SCOTCAT.COM  

Beta Mahatvaraj (4) Abhisek Mishra (1)

Description: Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 5; Anal soft rays: 10 – 11; Vertebrae: 29 – 31. Erethistoides sicula differs from both E. montana and E. pipri in having a longer caudal peduncle (19.6– 22.3% SL vs. 14.4–18.4) and shorter pectoral spine (14.6–28.0% SL vs. 30.7–32.1). It further differs from E. montana in having a dorsally projecting bony splint on the opercle immediately posterior to its articular facet with the hyomandibula (vs. splint absent; and from E. pipri in having a more slender head. Habitat: The first four thumbnail specimens were collected at Mathabhanga in the Coochbehar District of West Bengal. Aquarium Care: A tank with a sandy bottom, rounded stones, pebbles and bogwood with a good water flow as befits an asian hillstream setup. Good water quality is a must for this family. Keep the water temperature on the cool side of a tropical aquarium. Tank mates such as the zebra danio (Brachydanio rerio) and Rasboras of the same small size will make good tankmates. Diet: Prefers live foods such as bloodworm, grindle worm and daphnia. Etymology: Erithistoides, –oides, having the form of: Erethistes, “allied [to that genus] in most respects” but with a strongly depressed snout and a unique arrangement of serrations along leading margin of pectoral-fin spine. The species epithet sicula meaning 'dagger', referring to the short pectoral-fin spines.

None

None

Sisoridae

Asia: Known from the Mansai River drainage, itself a tributary of the Brahmaputra River in northern West Bengal state in India.

4.0cm (1½ins)

18-24°C (63-75°F)

6.5-7.2.

Adrian Taylor: pers.comm.
Ng, H. H. 2005 Erethistoides sicula, a new catfish (Teleostei: Erethistidae) from India. Zootaxa 1021:1-12.
The ETYFish Project. Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.