Freshwater and Estuarine Fishes:
General parameter to differentiate freshwater from estuarine habitat is the salinity level of water. Freshwater contains less than 0.5 ppt (Parts Per Thousand) salinity whereas estuarine water contains moderate salinity (generally 14-17 ppt). We can easily define freshwater and estuarine fish species in such ways that “fishes live in freshwater habitats are called freshwater fish and fishes live in estuarine habitat are called estuarine fishes.”
But, it is very difficult to categorize all the available fish species according to above definitions. Because there are some fishes, which can be found in both freshwater and estuarine habitat. Rahman (1989 and 2005) in his famous book ‘Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh” recorded fishes of freshwater environment and it also included many estuarine species found in freshwater environment. Rahman (1989) described 260 species of freshwater indigenous fish but recent data have shown that this number is above 265.
A checklist of freshwater and estuarine fishes with their habitat are mentioned below-
Gang tengra
| Scientific name | English/Group name | Habitat |
| Acanthocobitis botia | Mottled loach | F |
| Acanthocobitis zonalternans | Loach | F |
| Acanthopagrus latus | Yellowfin seabream | E,M,TR |
| Acentrogobius caninus | Tropical sand goby | E, M |
| Acentrogobius cyanomos | Goby | E, M |
| Acentrogobius viridipunctatus | Spotted green goby | E, M |
| Ailia coila | Gangetic ailia | F |
| Ailia punctata | Jamuna ailia | F |
| Amblyceps mangois | Indian torrent catfish | F |
| Amblyceps sp. | Torrent catfish | F |
| Amblypharyngodon microlepis | Indian carplet | F |
| Amblypharyngodon mola | Mola carplet | F |
| Anabas testudineus | Climbing perch | F |
| Anguilla bengalensis | Indian mottled eel | F |
| Anodontostoma chacunda | Shad | E, M |
| Aplocheilus panchax | Top-minnow | F |
| Apocryptes bato | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Arias gagora | Gagora catfish | E, M |
| Arias nenga | Engraved catfish | E, M |
| Arias sp. | Catfish | E, M |
| Aspidoparia jaya | Minnow | F |
| Aspidoparia morar | Aspidoparia | F |
| Awaous grammepomus | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Awaous guamensis | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Badis badis | Badis | F |
| Bagarius bagarius | Goonch | F, TR |
| Barbodes sarana | Olive barb | F |
| Barilius barila | Barred baril | F |
| Barilius barna | Barna baril | F |
| Barilius bendelisis | Hamilton’s barila | F |
| Barilius shacra | Shacra baril | F |
| Barilius tileo | Telieo baril | F |
| Barilius vagra | Vagra baril | F |
| Batasio batasio | Tista batasio | F |
| Batasio tengana | Assame batasio | F |
| Batrachocephalus mino | Beardless sea catfish | E, M |
| Bengala elanga | Bengala barb | F |
| Boleophthalmus boddarti | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Botia dayi | Hora loach | F |
| Botia dario | Bengal loach | F |
| Botia lohachata | Y-oach/ Reticulate loach | F |
| Brachirus orientalis | Oriental sole | M,E,TR |
| Brachirus pan | Pan sole | M,E,TR |
| Brachygobius nunus | Goby | E,F,TR |
| Butis butis | Gudgeon | E, M |
| Butis melanostigma | Gudgeon | E, M |
| Catla catla | Catla | F |
| Chaca chaca | Squarehead catfish | F |
