Nandidae
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| Asian leaffish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nandus nandus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Nandidae |
| Genera | |
|
Afronandus | |
Asian leaffishes are small freshwater fishes of the Nandidae family, from South Asia, with only four genera in the family.
These fish usually have small heads, coloration that appears to have evolved to resemble leaves, and very large protractile mouths. Those features, along with their peculiar movements (seemingly intended to resemble a leaf innocently moving through the water) help them to catch fairly large prey compared to their body size, including small fish, aquatic insects, and other invertebrates. They tend to stay in one place and wait for prey; they are "lie-in-wait" predators.
Their odd, leaf-like appearance and unusual behavior make them interesting to aquarium hobbyists.
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