AquaticRepublic.com - Batasio fasciolatus (Bagridae) All Fishes

Close-up of head
Close-up of head
Close-up of dorsal fin
Close-up of caudal fin

All Fishes 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.
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.
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) Login to view the 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.
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.
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.
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	Look up B. fasciolatus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up B. fasciolatus on Fishbase
	Look up B. fasciolatus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up B. fasciolatus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.8.222.1929
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 11:55 (species record created: 2008 Jan 08 12:42)