Climbing perch
📖 Overview
Obligate air-breathing ; Found mostly in canals, lakes, ponds, swamps and estuaries . Adults occur in medium to large rivers, brooks, flooded fields and stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals . Often found in areas with dense vegetation . Can tolerate extremely unfavorable water conditions and is associated mainly with turbid, stagnant waters . They remain buried under the mud during dry season . They feed on macrophytic vegetation, shrimps and fish fry . Reported to undertake lateral migration from the Mekong mainstream, or other permanent water bodies, to flooded areas during the flood season and return to the permanent water bodies at the onset of the dry season . During the dry season, they stay in pools associated with submerged woods and shrubs . Posses an accessory air-breathing organ . They are able to survive for several days or weeks out of water if the air breathing organs can be kept moist . Quite famous for its ability to walk; important food fish in SE Asia, considered as a tasty food fish but not of the finest quality since it is bony . Usually sold live in markets where it is kept alive for several days by keeping it moist . Economic foodfish in the Southeast Asia .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 10; Anal spines: 9 - 11; Anal soft rays: 8 - 11. Color in life dark to pale greenish, very pale below, back dusky to olive; head with longitudinal stripes ventrally; posterior margin of opercle with a dark spot; iris golden reddish. Body form variable, affected by age and amount of food consumed. Scaled head with 4-5 rows between eye and rear margin of preoperculum. Scales large and regularly arranged, ciliate.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Climbing perch is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Climbing perch is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Guards eggs at the surface of hypoxic waters .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; brackish; demersal; potamodromous ; depth range 0 - ? m . Tropical; 22°C - 30°C ; 28°N - 10°S distributed in more areas than were commonly reported.
🌿 Ecology
macrophytic vegetation, shrimps and fish fry (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Climbing perch is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17.8 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 252 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Climbing perch has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Climbing Perch · climbing bass |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | فرخ متسلّق |
| 🌍ASM | Kawai · কাৱৈ মাছ |
| 🌍BEN | Kai · Koee · Koee maach'in · Koi · কৈ |
| 🌍CES | lezoun indický |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Klatrefisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Kletterfisch |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kiipijäkala |
| 🇫🇷French | perche grimpeuse |
| 🌍HIN | Kawai'in · Kobai |
| 🌍JAV | Bale balang · Betik · Krucilan |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | キノボリウオ |
| 🌍KHM | Kranh · Trey kranh · Trey kranh srai · ត្រីក្រាញ់ |
| 🌍MAL | Antikallai · Kallemutti · Karippidi · Karooppu · Undecollee · കരിപിടി · കരിപ്പിടി · കറൂപ്പ് · കല്ലേമുട്ടി |
| 🌍MSA | Betok · Ikan Puyu · Pepuyu · Puyu |
| 🌍MYA | Nga-bye-ma · Nga-pri |
| 🌍NEP | Kabai |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Klimbaars |
| 🌍ORI | Kou |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Laziec · łaziec indyjski |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Ryba-polzun · Рыба-ползун · анабас |
| 🌍SIN | Kavaiya · කාවයියා |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Gourami trepador · Perca trepadora |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Klätterfisk |
| 🌍TAM | Panaiyeri kendai · Paunieyri · Sennal · பனயேரிக் கென்டை · பனையேரிக் கென்டை |
| 🌍TEL | Kavaiyan |
| 🌍TGL | Liwalo · Martiniko · Puyo · Tinikan |
| 🌍THA | Pla mor Thai · Pla sadet · ปลาสะเด็ด · ปลาหมอ · ปลาหมอไทย · ปลาเข็ง |
| 🌍UKR | Повзун індійський |
| 🌍VIE | Cá Rô đồng · Cá ro dong |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 攀木魚 · 攀鱸 · 過山鯽 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphiprion scansor | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Amphiprion testudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Anabas elongatus | Reuvens | 1895 | Synonym |
| Anabas macrocephalus | Bleeker | 1855 | Synonym |
| Anabas microcephalus | Bleeker | 1857 | Synonym |
| Anabas scandens | Daldorff | 1797 | Synonym |
| Anabas spinosus | Gray | 1834 | Synonym |
| Anabas tastudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Anabas testudinens | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Anabas testudineus lacustri | Das | 1966 | Synonym |
| Anabas testudineus ricei | Das | 1966 | Synonym |
| Anabas testudineus riveri | Das | 1966 | Synonym |
| Anabas trifoliatus | Kaup | 1860 | Synonym |
| Anabas variegatus | Bleeker | 1851 | Synonym |
| Anabus testudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Anthias testudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Antias testudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Lutjanus scandens | Daldorff | 1797 | Synonym |
| Lutjanus testudo | Lacepède | 1802 | Heterotypic |
| Perca scandens | Daldorff | 1797 | Synonym |
| Sparus scandens | Daldorff | 1797 | Synonym |
| Sparus testudineus | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 78 records indexed .
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