Kelah Tasik Kenyir

Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu is known as an angler's heaven where fishing is concerned. With the many rivers and tributaries serving as breeding grounds, hundreds of species of fish like Kelisa, Kelah, Toman, Baung, Sebarau and Lampam are found in abundance.


Scientific name: Tor tambroides; Tor tambra

English name: Malaysian Red Mahseer; Thai Red Mahseer; Greater Brook Carp
Local names Kelah (Peninsular Malaysia), Empurau/Semah (Sarawak), Pelian (Sabah)
Salient features Large strong head, thick lips with median lobe lower lip. Body cylindrical with slight compression; large scales. Colour ranges from pale to bright red. Fins range from pink to red to blue. Large forked tail and rudder-like anal fin.

Family : Cyprinidae

Distribution: Indian, Myanmar, Thailand, Borneo, Sumatra.

Habitat: Medium to large rivers with rocky, sandy and leafy bottom. Prefers highly oxygenated water and dark environment.

Habits: Stations itself in prime lies where its needs of security, shelter and food it readily served. May forage in shallow areas or close to rapids when it is assured of security. A very shy fish.

Diet: Jungle fruits, insects, crustaceans. When mature, it may forage on small baitfish.

Size: Average size 10 - 30 centimetres and weighs about 1 - 2kg. Can grow to more than 7.0 kg and more than 50 cm in length though this size is very rarely caught.

Morphology: Large scales present on the body. Colour yellowish with gold tinge. Present one pair of barbels at both ends of the mouth.

Biology: Known to spawn in the upper parts of the river systems. Being an omnivore, the diet mainly consists of fruits that fall into the river. They like to play against rapids. The spawners spawn in the rivers where are rapids. Eggs are deposited on rock or small stones where the water is calm so that the eggs are not washed away. Once hatched, the youngs will remain and eat on algae growing on rocks.



Foto ehsan Cikgu Ramli Sulaiman.