Fish

Sightings of three freshwater fish

Three species of freshwater fish that are considered as being restricted in distribution or locally threatened by Chong & Dudgeon (1992) were found in our recent field surveys. Details as follows:

Rhodeus ocellatus (Kner)
25 May 1998

This species was first recorded for Hong Kong at Fanling by Chong & Dudgeon loc. cit. Abundant populations of this small fish were found in various sections of the upper course of Kam Tin River near Tai Lam Country Park and adjacent irrigation ditches of the surrounding agricultural fields. However, no sign of unionid bivalves (as egg repositories of the fish) was observed. Despite the fact that this fish is considered sensitive to water quality, it was found in quite large numbers at a section of the Kam Tin River which has been polluted to some extent by livestock wastes.

Acrossocheilus wenchowensis beijiangensis Wu & Lin
29 September 1998

This species was previously only found in Tung Chung Stream (Dudgeon & Corlett, 1994). Three juvenile specimens (1cm to 4cm in length) were found in the middle section of Wong Lung Hang Stream. Since the two streams are close together and drain into Tung Chung Bay, it is not surprising that this fish can be found in both streams.

Oryzias curvinotus (Uwa, Tanaka & Formacion)
30 September 1998

This species was reported by Chong & Dudgeon loc. cit. to be restricted to a few isolated sites which have yet to be invaded by Gambusia affinis. Large numbers of this fish were found together with G. affinis and Xiphophorus spp. in a sand pit and its culverts in Tung Chung. An unidentified water snake was also hiding in the sand pit which is located within some abandoned agricultural fields adjacent to construction sites of the new town. Perhaps the sand pit was used as a temporary refuge by aquatic organisms affected by construction works and thus a large number of fish occurred in this artificial structure.

K.W. Cheung
Agricultural and Fisheries Department

References

Chong, D.H. & D. Dudgeon (1992). Hong Kong stream fishes: an annotated checklist with remarks on conservation status. Mem. H.K. Nat. Hist. Soc. 19: 79-112.

Dudgeon, D. & R.T. Corlett (1994). Hills and Streams - An Ecology of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong. p. 85.

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