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Humphead glassfish (Parambassis pulcinella) — Ambassidae

Humphead glassfish

Parambassis pulcinella
Family: Ambassidae

The Humphead glassfish (Parambassis pulcinella) is a freshwater fish of the family Ambassidae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Humphead glassfish is a glassfish (Ambassidae) from fresh and brackish water of western Myanmar in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a deep, strongly translucent body in which the spine and organs are visible, with a two-part dorsal fin. Adults develop a conspicuous hump on the forehead. As a schooling fish it swims in clear, slow-flowing streams, rivers and estuaries and eats small invertebrates, larvae and zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Humphead glassfish?

The Humphead glassfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly white.

Where does the Humphead glassfish live?

The Humphead glassfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Humphead glassfish get?

The Humphead glassfish grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Humphead glassfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Humphead glassfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Humphead glassfish edible?

Yes, the Humphead glassfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bultkop-glasbaars sourced
English name
Humphead glassfish sourced
Scientific name
Parambassis pulcinella
Family
Ambassidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Parambassis

More from the family Ambassidae

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