SCOTCAT.COM  

Allan James (3) Stefan van der Voort (2) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (1) Adrian Taylor (2)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5; Vertebrae: 31 - 32. Distinguished from its congeners in the Akysis variegatus species group (except for A. pictus, A. prashadi and A. varius) in having no serration on the posterior edge of the pectoral spines. Differs from A. varius in possessing a gently forked (vs. truncate) caudal fin, from A. pictus in having a larger eye (12-16% HL vs. 8-10) and a smaller adipose fin (17.6-21.1% SL vs. 22.0-23.6) and from A. prashadi in having a larger eye (12-16% HL vs. 8-12) and a longer caudal peduncle (19.4-23.3% SL vs. 16.5-18.4). Description: Dorsal fin with I,4,i, I,5 rays ; Anal fin with iii,4,i, iii,6, iii,6,i, iv,4,i, iv,5, iv,5,i rays; Pectoral fin with I,6,i, I,7, I,7,i rays; Pelvic fin with i,5 rays. Habitat: Occurs in clear, fast-flowing streams with a gravelly bottom. Aquarium Care: A good addition to an aquarium with a good water current but beware if handling as they can inflict a painful sting if handled incorrectly. Reproduction: Has been bred in the aquarium with a large water change carried out where they will lay greenish eggs. The males are slimmer than the females. Diet: They will eat bloodworm, chopped earthworms, whiteworm, daphnia, and sinking pellets (although they seem to prefer live or frozen food). Etymology: The genus name Akysis: A = without; kysis = bladder, in reference to the lack of a swimbladder. The specific name vespa: Latin word for Wasp, due to the colour markings.

Wasp Stream Catfish

None

Akysidae

Asia: Ataran River drainage in Myanmar.

3.5cm (1½ins)

23-28°C (73-83°F)

6.0-7.0.

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Ng, H.H. and M. Kottelat, 1998. The catfish genus Akysis Bleeker (Teleostei: Akysidae) in Indochina, with descriptions of six new species. J. Nat. Hist. 32:1057-1097.