New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

💧 Freshwater Least Concern 🐠 Aquarium 🌡️ Temperate

Light's bitterling

Rhodeus lighti Wu, 1931
Max Length
7.2 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
2.7
Depth
-
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
23.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

Light's bitterling (Rhodeus lighti) is a ray-finned fish of the family Cyprinidae. It inhabits freshwater waters. This species can reach a maximum total length of 7.2 cm. With a trophic level of 2.7, it is an omnivore, consuming both plant and animal matter. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Scientific Name
Rhodeus lighti
Authority
Wu, 1931
Habitat
Freshwater
Climate
Temperate
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
7.2 cm
Trophic Level
2.7
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
23.00/100
Water Temp
10–25 °C
Salinity
0–0.5 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Physical description for Light's bitterling is currently being compiled.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Light's bitterling is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous
Spawning Season
spring
Spawn Location
Substrate
Fertilization
External

Female has an ovipositor which is used to deposit eggs inside bivalves. Young remain in the bivalve until they can swim .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Temperate; 10°C - 25°C

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
💧 Freshwater
Trophic Level
2.7±0.2

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01072 × L3.11 (TL)
Max TL
7.2cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
10–25°C
Salinity Range
0–0.5ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2011

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
23.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
2.7
Omnivore / Planktivore
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Wu, 1931

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Pseudoperilampus lighti Wu 1931 Synonym
Rhodeus lighti lighti Wu 1931 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Light's bitterling ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.