Aquarist Atlas
Catfish · Glass & sheatfish cats

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus

(Bleeker, 1858)

Formerly known as Eutropius brachypopterus.

Full synonymy (1)
  • Eutropius brachypopterus Bleeker 1858 · original combination

Source: Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (Fricke, Eschmeyer & Van der Laan, eds.), California Academy of Sciences.

3 cited sourcesName checked against Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes, update of

IUCNLEAST CONCERN · 2018
CARESNOT LISTED
Type localityPalembang, southern Sumatra, Indonesiaper Catalog of Fishes
Scientific size4.5 in11.5 cm total length
Temperature72 °F22 °C
pH6.5–7.5neutral
Hardness (GH)slightly hard to very hard179–446 ppm
Depth—not recorded
DietInsect larvae and small invertebrates (FishBase)
BreedingOviparous; distinct pairing (FishBase)
Sexual dimorphismMinimalNot recorded in the available sources
PhotographsSee photosGoogle Images →

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus is a small, slender schilbid-like catfish of Sumatra and Borneo, living in rivers and lakes and eating insect larvae and other small invertebrates. It stays near 4.5 in and is classed as a horabagrid, a family that sits outside the glass catfishes proper.

What's in the name

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus — soo-doo-yoo-TROH-pee-us brak-ee-poh-TEER-us

Pseudeutropius
  • pseudesGreek — false
  • EutropiusLatin — a catfish genus
brachypopterus
  • brachysGreek — short
  • pteronGreek — fin

Taxonomy & naming

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1858 as Bagrus brachypopterus, and the Catalog of Fishes now lists it as a valid species of Pseudeutropius in the family Horabagridae. The authority appears in parentheses because the species was moved from its original genus. Type material came from Palembang in southern Sumatra. The genus has long been filed with the schilbid glass catfishes in the hobby, and trade labels still reflect that.

Morphology

FishBase gives a maximum length of 4.5 in TL. It is a slim, laterally compressed catfish with a short-based pectoral fin that the epithet refers to. Detailed descriptions of fin ray counts and colour are not recorded in the sources used for this entry.

Habitat

FishBase lists the species from Sumatra and Borneo, in rivers and lakes, as a freshwater demersal fish of tropical waters. The recorded water values are pH 6.5 to 7.5 and hardness 10 to 25 dH, with a minimum temperature of 72 °F; no upper temperature is given.

Feeding

FishBase reports that it feeds on insect larvae and small invertebrates. Aquarium feeding for this species is not documented in the sources used here, so small live and frozen foods are the sensible match to its natural diet.

Mating

FishBase records distinct pairing in this species. Courtship behaviour beyond that is not described in the sources used here.

Breeding

FishBase describes the species as oviparous with unguarded eggs. Captive spawning is not recorded in the sources used here.

In the aquarium

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus is an occasional trade fish. At about 4.5 in it suits a roomy tank with open swimming space, soft to neutral water and small peaceful tankmates that cannot be swallowed. FishBase's recorded pH 6.5 to 7.5 and 10 to 25 dH set the range; keep it at 72 °F or warmer. Provide cover along the sides and feed small live or frozen foods.

Conservation

The IUCN Red List assessed Pseudeutropius brachypopterus as Least Concern in 2018. It is not a regular export target and no specific threats are recorded in the sources used here.

Common questions

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus: how big does it get?
Up to 4.5 in total length (TL).
Pseudeutropius brachypopterus: what water temperature does it need?
The atlas records at least 72 °F for this species.
Pseudeutropius brachypopterus: what water chemistry suits it?
pH 6.5–7.5, general hardness (GH) 10–25 °dH.
Pseudeutropius brachypopterus: where does it come from?
It is recorded from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Related species compared · Pseudeutropius

SpeciesAdult sizeTemperaturepHHardnessIUCN
Pseudeutropius brachypopterusthis species4.5 in TL—pH 6.5–7.5179–446 ppmLC
Pseudeutropius moolenburghae4 in TL—pH 6.5–7.5179–446 ppmLC

Recorded ranges from each species’ own page; hardness is the tolerance its sources give, not a measurement of the water it lives in.

Sources

  1. FishBase — Pseudeutropius brachypopterus (Bleeker, 1858)
  2. Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, California Academy of Sciences) — Pseudeutropius brachypopterus, family Horabagridae
  3. IUCN Red List — Pseudeutropius brachypopterus

Naming authority: Pseudeutropius brachypopterus in Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes ↗

Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Pseudeutropius brachypopterus. Aquarist Atlas.https://www.aquaristatlas.com/catfish/pseudeutropius-brachypopterus/

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Where it has been recorded

18 georeferenced records (GBIF). Each point is a field observation or museum specimen — pan and zoom to explore where this species turns up. The coordinates come straight from GBIF and are often rounded or tied to the nearest town or river landing, so a dot can sit just beside the actual water rather than in it.

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