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Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) — Cyprinidae

Sharpbelly

Pseudolaubuca sinensis
Family: Cyprinidae

The Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 29 cm.

Length
29.2 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Viet Nam

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Description

The sharpbelly is a cyprinid (Xenocyprididae) from fresh water of East Asia, from China to Vietnam. The species grows to about 29 cm and has a slender, strongly compressed, bright-silvery body with a sharply keeled belly edge. As a fast schooling fish it swims near the surface of rivers and lakes and eats small insects, larvae, algae and zooplankton. It is a food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sharpbelly?

The Sharpbelly has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Sharpbelly live?

The Sharpbelly lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Asia: China, Viet Nam

How big does the Sharpbelly get?

The Sharpbelly grows to a maximum of about 29 cm. On average the species is around 24 cm.

Is the Sharpbelly dangerous to humans?

No, the Sharpbelly is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) — Cyprinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) — Cyprinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) — Cyprinidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — James Francis Abbott (Public domain)
Sharpbelly (Pseudolaubuca sinensis) — Cyprinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) loongjim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Sharpbelly sourced
Scientific name
Pseudolaubuca sinensis
Family
Cyprinidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
29.2 verified
Average length (cm)
24.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: China, Viet Nam sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pseudolaubuca

More from the family Cyprinidae

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