| Chagunius chagunio | Chaguni | F |
| Chanda nama | Glass perch | F |
| Channa barca | Barca snakehead | F |
| Channa marulius | Great/Giant snakehead | F |
| Channa orientalis | Walking snakehead | F |
| Channa punctata | Spotted snakehead | F |
| Channa striata | Striped snakehead | F |
| Chela cachius | Silver hatchet chela | F |
| Chela laubuca | Indian glass barb | F |
| Chelonodon potoca | Milkspotted puffer | M, E |
| Chitala chitala | Humped featherback | F |
| Cirrhinus cirrhosus | Mrigal | F |
| Cirrhinus reba | Reba carp | F |
| Clarias batrachus | Walking catfish | F |
| Clupisoma garua | Garua bachcha | F |
| Coilia dussumieri | Goldspotted grenadier anchovy | E, M |
| Coilia ramcarati | Ramcarat grenadier anchovy | E, M |
| Coius quadrifasciatus | Four-barred tigerfish | E |
| Colisa fasciatus | Gourami | F |
| Colisa lalia | Gourami | F |
| Congresox telabonoides | False conger eel | M, TR |
| Congresox telabon | False conger eel | M, TR |
| Conta conta | Conta catfish | F |
| Corica soborna | Ganges river sprat | F |
| Crossocheilus latius | Gangetic latia | F |
| Ctenops nobilis | Frail ourami | F |
| Cynoglossus arel | Largescale tonguesole | M,E,TR |
| Cynoglossus cynoglossus | Bengal tongue sole | M,E,TR |
| Cyanoglossus lingua | Long tongue Sole | M,E,TR |
| Danio aequipimmatus | Barb | F, E |
| Danio dangila | Dangila danio | F |
| Danio devario | Dind danio | F |
| Danio rerio | Zebra danio | F |
| Dermogenys brachynopterus | Half-beak | F |
| Dermogenys pussilus | Wrestling halfbeak | F |
| Drepane punctata | Spotted sicklefish | E,TR |
| Eleotris fusca | Gudgeon | E,M,TR |
| Eleotris lutea | Gudgeon | E, M |
| Eleutheronema tetradactylum | Fourfinger threadfin | E, M |
| Erethistes pussilus | Gangetic erethistes | F |
| Esomus danricus | Flying barb | F |
| Eugnathogobius oligactis | Goby | E, TR |
| Eupleurogrammus muticus | Ribbon fish | E, M |
| Eytropiichthys murius | Murius vacha | |
| Eytropiichthys vacha | Batchwa vacha | F |
| Gagata cenia | Indian gagata | F |
| Gagata gagata | Gangetic gagata | F |
| Gagata youssoufi | Gang tengra | |
| Gangara viridescens | Huddah nangra | F |
| Garra annandalei | Annandele garra | F |
| Garra gotyla gotyla |
Sucker head | F |
| Gazza minuta | Pony fish | E, TR |
| Glossogobius giuris | Tank goby | E, F |
| Glyptothorax indicus | Sisorid catfish | F |
| Glyptothorax ribeiroi | Painted catfish | F |
| Glyptothorax sp. (Jagat river) | Sisorid catfish | F |
| Glyptothorax sp. (Koilla Khal) | Sisorid catfish | F |
| Gobiopsis macrostoma | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Gobiopterus chuno | Goby | E, TR |
| Gonialosa manmina | Ganges river gizzard shad | E, F |
| Gudusia chapra | Indian river shad | F |
| Gymnothorax tile | Freshwater morey | E, TR |
| Hara hara | Kosi hara | F |
| Hara jerdoni | Sylhet hara | F |
| Harpodon nehereus | Bombay-duck | M, E |
| Hemibagrus menoda | Menoda catfish | F |
| Heteropneustestes fossilis | Stinging catfish | F |
| Hyporhamphus limbatus | Congaturi halfbeak | F, E |
| Ichthyocampus carce | Freshwater pipefish | E,TR |
| Ilisha megaloptera | Bigeye ilisha | E, F |
| Johnius coitor | Coitor croaker | E, TR |
| Labeo angra | Angra labeo | F |
| Labeo bata | Minor carp | F |
| Labeo boga | Minor carp | F |
