How to Identify Siamese Tigerfish

To identify Siamese Tigerfish (Datnioides pulcher), look at these key features.

Physical Characteristics

Body shape

compressed

Coloration

Golden to yellowish-brown base color with 5-7 prominent, irregular, dark vertical bars. The intensity and number of bars can vary, with some specimens exhibiting a 'four-bar' or 'five-bar' pattern. The fins are typically translucent or slightly dusky.

Scale type

ctenoid

Mouth position

terminal

Distinctive features

Robust, deep body, Large, protractile mouth, Prominent dorsal fin with strong spines, Distinctive vertical banding pattern, Large eyes

Dorsal fin

Single, long dorsal fin with 12-13 strong spines followed by 10-11 soft rays. The spiny and soft-rayed portions are continuous.

Tail fin

Rounded to slightly emarginate caudal fin.

Pectoral fin

Relatively small, rounded pectoral fins.

Distinctive fins

Pelvic fins are thoracic, located directly below the pectoral fins. Anal fin has 3 spines and 7-8 soft rays, similar in shape to the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal fin.

Identification Tips

1. 1

   Body Shape

   Deep, laterally compressed body, giving it a 'perch-like' appearance.

2. 2

   Coloration and Pattern

   Golden to yellowish-brown body with distinct, irregular dark vertical bars. The number and thickness of these bars are key to distinguishing it from other Datnioides species. D. pulcher typically has 5-7 bars, with the first bar often running through the eye and the last one at the caudal peduncle.

3. 3

   Mouth

   Large, protractile mouth, indicative of its predatory nature.

4. 4

   Dorsal Fin

   A single, prominent dorsal fin with a spiny anterior portion and a soft-rayed posterior portion.

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