Ray-Finned Fishes - Actinopterygii
Cichlids & Damselfishes - Cichliformes
Asian Glassfish - Ambassis sp. Minnows, Suckers, Carps & Loaches - Cypriniformes Nodoa Minnow - Aphyocypris normalis Mud Carp - Cirrhinus molitorella Grass Carp - Ctenopharyngodon idella Common Carp - Cyprinus carpio Amur Carp - Cyprinus rubrofuscus Wild Carp - Hemiculter leucisculus Broken-Band Hillstream Loach - Liniparhomaloptera disparis Longfin - Opsariichthys evolans Predaceous Chub - Parazacco spilurus Sucker-Belly Loach - Pseudogastromyerzon meyersi Striped Loach - Schistura fasciolata |
Perch-Like Fishes - Perciformes
Blackspot Sergeant - Abudefduf sordidus Gobies - Bathygobius sp. Blue-Spotted Mudskipper - Boleophthalmus pectinirostris Asian Snakehead - Channa sp. Redbelly Tilapia - Coptodon zillii Gobies - Drombus sp. Tank Goby - Glossogobius giuris Jewel Cichlid - Hemichromis sp. Mangrove Red Snapper - Lutjanus argentimaculatus Moses's Snapper - Lutjanus russellii Hong Kong Paradise Fish - Macropodus hongkongensis Mozambique Tilapia - Oreochromis mossambicus Nile Tilapia - Oreochromis niloticus Korean Mudskipper - Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus Shuttle's Hoppfish - Periophthalmus modestus Whitecheek Goby - Rhinogobius duospilus Spotted Scat - Scatophagus argus Crescent Grunter - Terapon jarbua |
Catfishes - Siluriformes
Small Catfish - Pterocryptis anomala Mullets - Mugiliformes Sea Mullet - Mugil cephalus Rivulines, Killifishes & Livebearers - Cyprinodontiformes Guppy - Poecilia reticulata Needlefishes & Halfbeaks - Beloniformes Northern River Garfish - Zenarchopterus buffonis |
Cichlids and Damselfishes - Cichliformes
Asian Glassfish 雙邊魚屬 Ambassis sp.
Minnows, Suckers, Carps & Loaches - Cypriniformes
Nodoa Minnow 擬細鯽 Aphyocypris normalis
Mud Carp 鯪 Cirrhinus molitorella
Also known as 'dace'. This fish is native to the Pearl River in southern China, and also the Mekong River in SE Asia.
Grass Carp 鯇魚 Ctenopharyngodon idella
A large freshwater fish native to China and Vietnam. It is torpedo-shaped.
Koi Carp (Common Carp) 錦鯉 Cyprinus carpio
The ornamental variety of the common carp, they are common additions to lakes and ponds around Hong Kong.
Amur Carp 錦鯉 Cyprinus rubrofuscus
Common from the Amur River in northern China to Laos and Vietnam, this is a type of carp. It lives in freshwater and brackish waters.
Wild Carp 奇力魚 Hemiculter leucisculus
An East Asian fish of freshwater and brackish water. Also known as a 'sharp belly' due to the form of its body.
Broken-Band Hillstream Loach 擬平鰍 Liniparhomaloptera disparis
Longfin 長鰭鱲 Opsariicthys evolans
Native to China and Taiwan, this is a small river fish.
Predaceous Chub 異鱲 Parazacco spilurus
A common stream species. An elongated body with a light and dark stripe running the length of the fish.
Sucker-Belly Loach 麥氏擬腹吸鰍 Pseudogastromyzon meyersi
In the torrent regions of some freshwater streams in the New Territories this fish is quite common. The fins are held out sideways and flattened onto surfaces of stones and rocks. The mouth is sub-terminal in position. It is a prettily-coloured species but small in size around 4-6cm in length.
Striped Loach 橫紋南鰍 Schistura fasciolata
A small species of mountain stream fish. It has quite conspicuous lateral banding. A common species in most local reservoirs and in pools in the mountain streams.
Perch-Like Fishes - Perciformes
Blackspot Sergeant 梭地豆娘魚 Abudefduf sordidus
Gobies 深鰕虎屬 Bathygobius sp.
These gobies are very numerous, but due to their camouflage, difficult to see, unless they're moving.
Blue-Spotted Mudskipper 大彈塗魚 Boleophthalmus pectinirostris
The largest mudskipper in Hong Kong, it lives on the muddy shores of tidal mangrove habitats. There are noticeable blue spots on its body. A quarrelsome animal that seems to spend most of its time bickering with its neighbours over territory. It can crawl slowly on mud but usually moves rapidly by bouncing its tail.
Asian Snakehead 鱧屬 Channa sp.
There are smaller native snakehead species in Hong Kong, but these large released, hybrid ones are quite noticeable. They can live in brackish waters, and are capable of breathing air, so can stay out of the water for some time.
Redbelly Tilapia 吉利慈鯛 Coptodon zillii
A cichlid species from Africa. Common in brackish waters.
Gobies 鰕虎魚科 Drombus sp.
Tank Goby 舌鰕虎魚 Glossogobius giuris
Native to fresh, brackish and marine waters across the coasts of the Indian and western Pacific oceans. It's a subtropical carnivorous fish.
Jewel Cichlid Hemichromis sp.
Mangrove Red Snapper 銀紋笛鯛 Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Moses's Snapper 勒氏笛鯛 Lutjanus russellii
A marine fish, found in rock pools.
Hong Kong Paradise Fish 香港鬥魚 Macropodus hongkongensis
Mozambique Tilapia 吳郭魚 Oreochromis mossambicus
Females and non-breeding males are silver-coloured with 2 to 5 black blotches. Breeding males have white on the lower part of their heads and red margins on their fins and tails.
Nile Tilapia 金山鰂 Oreochromis niloticus
Korean Mudskipper 大鰭彈塗魚 Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus
Shuttle's Hoppfish 彈塗魚 Periophthalmus modestus
This is the smallest of the mudskipper species in Hong Kong. This fish spends most of its time out of water in or near its preferred mangrove habitat. Distinguished from the blue-spotted mudskipper by its lack of blue spots, dark markings and smaller size. It 'hops' along the water surface to flee rapidly, often climbing half out of the water on rocks.
Whitecheek Goby 溪吻鰕虎魚 Rhinogobius duospilus
Spotted Scat 金錢魚 Scatophagus argus
Looking like a pretty coral reef fish, it's Latin name 'scatophagus' indicates its true poop-eating nature. Native to warm waters in East Asia and Australia they can adapt to water of varying salinities.
Crescent Grunter 花身雞魚 Terapon jarbua
Catfishes - Siluriformes
Small Catfish 鯰魚 Pterocryptis anomala
A small species of catfish, 10-20cm in length and pale brown in colour. Found in streams in the New Territories. Occurs in upper reaches of streams with clear water. Feeds actively at night on small fish, crustaceans and insects.
Mullets - Mugiliformes
Sea Mullet 鯔 Mugil cephalus
It has a large head and can grow up to one metre long. Often found in the tidal range of rivers. Also known as grey mullet.
Rivulines, Killifishes and Livebearers - Cyprinodontiformes
Guppy 孔雀魚 Poecilia reticulata
Originally from tropical South America the guppy is now widespread around the world. The females are grey whereas the males can have a wide variety of coloured spots, splashes or stripes.