Mahseer Barb

Generic name of a group of large-bodied, rheophilic freshwater fishes in the family Cyprinidae, primarily within the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor, native to South and Southeast Asia and typically inhabiting clear, fast-flowing rivers and hill streams. In Thai academic and fisheries contexts, mahseers are collectively known as Pla Phluang (ปลาพลวง), the general term for mahseer as a whole. Mahseers are characterised by robust, elongated bodies, large cycloid scales, well-developed barbels adapted for benthic foraging, and strong swimming abilities that allow them to maintain position in swift currents. Ecologically, they are omnivorous, feeding on algae, aquatic invertebrates, fruits, and detritus, and they function as keystone or indicator species in riverine ecosystems due to their influence on nutrient cycling and food-web structure. From a conservation and scholarly perspective, mahseers are regarded as flagship taxa, as many species are threatened by habitat fragmentation, dam construction, overexploitation, and water pollution, making them central to studies in freshwater ecology, taxonomy, genetics, and conservation biology. Thailand has several species of Mahseer Barbs, including: Neolissochilus Soroides (Copper Mahseer, or Soro Brook Carp); Neolissochilus sp. East (Golden Mahseer); Neolissochilus stracheyi (Rock Mahseer, or Blue Mahseer); Neolissochilus hendersoni (Island Mahseer, or Ikan Tenga); Neolissochilus sp. tenasserimate (Pink Mahseer, Tenasserim Mahseer, or Tengas); Neolissochilus subterraneus (Cave Mahseer, or Cave Brook Carp); Tor tambroides (Thai Mahseer, or Malayan Mahseer); Neolissochilus hexagonolepis (Chocolate Mahseer); Tor putitora (Himalayan Mahseer). Both the Thai Mahseer and Blue Mahseer are well documented from multiple river systems and upland tributaries, particularly in clear, fast-flowing waters. The Himalayan Mahseer is primarily distributed in the Himalayan and western Myanmar river systems and has only been rarely reported near the Thailand–Myanmar border, making its occurrence within Thailand uncertain, highly localized, and uncommon. The Chocolate Mahseer has a broad Southeast Asian distribution that includes Thailand, although it appears to be less frequently recorded there than the Thai Mahseer and the Blue Mahseer, of which the latter of the two has a wide distribution across rivers in India, Myanmar, and Thailand. Wheras the Blue Mahseer gets its common name for its bluish to slate-blue sheen, its other common name, Rock Mahseer, reflects its preference for rocky hill-stream habitats and high-gradient streams. WATCH VIDEO. 回