Reticulated Flying Fox
Crossocheilus reticulatus
Cyprinidae
About
A large, silvery cyprinid from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Yunnan, where it lives in clear, fast rivers over gravel and boulders. Every scale is outlined in dark pigment, so the whole flank reads as a fine net or fishnet stocking, finished with a black blotch at the tail base; unlike the Siamese algae eater it carries no bold black side stripe at all. It reaches 16-17 cm, swims constantly in loose aggregations with a clear pecking order, and grazes biofilm off rock and wood, taking noticeably less algae once it matures.
Care
Needs a long river tank with strong flow, high oxygen and spotless water; it will not tolerate accumulated organic waste. Keep six or more in at least 180 cm of length, under a tight lid because it jumps, and run it cool: this is a subtropical fish that is happiest in the high teens to low twenties.
Diet
Feed Spirulina-based flakes, pellets and algae wafers plus blanched vegetables; avoid protein-rich foods, which it digests poorly. Bright light and mature rockwork give it biofilm to graze between meals.
Tankmate compatibility
Avoid (271)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternA hint only · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
- Extended finsA hint only · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Reticulated Flying Fox need?
- A Reticulated Flying Fox needs an aquarium of at least 365 litres (96.4 US gallons) with a footprint at least 180 cm (70.9 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Reticulated Flying Fox need?
- Reticulated Flying Fox does best at 16–24 °C (60.8–75.2 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 1–12 °dGH.
- What group size does a Reticulated Flying Fox need?
- Reticulated Flying Fox is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Reticulated Flying Fox suitable for beginners?
- Reticulated Flying Fox sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.