Ichthyologist & Biotope Aquarist
Wei-Cheng Jhuang, known in the aquarium community as Newt, is a Taiwanese ichthyologist and biotope aquarist. He is currently a PhD candidate at National Sun Yat-sen University, specializing in the taxonomy, phylogeny, and developmental biology of stream fishes, particularly gobies, hillstream loaches, and minnow fish. In parallel with his academic research, he is actively involved in the ornamental fish trade, integrating scientific knowledge with hands-on industry experience to support the study and circulation of ornamental fish species across Asia.
Field & Research: Newt has published multiple studies on Asian freshwater fishes, including research on amphidromous gobies and hillstream loaches. He has also participated in several DNA barcoding projects investigating fish assemblages in Southeast Asia, incorporating molecular data into biodiversity assessment and taxonomic research.
He has extensive experience in field collection and specimen surveys, with fieldwork conducted across China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and the Philippines, as well as expeditions to Borneo, Sumatra, Papua, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu.
Industry & Recognition: In addition to academic research, Newt is actively engaged in the aquarium and ornamental fish industry. He won Third Place and the Ecology Award at the 2016 Biotope Aquarium Design Contest (BADC) and later served as a judge of the China Biotope Aquarium Contest (CBAC) from 2018 to 2022. He also contributes articles and underwater imagery, sharing field observations and taxonomic insights with the aquarium community.
Expert in the following geographical regions:
-
South Asia
-
Southeast Asia
-
Oceania
Expert in the following fish groups:
-
Gobiiformes – Oxudercidae, Sicydiinae, Gobionellinae
-
Cypriniformes – Xenocyprididae, Gastromyzontidae, Balitoridae