Photo: Ryan Thoni, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Aborichthys elongatus
8 cm
Adult size
100 L
Minimum volume
3
Minimum group
8 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Aborichthys
- Diet
- omnivore
- Social life
- small group
In the wild
Overview
Described in 1921 by the Indian ichthyologist Sunder Lal Hora, Aborichthys elongatus owes its genus name to the Abor Hills of Arunachal Pradesh and its species name to its very elongated, compressed body, crossed by thin dark bars. It belongs to the family Nemacheilidae.
The type series came from “the Riang river, at 2,000 feet”, a river that cannot be found on today's maps. Most fish sold under this name are collected lower down, in Jalpaiguri district, and may belong to other species.
- Scientific name
- Aborichthys elongatus Hora, 1921
- Classification
- Cypriniformes › Nemacheilidae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
Darjeeling district (West Bengal, India): tributaries of the Teesta, Brahmaputra basin
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in the streams and small rivers that come down from the Siwalik Hills in Darjeeling district (Relli, Chel, Ghish), tributaries of the Teesta and therefore of the Brahmaputra.
It occupies shallow, fast, sloping stretches over rock and pebble beds, where it slips into the gaps. There are no aquatic plants, but a rich biofilm covers the stones. The water is cool (15 to 21 °C) and highly oxygenated.
Behaviour
Not really aggressive, it is still poorly suited to a community aquarium because it needs cool, flowing water. It lives alongside danios, rasboras, Garra, hillstream gobies and fast-water catfish; slow or long-finned fish should be avoided.
It feeds on insect larvae, worms and small crustaceans: live or frozen prey on top of dry food. Its breeding in the aquarium is not documented.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth