The Chinese high fin banded shark, Myxocyprinus asiaticus, is a popular freshwater community-aquarium fish that belongs to the Catostomidae

Catostomidae

Catostomidae is the sucker family of the order Cypriniformes. There are 80 species in this family of freshwater fishes. Catostomidae are found in North America, east central China, and eastern Siberia...

 family. They grow to over three feet long and may be unsuitable for most home aquariums. A large pond, over 1,000 gallons, would be a more suitable home[6]. It is also known under twenty other common names: Chinese banded shark, Chinese sailfin sucker fish, high fin (also spelled hi-fin) banded loach, high fin loach, Chinese high fin sucker fish, sailfin sucker, topsail sucker, Asian sucker fish, Chinese sucker fish, wimple carp, wimple, freshwater batfish, Hilsa herring, rough fish, Chinese or Asian zebra high fin shark, Chinese or Asian zebra high fin sucker, Chinese emperor, Siamese sucker, Chinese banded shark, and Entsuyui in Japanese

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

. Its popularity in the aquarium trade placed it as an endangered species in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. Myxocyprinus asiaticus bears no relation to true shark

Shark

Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....

s except that they are both fish.

Physical description

Young Chinese high fin banded sharks normally possess brown bodies bearing three dark-colored slanting bands. Adult males are distinguished from adult females by their red coloration. Adult females are of dark purple color with a broad and vertical reddish area along the body. The Chinese high fin banded sharks are also characterized by high and triangular dorsal fin

Dorsal fin

A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...

nage that extends up to the rear of the anal fin. The thick and fleshy lips bear small papilla

Papilla (fish mouth structure)

The papilla, in certain kinds of fish, particularly rays, sharks, and catfish, are small lumps of dermal tissue found in the mouth, where they are "distributed uniformly on the tongue, palate, and pharynx"...

e without barbels. They have a single row of pharyngeal teeth that have comb-like arrangements.

Through adulthood, Chinese high fin banded sharks become darker in appearance. In old age, they lose their characteristic white bands.

Distribution and habitat

Chinese high fin banded sharks are native to the Yangtze River

Yangtze River

The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...

 basins of China in Asia.

Tank requirements

Chinese high fin banded sharks can thrive only in coldwater aquariums. But they are known to be sensitive to nitrate level changes. They thrive in aquariums that have effective filtration, fast-flowing water over-hanging plant decors, and regular water changes. Due to their inquisitiveness, Chinese high fin banded sharks are placed in tanks that do not have ornaments with narrow spaces, but with soft and smooth substrates.

Chinese high fin banded sharks thrive in aquariums with water temperature ranging from 65° to 75 °F (23.9 °C) and with a water pH range of 6.0 to 7.5.

Behavior

Chinese high fin banded sharks are middle and bottom-tank dwellers. They have a peaceful temperament and are described as exhibiting playful and clown-like swimming manner. They are known to change color depending on their mood. They are compatible with rasbora

Rasbora

A rasbora is a member of a group of small minnow-type fish in the family Cyprinidae . Fish from genera such as Boraras, Microrasbora, Rasbora and Trigonostigma are commonly referred to as rasboras...

s, danio

Danio

The Danio genus comprises many of the species of danionins familiar to aquarists. The common name "danio" is used for members of the genera Danio and Devario.-Taxonomy:...

s and Siamese algae eater

Siamese algae eater

The Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus oblongus, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. This bottom-dwelling tropical fish is found in mainland Southeast Asia that includes the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins as well as the Malay Peninsula. Their natural habitats are streams...

s. They should not be mixed with barbs and loaches.

Life span

In its natural habitat, Chinese high fin banded sharks are known to reach up to three feet long. However, they are slow-growers and may live up to 100 years while in captivity.

Diet

Chinese high fin banded sharks are frequent food searchers. They are omnivorous and can be fed with dried, live and frozen food. They accept brine shrimp, vegetables and bloodworms.

Breeding

Although known to be egglayers, there is no known successful breeding process in an aquarium setting. Males are known to acquire tubercles over their heads and fins once they reach sexual maturity.

External links

• Myxocyprinus asiaticus (Bleeker, 1865), Taxonomic Serial No.: 639710, Taxonomy, ITIS.gov, retrieved on: August 21, 2007
• Photograph of the Chinese high fin banded shark at Mongabay.com

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