Saddle Barb

After continuous online searching, I finally found out the type of fish at the Bukit Brown stream.


Photo used with permission from Ecology Asia

It is the Saddle Barb, Puntius banksi.

According to Ecology Asia, it is typically barb-shaped, with a pronounced dorsal fin and deeply forked tail. The Saddle Barb generally inhabits clear forest streams but can also be found in less shady, open country streams. It occurs in small shoals.

It can be identified in the field by a large, grey, triangular patch below the reddish dorsal fin, and sometimes a dark patch towards the base of the tail. Juveniles have other dark patches in the posterior half of the body.

The Saddle Barb is easily confused in the field with a similar species, the Two-spot Barb Puntius binotatus, but the dark patch below the dorsal fin of the latter appears as a small black round spot.

The species has been identified in at least Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Both Puntius banksi and Puntius binotatus are found in Singapore; Puntius banksi is only found in forest streams, while Puntius binotatus is found in rural areas where it may have been introduced.