Fish
One hundred and eighty five species of fish belonging to 11 orders have been recorded from Nepal. Eight endemic fish species are found in Nepal. Small populations of an exotic species Rato Macha (Carrasius carrasius) have become naturalized in the ponds of Nepal. The number of fish species found in river systems is related to the temperature and the rate of flow. The warmer the climate and the gentler the flow, the higher the number of fish species. All the 11 orders of fish reported from Nepal are found in Terai and Siwaliks, eight in the Midhills and only one in the highlands. The highest number of fish species – 154 species (83%) are found in the Terai/Siwaliks followed by 76 (41%) of the species in the Midhills and only six (3%) of the species of fish have been recorded in the Highlands. The low number of fish occurring at high altitudes is due to the prevalent adverse ecological conditions such as steep gradient of the streams and the cold temperatures.
| S. No. |
Common / Local Name |
Scientific Name |
Size |
weight |
Habitat |
Bait |
Season |
| 1. |
Mahasheer/ Sahar |
Tor putitora |
2.5 m |
50 kg |
Large and deep rivers |
fish |
Mar. - May./Oct. - Dec |
| 2. |
Deep Bodied Mahasheer |
Tor tor |
3m |
50 kg |
Large and deep rivers |
fish |
Mar. – May/Oct - Dec |
| 3. |
Copper Mahasheer / Katle |
Acrossocheilus hexagonolepis |
.6m |
5 kg |
Large and deep river |
Fish and meat |
Mar- June / Sep. - Nov. |
| 4. |
Fresh Water Shark /Gounch |
Bagarius bagarius |
3m + |
100 kg+ |
Large and Deep rivers |
Fish |
Mar. - May/Oct – Dec. |
| 5. |
Jalkapoor |
Clupisoma gaura |
0.5m |
1 kg |
Large and deep rivers |
Worms and meat |
Mar. May/Oct. Dec |
| 6. |
Fresh Water Eel /Raj Bam |
Anguilla bengalensis |
3m |
18 kg |
River and pools |
Frogs and worms |
Mar – May/ Oct. – Dec. |
| 7. |
River Catfish / Bachawa |
Silondia silondia |
0.5m |
2.5 kg |
River confluence |
Worms and meat |
Mar – May/ Oct. – Dec |
| 8. |
Giant Murrel / Saur |
Channa maurilus |
2.5m |
15 kg |
River, stream and lakes |
Worms , fish and insects |
Feb. – May/Oct to Dec |
| 9. |
Mud Eel / Hile Bam |
Amphipnous (Monopterus) cuchia |
0.8m |
1.5 kg |
River, stream, lakes and swamps |
Meat |
Feb. – Apr. |
| 10. |
Feather Back / Patali |
Notopterus notopterus |
|
|
River, streams and lakes |
Worm, insects and meat |
Feb. - May / Sept - Dec |
| 11. |
Knife Fish / Chitala |
Notopterus chitala |
|
8 kg |
River, streams and lakes |
Worms , insect and meat |
Feb. - May / Sept - Dec |
| 12. |
Catfish / Buari |
Wallago attu |
1.8 m |
12 kg |
River, streams and lakes |
Fish, insects and meat |
Feb. – June/Sept. – Nov. |
| 13. |
Tenger Catfish / Tengri |
Mystus seenghala |
0.4 m |
|
River streams |
Fish, insects and meat |
Jan – June/Sept. - Nov |
BAIT SPECIES
| IMPORTANT FISH SPECIES AS BAITS |
PREDATORY SPECIES |
| COMMON NAME |
SCIENTIFIC NAME |
COMMON NAME |
| 1. Flying barb |
Esomus danricus |
Masheer and Catfish |
| 2. Sucker Head |
Garra gotyla |
Masheer |
| 3. Singhe Catfish |
Heteropneustes fossilis |
Catfish, Fresh Water Shark 'Buster' |
| 4. River Barb |
Puntius chilinoides |
Copper Masheer |
| 5. Gravel Catfish |
Glyptothorax telchitta |
Masheer |
| 6. Torrent Minnow |
Barilius sps |
Masheer |
