Home · Cyprinidae · Roho labeo
Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) — Cyprinidae

Roho labeo

Labeo rohita
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern
NativeIntroduced

The Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) is a brackish-water fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 200 cm.

Length
200 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
5.0–? m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
South Asia
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The rohu is a large cyprinid from fresh water of South Asia and one of the most important farmed fishes of the Indian subcontinent. The species grows to about 200 cm and has a deep, streamlined, silvery body with a blunt snout and an inferior, fringed mouth. As a bottom and midwater feeder it lives in rivers, lakes and culture ponds and feeds on algae, plant matter and detritus. It is a very important food and aquaculture fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Roho labeo?

The Roho labeo has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Blunt snout and a fringed sucking mouth; important farmed fish

Where does the Roho labeo live?

The Roho labeo lives in brackish water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. South Asia

How big does the Roho labeo get?

The Roho labeo grows to a maximum of about 200 cm.

Is the Roho labeo dangerous to humans?

No, the Roho labeo is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Roho labeo edible?

Yes, the Roho labeo is commonly eaten.

More photos

Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) — Cyprinidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Khalid Mahmood (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) — Cyprinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Ganeshwar S V, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) — Cyprinidae — 4
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) — Cyprinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Jyotiraditya Priyadarshi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Roho labeo verified
Scientific name
Labeo rohita
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Roho labeo; Rohu; Ruee verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
200.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Natural range
South Asia verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Algae, plant material and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
10.0 verified
Seasonality
Bottom- and midwater farmed fish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Blunt snout and a fringed sucking mouth; important farmed fish sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Net fishing and aquaculture sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Labeo

More from the family Cyprinidae

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