DO: Lure of exotic species

2009/10/30

SEET CHER HUNG

SEET CHER HUNG looks at some of the more exotic freshwater species of fish that inhabit our waterways, lakes and reservoirs.

AS anglers, we all dream of landing that once-in-a-lifetime catch, whether at home or abroad.

For some, it is landing that big marlin, or that elusive bonefish, so loved by fly fishermen all over the world, or even that luck-bringing golden arowana, which could cost a few thousand ringgit at the local aquarium shop.

In this article, we’re going to look at some of the more exotic freshwater species that inhabit our waterways, lakes and reservoirs.

Some of these may be native to the country while others are “aliens” brought into the country and released to breed in our local waters.

Malaysia has always been known throughout the world for its tremendous diversity in flora and fauna.

The rich freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers and swamps are the natural habitat for hundreds of species of freshwater fish of varying sizes.

Some of these species are threatened with extinction, while others are considered to have seriously declined in numbers or are present only in restricted areas.

A recent survey found that there are 382 species of freshwater fish in Peninsular Malaysia alone, with 266 species indigenous to the country.

Some 190 species are commonly found in various freshwater ecosystems in the country.

Many of the 120 or so non-indigenous or exotic species present in Malaysian waters were introduced indirectly through fish culture activities or as ornamental fish.

An awesome 30kg African Red-Tailed Catfish caught by Albert Chan.

Some were released into the water system by fish enthusiasts who at some time or other had to give up their hobby.

These fishes adapted and thrived in the healthy ecosystem and began breeding. Fortunately, few of these are actually harmful to the ecosystem although some of the more predatory species such as the South American Peacock Bass are frowned upon by the authorities as there is fear that it might deplete some of the valuable indigenous species and cause an inbalance in the ecosystem.

What sort of fish? Of the 120 “exotic” species present in Malaysian waters, less than 30 grow to a size considered worthwhile “game fish” by anglers. Game fishes are usually species which grow to sufficient size to make them a worthwhile pursuit by anglers.

Some occasionally caught by anglers include the South American Peacock Bass, the Giant Mekong Catfish, the Golden Arowana and related species such as the Belida (or knife fish) and the famous Amazon Arapaima.

In fact, as recently as 2008, the Giant Arapaima of South America has been reported to be spotted in Kenyir Lake. It was reported that the Kuala Berang Fisheries Department is offering a RM10,000 reward for the live capture of these giant Arapaimas for the purpose of displaying them at the local zoo. While the reward may not be substantial, it is, attracting anglers from all over the world just to see one of these giants in their natural habitat.

It was reported that the Araipaimas are between three and four metres long but they have never been caught so far. The authorities are doing whatever they can to ensure that these fishes are not harmed but protected. Their officers are deployed on site to ensure that anglers do not encroach into the “No Fishing” zones, especially the Kelah sanctuaries and the waters bordering the National Park, or practise illegal netting tactics such as gill netting.

So, where can one go to get exotic species? Anglers all over the world pay a lot of money to fly to different destinations to catch some of the more well-known species.

South America is by far one of the hot spots for species such as the beautiful Peacock Bass, the Dorado (not the saltwater Mahi-Mahi sometimes called by the same name) or the Arapaima. Some people go to the Zambezi River in Africa to catch the famous Tiger Fish or the Giant Nile Perch.

Yet others go to India to catch the famous Indian Mahseer, a larger species of the Kelah.

Recently, Thailand has become rather well known for its giant fresh water stingrays found in its rich rivers. As early as this year, it was reported that an angler took almost 90 minutes to land a 265kg monster stingray with a “wing span” of almost two metres, from the Ban Pakong River in Thailand. While still not official, this could be the largest freshwater fish ever to be caught with rod and line.

This new exotic find has prompted the National Geographic film crew to produce a new documentary on this gentle giant. It should air some time towards the end of the year or early 2010. Thailand’s well known IT Monster Lake and Bungsamram Fishing Resort are also well-known for being stocked with some of the largest exotics such as the famed Mekong Catfish, the African Red-tailed Catfish and the South American Arapaima.

Malaysians are a lucky lot when it comes to exotics.

Many of these exotics can be found right at our doorstep, whether in the wild or in specially-stocked angling sanctuaries. The South American Peacock Bass, for example, can be found in many local lakes and rivers.

Recently, we caught some at a lake near Mersing and also at the lake resort next to the Holiday Villa in Subang. Further up north, the Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort holds regular fishing competitions targeting the Peacock Bass as well. The Peacock Bass is a highly territorial and predatory species that will chase anything that threatens its “private space”. They will take artificial lures, flies and are often spectacular when caught on poppers. They often breed in shallow waters and will protect their babies in pairs.

This is often when they are most territorial and will attack anything that comes close enough to threaten their babies.

Some fishing resorts stock a variety of exotics to attract anglers.

The Mekong Catfish is possibly one of the more commonly stocked exotics as they are very hardy fishes and thrive well in many conditions. They eat almost anything although they are not predatory. They have strong, muscular bodies which almost always provide the angler with a great battle. Unfortunately, most of the Mekong Catfishes found in the country are not quite the size of those found in Thailand, at least not yet. So if you’ve dreamt about catching that 50kg monster, you’d still have to head up north.

Bungsamram resort, close to Bangkok, is possibly the most well-known destination for landing that dream Mekong catfish.

More fishy facts If it is not size you are after, then your choices of exotics widen substantially. The Arowana is possibly the most prized catch of the smaller exotics.

They are arguably the most beautiful freshwater fish and are prized by many for their beauty. They are also an endangered species and as such are well protected. Their beauty and rarity, and the belief (by Chinese) that they bring luck to owners increase their market value. Currently, the most expensive of them is the Malayan Golden (Crossback Gold) Arowana. Indonesian Reds come after that, followed by the Red Tail Golden (Indonesian too) and the Green and then Yellow tail. In Australia, a similar species known as the Saratoga, is a very respected sport fish in the Northern Territory. Arowana are surface feeders and respond well to poppers. They are known to be able to jump several metres into the air to capture insects on low-hanging branches. Their hard and bony mouth makes hooking up one a difficult task and their powerful jumps when hooked makes landing one even harder. However, if you do ever land one of these, be sure to release them unharmed for our future generations to enjoy. Arowanas are found in many of our lakes and rivers and like to live among lily pads where they prey on insects, frogs and small fishes.

Other exotics commonly caught by anglers include the Gurami, a well-known table fish in Indonesian restaurants; the Pacu, a distant cousin of the Piranha; and the famous Ciclids species like the Louhan or even the mighty Kelah, a protected species found in some of the mighty rivers of Malaysia.

Preservation awareness The opportunities for landing that exotic fish are still plentiful in Malaysia. Proper conservation and management strategies should be enforced by Malaysia’s fishing authorities. These include prohibiting rare and endangered species from being caught freely. Currently, there are limited controls in certain parts of Taman Negara. These include prohibition of gill netting in upstream rivers and providing licences to anglers. These controls should be extended to all fishing areas and should also cover research and restocking activities, especially with species that are facing extinction.

Lastly, rare or endangered species should be preserved and more research should be done to increase the population of these species. We certainly hope that in the future, we might again see some of our current endangered “exotic” freshwater fish, such as the Kelah, Kelisa, Sebarau and other important species swimming merrily in many parts of our country’s freshwater ecosystem.

For more information on fishing, log on to writer’s blog at www.fishinghorizon.com.