486 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



and egress of water and fishes regulated by elaborate barriers, there 

 is for Datnioides, as for various other fishes, no necessity to leave, and 

 most of the adults remain throughout the year. 



The fish is hardy and soon adapts itself to aquarium life. A fish 

 from Bung Borapet taken to Bangkok was under daily observation 

 for many months. It was very deliberate in its movements, paid no 

 attention to other fish in the aquarium, usually remained quiescent 

 under water plants, and rarely took the normal posture of a fish, that 

 is, the body was kept obliquely, with the head turned either up or down. 

 It thrived on shrimp and raw meat. 



X^ *«!../ . 







•m«. A ^^ A 



Figure 99. — Datnioides microlepis Bleeker. Drawn by Nal Cliote Suvatti; courtesy of 



the Thailand Government. 



The fish has a high reputation for its food qualities, and is in such 

 local demand where caught that only small numbers reach the regular 

 markets. In Bung Borapet the fish is regarded as the most delicious 

 of the local species. 



The usual name given to this fish in Thailand is pla seua taw {taio, 

 stump), and in some sections of the Menam Chao Phya pla lad. The 

 Cambodian name is trey Ma (tiger fish). 



Family NANDIDAE 



The Thailand members of this famil}^ belong in two genera and 

 comprise three species. The outstanding family characters are : 

 Single dorsal fin with 12 to 16 strong spines and very much shorter soft 

 portion containing 11 to 16 branched rays, rounded caudal fin, anal fin 



