Chili Red

Evidence rule: Trade and color designations are not separate species or proven parent–offspring pedigrees. Exact claims must be checked against cited studies and tagged farm records.

Identity and classification

Species: Scleropages formosus. Record kind: Red phenotype/market designation. Research grade: Literature-mentioned trade designation. This is not an independent species.

Geographic and historical origin

Red-family market selection often marketed with Indonesian roots; an individual strain's founding locality requires verified stock records.

Appearance and diagnostic issues

Trade grading often emphasizes saturation and red hue, but no independent objective standard was established in the papers reviewed.

Genetics and lineage evidence

Chili Red appears as a commercial red-family designation. It should not be drawn as a documented child of Super Red or Blood Red without parent records.

Sampling and scientific support

Named in 2023 review/introduction, not one of the five karyotyped categories. The 2023 direct comparison of five phenotypes found all sampled forms had 2n=50 chromosomes; it did not prove a unique strain-specific gene for any trade name.

Breeding and authentication

For a particular fish, require a PIT/microchip, lawful source documents, claimed breeder/farm, birth cohort, individual parent IDs or documented cross records where available. No advertised grade or photograph alone proves pedigree or genotype.

Care and conservation

As a large surface-oriented male mouthbrooder, Asian arowana needs species-appropriate secure housing and stable water; protected-wildlife trade and import requirements depend on jurisdiction. Do not solicit precise threatened wild collection sites.