| Labeo boggut | Buggut labeo | F |
| Labeo calbasu | Major carp | F |
| Labeo dero | Kalabans | F |
| Labeo gonius | Kuria labeo | F |
| Labeo nandina | Nandi labeo | F |
| Labeo pangusia | Pangusia labeo | F |
| Labeo rohita | Rohu | F |
| Labeo sp. | Minor carp | F |
| Laguvia telchitta | Telchitta | F |
| Laguvia shawi | Painted catfish | F |
| Lates calcarifer | Barramundi | E, M |
| Leiognathus bindus | Pony fish | E, TR |
| Leiognathus equulus | Pony fish | E, TR |
| Lepidocephalus annandalei | Annaldale loach | F |
| Lepidocephalus berdmorei | Burmese loach | F |
| Lepidocephalus guntea | Guntea loach | F |
| Lepidocephalus irrorata | Loktak loach | F |
| Lepturacanthus savala | Ribbon fish | E, M |
| Liza oligolepis | Broad-mouthed mullet | E, TR |
| Liza parsia | Goldspot mullet | E,M,TR |
| Liza subviridis | Greenback mullet | E, TR |
| Lobotes surinamensis | Trippletail | E, TR |
| Macrognathus aculeatus | Spiny eel | F |
| Macrospinosa cuja | Cuja bola | E |
| Mastacembelus armatus | Spiny eel | F |
| Mastacembelus pancalus | Striped spiny eel | F |
| Megalops cyprinoides | Indo-Pacific tarpon | E,M,TR |
| Microphis chokderi | Pipe fish | E, F |
| Microphis cuncalus | Crocodile-tooth pipefish | F, E |
| Microphis deocata | Deocata pipefish | F |
| Monopterus cuchia | Cuchia | F |
| Moringua raitaboura | Purple spaghetti-eel | E, F |
| Mugil cephalus | Yellowtail mullet | E, TR |
| Muraenesox bagio | Common pike conger | E, TR |
| Mystus armatus | Kerala mystus | F |
| Mystus bleekeri | Day’s mystus | F |
| Mystus cavasius | Gangetic mystus | F |
| Mystus gulio | Long whiskers catfish | E, F |
| Mystus tengara | Tengara mystus | F |
| Mystus vittatus | Striped dwarf catfish | F |
| Nandus nandus | Mud perch | F |
| Nangra nangra | Kosi nangra | F |
| Nemachilus sikmaiensis | River loach | F |
| Nemachilus sp. | Loach | F |
| Nematalosa nasus | Bloch’s gizzard shad | E, M |
| Neoeucirrhichthys maydelli | Goalpara loach | F |
| Notopterus notopterus | Bronze featherback | F |
| Odontamblyopus rubicundus | Rubicusdus eelgoby | E, TR |
| Olyra kempi | Himalayan olyra | F |
| Ompok bimaculatus | Butter catfish | F |
| Ompok pabda | Pabdah catfish | F |
| Ompok pabo | Pabo catfish | F |
| Ophisternon bengalense | Mud eel | M,E,F |
| Oreichthys cosuatis | Kosuati barb | F |
| Oryzias melastigma | Top-minnow | E, TR |
| Osteobrama cotio cotio | Cotio | F |
| Osteochilus hasseltii | Barb | F |
| Osteogeneiosus militaris | Soldier catfish | E, M |
| Otolithoides pama | Croaker | E, M |
| Oxyurichthys microlepis | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Pampus argenteus | SIlver pomfret | E, M |
| Pampus chinensis | Chinese silver pomfret | E, M |
| Pangasius pangasius | Pangas catfish | E, F |
| Pangia pangia | Coolie-loach | F |
| Panna microdon | Panna croaker | E, M |
| Paraplagusia bilineata | Doublelined tonguesole | M,E,TR |
| Parapocryptes batoides | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Parastromateus niger | Black pomfret | E, M |
| Pellona ditchela | Indian Pellona | E, M |
| Periophthalmodon schlosseri | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Periophthalmus koelreuteri | Mudskipper | E, M |
| Pisodonophis boro | Rice-paddy eel | E,F, TR |
| Pisodonophis cancrivorus | Longfin snake-eel | F |
