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Glassfish (Ambassis nalua) — Ambassidae

Glassfish

Ambassis nalua
Family: Ambassidae
LC · Least Concern

The Glassfish (Ambassis nalua) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Ambassidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
12.5 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The scalloped perchlet is a glassfish (Ambassidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species is small and has a deep, translucent, glassy body with a silvery shimmer, through which the spine shows. It usually lives in brackish bays and estuaries and also enters fresh water and mangrove-lined tidal creeks. It lives in schools and feeds on small zooplankton and small invertebrates. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Glassfish?

The Glassfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Glassfish live?

The Glassfish lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Glassfish get?

The Glassfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Glassfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Glassfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Glassfish edible?

The Glassfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Nalua-glasbaars sourced
English name
Glassfish verified
Scientific name
Ambassis nalua
Family
Ambassidae
Other names
Nalua-chanda; Scalloped glassfish; Scalloped perchlet verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Ambassis

More from the family Ambassidae

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