Cat-eLog Right Bagridae Right Batasio  |  | 

Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Batasio fasciolatus  Ng, 2006
Common Name
Type Locality Market at Malbazar, 26°32'30"N, 88°44'17"E, West Bengal, India.
Pronunciation bah tah see oh - faa see oh late us
Etymology The genus name comes from the local (Bengali) name of the fish (batasio or batashi). From the Latin fasciolatus, the diminutive form of fascia, meaning belt, in reference to the banded pattern of this species.
Down Species Information
Size 71mm or 2.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification The bagrid genus Batasio Blyth comprises of small, laterally compressed catfishes distributed in South and Southeast Asia, diagnosed from its confamilials in having large sensory pores on the head, a narrow mental region, a pair of posteriorly-directed processes on the anterior part of vomer, a transversely-elongated bar-like entopterygoid, and the metapterygoid in close contact with the quadrate but free from the hyomandibular (Mo, 1991).

Batasio fasciolatus n. sp. can be distinguished from all congeners except B. tigrinus by the adult colouration of five to six vertical dark brown bars on a light brown body (vs two or less vertical bars, uniform colouration or only horizontal marks). It differs from B. tigrinus in having longer dorsal spines (13.6–16.8 vs 9.4–12.5% LS) and pectoral spines (12. 7–14.3 vs 10.3–12.9% LS)and smaller eye [16.5–18.8 vs 20.3–24.8% head length (LH)]. Specimens of Batasio fasciolatus n. sp. were previously identified as B. tengana, but can be further distinguished from it in having a longer adipose-fin base (24.5–25.3 vs 14.5–17.5% LS), deeper caudal peduncle (10.1– 11.8 vs 6.7–8.2% LS) and smaller eye (16.5–18.8 vs 21.9–32.1% LH). The only other species of Batasio with at least one vertical bar on the body found in the Brahmaputra River drainage is B. merianiensis, but B.fasciolatus differs from it in having smaller pectoral spine (12.7–14 .3 vs 16.3% LS) and eye (16.5–18.8 vs 25.9% LH).
Sexing Males have a long, slender genital papilla extending to base of first anal-fin ray.
Down Habitat Information
Distribution Asia: Tista River drainage of the Brahmaputra River in India.
Indian waters, North Eastern India Waters, Padma, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Tista (click on these areas to find other species found there)

Log in to view data on a map.
IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2009.
Temperature 20.5-25.0°C or 68.9-77°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters The water should be cool and heavily oxygenated with a good flow as these fish occur in hill streams.Anything above 25 C will hamper long term survival as these fish tend to burn away at higher temperatures.
Down Husbandry Information
Feeding Is known to take processed food but prefers live food like blood worms, frozen brine shrimp etc. Needs sometime to gradually get weaned off live foods. Spot feeding will help in case tank mates are voracious feeders. User data.
Furniture Fine sand for the bottom and smooth pebbles / rocks. Cover / hiding spots can be created with either plants or wood.
Compatibility A peaceful species suitable for a hillstream biotope.
Suggested Tankmates Peaceful Cyprinids like Puntius or Oreichthys and Balitorine loaches like Schistura or Nemacheilus species.
Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Journal of Fish Biology v. 68 (suppl. A), pp 107, Fig. 4.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list.
There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars!
There are 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
Forum BBCode
Search for B. fasciolatus
Look up AquaticRepublic.com Look up B. fasciolatus on AquaticRepublic.com
Look up on Fishbase Look up B. fasciolatus on Fishbase
Look up on Encyclopedia of Life Look up B. fasciolatus on Encyclopedia of Life
Look up on Global Biodiversity Information Facility Look up B. fasciolatus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Batasio fasciolatus QR code LFS label creator
Last Update 2019 Oct 09 04:59 (species record created: 2008 Jan 08 12:42)