| Platycephalus indicus | Bartail flathead | E,M,TR |
| Plotosus canius | Gray eel-catfish | E, TR |
| Polydactylus indicus | Indian threadfin | E, M |
| Polydactylus sexfilis | Sixfinger threadfin | E, M |
| Polynemus paradiseus | Paradise threadfin | E, M |
| Pseudambassis baculis | Himalayan glassy perchlet | F, TR |
| Parambassis lala | Highfin glassy perchlet | F |
| Pseudambassis ranga | Glass perch | F |
| Pseudapocryptes elongatus | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Pseudecheneis sulcata | Sucker throat catfish | F |
| Pseudeutropius atherinoides | Potasi | F |
| Pseudorhombus arsius | Largetooth flounder | M,E,TR |
| Pseudosphromenus cupanus | Perch | F |
| Psilorhynchus balitora | Balitora minnow | F |
| Psilorhynchus gracilis | Rainbow minnow | F |
| Psilorhynchus sucatio | River stone carp | F |
| Pterotolithus maculatus | Blotched tiger-toothed croaker | E, M |
| Puntius chola | Swamp barb | F |
| Puntius chonchonius | Rosy barb | F |
| Puntius gelius | Golden barb | F |
| Puntius guganio | Glass-barb | F |
| Puntius phutunio | Spottedsail barb | F |
| Puntius sophore | Barb | F |
| Puntius terio | Onespot barb | F |
| Puntius ticto | Barb | F |
| Raiamus bola | Trout barb | F |
| Rama chandramara | Asian cory | F |
| Rasbora daniconius | Slender rasbora | F |
| Rasbora rasbora | Gangetic scissortail rasbora | F |
| Rhinomugil corsula | Mullet | E, F |
| Rita rita | Rita | E, F |
| Salmostoma argentea | Minnow | F, TR |
| Salmostoma bacaila | Minnow | F |
| Salmostoma phulo | Minnow | F |
| Scartelaos histophorus | Mudskipper | E, TR |
| Scatophagus argus | Spotted scat | E, TR |
| Schistura beavani | Creek loach | F |
| Schistura corica | Korica | F |
| Schistura scaturigina | Dari | F |
| Schistura sovona | Savon khorka | F |
| Securicula gora | Gora chela | F |
| Secutor insidiator | Pony fish | E, TR |
| Secutor ruconius | Deep pugnose ponyfish | E, M |
| Setipinna phasa | Gangetic hairfin anchovy | E, F |
| Setipinna taty | Scaly hairfin anchovy | E, TR |
| Sicamugil cascasia | Yellowtail mullet | F |
| Sillaginopsis panijus | Flathead sillago | E,M,TR |
| Silonia silondia | Silond catfish | E, F |
| Sisor rhabdophorus | Sisor catfish | F |
| Somileptes gongota | Loach | F |
| Sperata aor | Long-whiskered catfish | F |
| Sperata seenghala | Giant river catfish | F |
| Stigmatogobius sadanundio | Goby | E, M |
| Taenioides buchanani | Burmese gobyeel | E, TR |
| Taenioides cirratus | Bearded worm goby | E, TR |
| Tenualosa ilisha | Hilsa shad | E, F, M |
| Tenualosa toli | Toli shad | E,M, TR |
| Terapon jarbua | Jarbua terapon | E,M,TR |
| Tetraodon cutcutia | Puffer fish | F |
| Tetraodon fluviatilis | Green pufferfish | E, TR |
| Thryssa hamiltonii | Hamilton’s Thryssa | E, M |
| Thryssa purava | Oblique-jaw thryssa | E, TR |
| Tor putitora | Tor mahseer | F |
| Tor tor | Tor barb | F |
| Toxotes chatareus | Spotted archerfish | E, M |
| Trichogaster chuna | Honey gourami | F |
| Trypauchen vagina | Burrowing goby | E, M |
| Wallago attu | Freshwater shark | F |
| Xenentodon cancila | Freshwater gar | F |
| Zenarchopterus ectuntio | Ectuntio halfbeak | F, E |
N.B. F=Freshwater; E=Estuarine; M=Marine; TR=Tidal river
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Freshwater and Estuarine Fishes of Bangladesh
