Fig 1
Fig 2
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Order : Cypriniformes
Family : CYPRINIDAE
Species : Tor tambroides
Maximum length (excluding tail fin) : 100 cm
(Fishbase, 2026)
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Link to Fishbase
Tor tambroides (Kelah,
Malayan
Mahseer, Thai Mahseer) inhabits pristine rivers flowing through undisturbed
lowland forest. It is a good indicator of the ecological health of lowland rivers as it
avoids silted water wherever possible.
Typically, Kelah lurk in deep pools downstream of gravel and boulder
beds, sometimes in large shoals. These fish migrate upstream to spawn in
smaller streams.
Kelah feed on a variety of organic matter - mainly forest fruits
which have fallen into the water, sometimes supplemented with animal matter.
Adults are streamlined in shape, and vary in colour from yellowish brown to
pinkish, with dark fins. The tail fin is deeply forked and the dorsal fin
large.
The species ranges from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam through
Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. It is unlikely to
have ever occurred naturally in Singapore, as the country does not have
broad, fast-flowing
rivers.
In many river systems Kelah are becoming increasingly scarce due to habitat
loss (often related to dam building), over-fishing and pollution.
Fig 1 : A pair of Kelah at Sungai Relau - a clear, lowland river at
Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia.
Fig 2 : Sungai Relau - a typical lowland river passing through pristine
dipterocarp forest in the heart of Peninsular Malaysia.
References :
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