Cyprinidae: Labeo Bicolor

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Labeo Bicolor

The first and foremost task the would-be purchaser must surmount is finding and identifying which minnows are which. Crossocheilus and Epalzeorhychus species (which we'll forthwith refer to as SAE's and flying foxes), are wild-collected, a few species occupy the same waters, and what's more their points of gathering mix and match a few species over their geographic ranges. The long and short of this is that you'll have to learn the principal types discerning characteristics yourself (some popular aquarium reference works offer inaccurately labeled images) in order to tell which species you're dealing with.

Further confusing the issue is the fact that of fishes collected from the locality of the true SAE, there is at least three species of Crossocheilus; all appearing quite similar as live aquarium fishes (able to be discerned by careful examination of mouth structural elements as preserved specimens or with good/great photographs).