Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barbs and barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family, and the largest vertebrate animal family overall, with about 3,000 species; only 1,270 of these remain extant, divided into about 200 valid genera. Cyprinids range from about 12 mm (0.5 in) in size to the 3 m (9.8 ft) giant barb. By genus and species count, the family makes up more than two-thirds of the ostariophysian order Cypriniformes. The family name is derived from the Greek word kyprînos.
The Burmese Border loach, angelicus loach or polka dot loach, Botia kubotai, is a recently described species that has quickly become a popular tropical fish for freshwater aquariums. In 2002, fish collectors working in western Thailand began to expand their search into Myanmar (Burma) area from the Three Pagodas Pass Thai-Myanmar border to look for new fish for the aquarium trade. This is one of several species discovered and explains the origin of the fish's common name: Burmese Border Loach. Its specific epithet honors Katsuma Kubota of an aquarium export company in Thailand who first purchased the catch and sent them out for identification.
The Arulius barb is a tropical cyprinid fish native to the Kaveri River basin of south east India. Other common names include Tamiraparani barb, Silas barb and longfin barb.
The chiselmouth is an unusual cyprinid fish of western North America. It is named for the sharp hard plate on its lower jaw, which is used to scrape rocks for algae. It is the sole member of the monotypic genus Acrocheilus and is a close relative of the Gila western chubs, and is known to hybridise with Ptychocheilus oregonensis.
The giant barb, Siamese giant carp, or simply Siamese carp, is the largest species of cyprinid in the world. These migratory fish are found only in the Mae Klong, Mekong, and Chao Phraya River basins in Indochina. Populations have declined drastically due to habitat loss and overfishing, and the giant barb is now considered critically endangered.
Balantiocheilos is a small genus of cyprinid fish from southeast Asia. It includes two species.
Pelecus cultratus, commonly known as the ziege, sichel, sabre carp or sabrefish, is a cyprinid fish species from Eastern Europe and adjacent Asian regions, the only one in its genus, inhabiting the lower reaches of rivers and brackish waters in the eastern Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea and Aral Sea basins. The ziege having no major threats, the IUCN lists it as being of Least Concern.
Microdevario is a small genus of danionin cyprinids. It was recently described to include species previously in the genus Microrasbora. These small freshwater fish are native to Burma (Myanmar) and adjacent parts of Thailand, and reach up to 1.5–2.3 cm (0.6–0.9 in) in length depending on the exact species involved.
Ataran River is a river of Burma and Thailand. In Thailand, it is usually known as the Kasat River. It merges into the larger Gyaing River and Salween River near the city of Mawlamyine. A main tributary of the Ataran River is the Zami River. The Ataran and its tributaries begin near the Thai-Burmese border and flow in a general north-north-west direction.
The black-line rasbora or slender rasbora, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus cyprinid family. It is found in rivers of South and Southeast Asia, ranging from Sri Lanka and the Indus basin to northern the Malay Peninsula and the Mekong.
The predatory carp, also known as the redfin culter or skygazer, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Chanodichthys. This East Asian freshwater cyprinid ranges from the Amur River south to Taiwan and the Red River, as well as Lake Buir in Mongolia. It reaches 102 cm in length and 9 kg (20 lb) in weight.
Hypsibarbus vernayi is a species of cyprinid fish in the genus Hypsibarbus. The specific name references Arthur S. Vernay, an English adventurer who collected the type specimen.
The Sacramento pikeminnow, formerly known as the Sacramento squawfish, is a large cyprinid fish of California, United States. It is native to the Los Angeles River, Sacramento-San Joaquin, Pajaro-Salinas, Russian River, Clear Lake and upper Pit River river basins. It is predatory and reaches up to 1.4 m (4.6 ft) in total length.
The hampala barb is a relatively large southeast Asian species of cyprinid from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, as well as Peninsular Malaysia and the Greater Sundas. It prefers running rivers and streams, but can be seen in most freshwater habitats except torrents, small creeks and shallow swamps. This predatory species reaches up to 70 cm (2.3 ft) in length and it is common at half that size.
Hampala salweenensis is a southeast Asian species of cyprinid, endemic to the basin of the Salween in Thailand and Myanmar. It reaches a length of 30 cm.
Microdevario gatesi is a species of cyprinid found in southeast Asian rivers and streams. It belongs to the genus Microdevario, which contains small danionins. It is endemic to the lower Irrawaddy River drainage in south central Myanmar. It reaches up to 2.3 cm (0.91 in) in length.
Microdevario nana is a species of cyprinid found endemic to Myanmar. It belongs to the genus Microdevario, which contains small danionins. It reaches up to 1.9 cm (0.75 in) in length.
Red dwarf rasbora is a species of cyprinid found endemic to Lake Inle in Shan State in Myanmar. It belongs to the genus Microrasbora, which contains two small species of danionins.
The Kuban long-barbelled gudgeon is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to the middle reaches of the Kuban River in Russia.
Spinibarbus denticulatus, the phoenix barb or Chinese phoenix barb, is an Asian species of cyprinid freshwater fish of the subfamily Spinibarbinae. This fish is found in China in the Yuanjiang and Pearl basins, freshwater systems of Hainan, and Yangzong and Fuxian Lakes, in Laos in the Mã basin, and in Vietnam in the Red, Gâm, Lô and Mã basins, and freshwater systems from Nghệ An to Quảng Trị province. It occurs in large to medium rivers, deep pools of streams, in lakes and reservoirs, and it has a quite broad temperature tolerance, between at least 9 and 30 °C (48–86 °F) depending on season. Overall the species is widespread, but some local populations have been reduced due to overfishing, habitat loss and pollution. It is an important food fish that sometimes is aquacultured, and also kept as a garden pond or aquarium fish. Large numbers of the species can be found in the Cẩm Lương stream in Cẩm Thủy, Vietnam, where it is considered sacred and the locals protect and feed it, and it is also a tourist attraction.
