Datnioides undecimradiatus

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Datnioides undecimradiatus, the Mekong tiger perch, is a vulnerable freshwater fish found only in the lower and middle Mekong basin in Indochina (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam). It was first described in 1994 as Coius undecimradiatus by Tyson R. Roberts and Maurice Kottelat, and later placed in the genus Datnioides in the family Lobotidae.

The name undecimradiatus means “eleven-rayed,” referring to the anal fin rays. The fish has a toothless palatine and vomer, a rounded tail, and four slender dark bars on its body that usually don’t reach the belly. It grows up to about 40 cm (16 in) long. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 16–19 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 11–12 soft rays.

Datnioides undecimradiatus is a predatory species living in both main river channels and their tributaries. It is caught for food and for the aquarium trade. Most aquarium specimens are wild-caught juveniles, though some captive breeding has occurred in Indonesia. The species is rare and highly valued, and overfishing—especially in Thailand—has reduced its numbers, leading to its Vulnerable status.