Fishes and other aquatic animals

The waters in and off Malaysia abound with a great variety of marine life. The rivers - from the clear, swift-flowing upper reaches to the sluggish, slow meandering waters of the lower stretches and river mouths, teem with freshwater fish. There are over 100 species of carp, of which 70 are found in the Pahang river basin alone. Amongst the larger freshwater are the giant catfish, kelesa, toman and kului. The giant catfish (ikan tapah) can grow up to 1.8 metres long and weigh over 45 kilogrammes. It is the only dangerous freshwater fish found in Malaysia. The kelesa, toman and kului may reach up to 1 metre in length. There are also the remarkable archer fish which is known to shoot down its prey by spitting drops of water at it; and the spectacular fighting fish found in swamps and ponds.

When the tide falls back in the mangrove swamps, one can easily see the fiddler, soldier and hermit crabs, and their distinctive burrows. These are different from the river crabs of which more than 90 species have been identified. A gourmet delicacy, the large Macrobrachium freshwater prawns with their long pincers, are bred commercially on large scale aquaculture projects.

Some of the freshwater snails act as biological control agents while others such as the golden apple snails, found in paddy fields, are considered pests.