Alestes is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Alestidae, known as the "African Characidae" as they are found exclusively on that continent. As suggested by that name, they Alestidae was formerly included in Characidae. Myletes was a synonym of Alestes, which was used for various South American serrasalmids too but this name was suppressed by Opinion 1813 of the ICZN.

Within the Lake Chad basin, Alestes and Hydrocynus, collectively known as salanga, are lightly smoked and dried.

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