Green Arowana Fish

(Scleropages formosus)

Description: Known as Kelesa, Green Arowana is a large fresh water fish with numerous primitive features. It is, indeed a member of the most ancient group of fish, and has been labelled as a relict fish, a living fossil and so forth. Kelesa is characterized by an elongated body, well-developed outsized stout bony scales, large eyes, a bony covering on the head, and deeply oriented pectoral fins. Its body is greatly compressed along the sides, and its belly is keeled. The gape of its mouth is very large and steeply inclined, being directed diagonally upward. The jaws have a row of small pointed teeth. Two small barbels are present on its lower jaw, these are extendable and can touch objects around the fish. Its dorsal fin is located near the tail end. It is smaller than the anal fin which has an origin in front of it. The edges of the dorsal, caudal and anal fins are rounded.

Habit and Habitat: The Kelesa is a predatory fish inhabiting quiet, clear waters, usually singly but sometimes in small schools. It is generally to be found near weeds, rushes and particularly those pockets in the bank where leaves and driftwood collect and where there is often a fallen tree.

Food habit: It feeds chiefly on insects, and large specimens prey upon other fishes. Its diet has also been described to include worms, spiders, small lizards, small snakes and frogs.

Distribution: It was first described by Miller and Schlegel in 1845 from a specimen from River Doeson, Borneo. The first record in Peninsular Malaysia appears to be in 1992. In addition to Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, it also occurs in Thailand, Cambodia, and Sumatra in rivers and lakes.

Status: A protected species in Sarawak.