布氏波鱼

Overview

Bright orange-red tail-base marks and a pointed head give Kottelatia brittani its distinctive appearance. This infrequently traded fish suits an established planted community where larger, forceful feeders do not dominate.

Distribution & habitat

The recorded type locality in Johor is uncertain because specimens passed through a wholesaler. Verified material from Sumatra’s Batang Hari raises the possibility of a Sumatran endemic. Quiet forest streams have been proposed as habitat, without definitive field confirmation.

Aquarium setup

Planting, a dark substrate and overhead shade make an attractive setting. Establish the aquarium biologically before introduction and avoid unstable water chemistry. Fit a secure lid. Reports of pH preference differ, so the listed maintenance range is a better guide than assuming strongly acidic conditions are essential.

Diet & feeding

Small animal prey probably forms its natural diet. Combine suitably sized prepared foods with regular live or frozen portions such as water fleas and brine shrimp.

Behaviour & compatibility

A group of eight to ten or more encourages confidence and male displays. Select peaceful companions carefully; large or boisterous species can outcompete it even without direct aggression.

Sexual dimorphism

Mature females are deeper-bodied and often slightly larger than males.

Breeding

Egg scattering occurs without brood care. To recover more fry, use a dim separate tank with established water, gentle aeration and an egg barrier or fine vegetation. Introduce one or two conditioned pairs, then remove them after roughly forty-eight hours. Incubation commonly takes eighteen to twenty-eight hours, followed by another day or two before free swimming. Begin with microscopic prey and increase food size only as the young can manage it.

Notes

Identification benefits from the combination of head profile, intense tail markings and lower-jaw structure rather than a common trade name.