Leptobarbus hoevenii (Bleeker, 1851)
Hoven's carp
Pla ai baa,  Ba,  Pla ai ba,  Pla ba,  Pla baa,  Pla hang deng,  ปลาบ้า,  ปลาอ้ายบ้า,  Pink tailed barb
Leptobarbus hoevenii
photo by Ott, G.

Family:  Leptobarbidae (Cigar barbs)
Max. size:  100 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 10,000.0 g
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater; pH range: 7; dH range: 12; depth range - 3 m, potamodromous
Distribution:  Asia: Thailand to Sumatra and Borneo.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Juveniles with black longitudinal stripe (Ref. 43281).
Biology:  Found most often in freely flowing rivers and streams and seasonally on floodplains. Although reported to be non-migratory, it definitely does participate in local trophic migrations to and from inundated forests (Ref. 12693). Swims in shoals and are only fished in the Mekong especially during upstream (Jan.-Feb.) and downstream migration (Jun.-Jul.). Eats parenchyma and seeds of chaulmoogra tree (Hydnocarpus) falling into the streams; reported to become intoxicated and behaves in a peculiar manner and is believed to be toxic. Northern Laotians refrain from eating this fish but those in the South do. Cambodians and Vietnamese prize it highly (Ref. 2091). Eating flesh of the fish can cause nausea in humans (Ref. 12693).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 06 April 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  other
Country info:  Known from Maeklong, Chao Phraya, Mekong, Peninsular and Southeast Thailand river sytems (Ref. 26336). Reported from Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (Ref. 37773). Main culture location is Bangkok (Ref. 6459). Also Ref. 1632, 2091, 7050, 9648, 26580, 36654, 43281.


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.