua

References:Axelrod, H. R., Emmens, C. W., Burgess, E. & Pronek, N. (1996). Exotic Tropical Fishes. 5th revised and expandededition. T. F. H. Publications, Inc., USA. 1312 pp.
Kottelat, M. (2001). Fishes of Laos. Wildlife Heritage Trust Publications, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 198 pp.
Paysan, K. (1978). The Hamlyn Guide to Aquarium Fishes. Reprint in English translation. Hamlyn, London. 239 pp.
Smith, H. M. (1945). The fresh-water fishes of Siam, or Thailand. Smithsonian Institution United States National
Museum Bulletin. No. 188. xi + 622 pp2