Sharpbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus)

Scientific name: Hemiculter leucisculus Basilewsky, 1855

Sharpbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus)

The Sharpbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 18–22°C (64–72°F).

Sharpbelly care at a glance

Temperature
18–22°C (64–72°F)

Biology

The species is common in large streams and reservoirs in Hong Kong but not favored as a table fish because the flesh is unpalatable and very bony; abundant in China where it is canned. The main bulk of the diet includes zooplankton, insects, crustaceans, algae and detritus.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Hemiculter leucisculus
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
23.0
Common length
16.9
Depth range
0–10 m (0–33 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; brackish;; pH range: 7.0 - ?; dH range: 15 - ? benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 10 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia: China, North and South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Amur River basin to Red River drainages; Mongolia. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction. Introduced in Iran.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Potential pest
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=3)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated