Balantiocheilos melanopterus (Bleeker, 1850)
Tricolor sharkminnow
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Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Picture by Jean-Francois Helias / Fishing Adventures Thailand
Pictures | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Picture by Jean-Francois Helias / Fishing Adventures Thailand
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Cypriniformes (Carps) > Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Cyprininae
Etymology: Balantiocheilos: Greek, balantion = bag + Greek, cheilos = lip (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Bleeker.
Etymology: Balantiocheilos: Greek, balantion = bag + Greek, cheilos = lip (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Bleeker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 12. Tropical; 22°C - 28°C (Ref. 1672); 20°N - 6°S
Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Becoming rare or extinct in many river basins.
Size / Weight / Age
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Silver body with black margins on dorsal, caudal, anal and pelvic; lower lip with a posterior groove forming a pocket opening backwards (Ref. 43281).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Adults are found in midwater depths in large and medium-sized rivers and lakes. They feed on phytoplankton, but mostly on small crustaceans, rotifers as well as insects and their larvae (Ref. 12693). Migratory behaviour is undetermined (Ref. 126106). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size >150 cm (Ref. 51539).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Kottelat, M., 2001. Fishes of Laos. WHT Publications Ltd., Colombo 5, Sri Lanka. 198 p. (Ref. 43281)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Vulnerable (VU) (B2ab(i,ii,iii)); Date assessed: 07 February 2019
CITES
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: highly commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Tools
Bio-Quiz | E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map |
Catch-MSY |
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Alien/Invasive Species database | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00646 (0.00298 - 0.01397), b=3.09 (2.90 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.0 ±0.38 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).