Siamese Carp
INFORMATION
Siamese Carp
The giant barb, Siamese giant carp, or simply Siamese carp is the largest species of cyprinid, and may also be the largest member in the suborder Cyprinoidei.
These migratory fish are found only in the Mae Klong, Mekong, and Chao Phraya River basins in Indochina. Populations have declined drastically due to habitat loss and overfishing, and the giant barb is now considered endangered species
Distribution and habitatomy
Giant barbs are usually seen in large pools along the edges of large rivers, but seasonally enter smaller canals, floodplains, and flooded forests. Young barbs are usually found in smaller tributaries and swamps, but can acclimate to living in ponds, canals, and swamps. The fish generally live in pairs.
These are migratory fish, swimming to favorable areas for feeding and breeding in different parts of the year. These slow-moving fish subsist on algae, phytoplankton, and fruits of inundated terrestrial plants, rarely (if ever) feeding on active animals. In the lower Mekong basin, young giant barbs have been reported as occurring primarily in October.
Description
The head is rather large for the body, with no barbels.
The giant barb ranks among the largest freshwater fish in the world, and is probably the largest fish in the family Cyprinidae. It may reach 3 m (9.8 ft) (although this claimed maximum length needs confirmation) and weigh up to 300 kg (660 lb). Among the cyprinids, only the golden mahseer can reach a comparable length, but it is a relatively slender fish that weighs far less. Few large giant barbs are caught today. For example, no individual weighing more than 150 kg (330 lb) has been caught in Cambodia since 1994. Today, the maximum length is about 1.8 m (6 ft).[citation needed] The current record weight is 105 kg for an individual caught in Thailand in 2019 breaking the previous record by 5 kg.
This fish is a tetraploid, meaning it has four of each chromosome (as opposed to diploid, the normal number in animals).
Our Monster's Waiting For You
