field guide to the freshwater fishes of singapore
Contents

Index of fishes
General parts of a fish
Kelvin K P Lim and Peter K L Ng
 
Family Toxotidae

Indo-Pacific. Characterised by the straight back and deeply-curved belly, this group of estuarine fishes is endowed with the charming skill of striking down insects from above the water by shooting water droplets or a stream of water at them. It does so by means of a very special mouth structure.

drawing of fish "shooting" at prey
Genus Toxotes
photo of whole fish, side viewArcher Fish
Toxotes jaculatrix
Ikan Sumpit-Sumpit,
name in chinese characters



Euryhaline; 16 cm; oviparous; carnivorous (to a large extent insectivorous); solitary or in small packs; surface-dwelling. Indigenous, fairly common. Mangrove streams and estuaries.

Like the spotted Scat, this species is included because it is often sold in aquaria as a freshwater fish, though it is more characteristic of brackish waters in Singapore. It is an intelligent and attractive fish, its large eyes are said to be capable of sharp binocular vision, vital for shooting down insects from above the water with accuracy. It is reputed that the fish is usually accurate to a distance of about a metre or so.
Introduction
Freshwater habitats
Fishes in Singapore
Conservation
Amazing Fishy Facts
About the guidebook
 
From A Guide to Common Freshwater Fishes of Singapore by Kelvin K P Lim and Peter K L Ng
Published by the Singapore Science Centre and sponsored by BP

@Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research and Singapore Science Centre