Home · Cyprinidae · Thai mahseer
Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) — Cyprinidae

Thai mahseer

Tor tambra
Family: Cyprinidae

The Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Thai mahseer?

Get the app

Description

The Thai mahseer is a large cyprinid (Cyprinidae) from clear, fast-flowing rivers and mountain lakes of Sundaland in Southeast Asia. The species can grow to about 1 metre and has a powerful, silvery to golden body with large scales, thick lips and two pairs of barbels. As a social omnivore it swims in flowing water and eats fruit, seeds, algae, insects and small invertebrates. It is a highly valued sport and food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Thai mahseer?

The Thai mahseer has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Thai mahseer live?

The Thai mahseer lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water. Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and others

How big does the Thai mahseer get?

The Thai mahseer grows to a maximum of about 100 cm.

Is the Thai mahseer dangerous to humans?

No, the Thai mahseer 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 Thai mahseer edible?

Yes, the Thai mahseer is commonly eaten.

More photos

Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) — Cyprinidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Pyng pyng (CC BY 4.0)
Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) — Cyprinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) 刘光裕 Liu Guangyu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) — Cyprinidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Elson Chen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Thai mahseer (Tor tambra) — Cyprinidae — 5
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Thai mahseer?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Thai mahseer is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Thai mahseer sourced
Scientific name
Tor tambra
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Mekong mahseer sourced

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Natural range
Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Can be caught with natural bait or lures, matched to the size and habitat of the species. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
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 Tor

More from the family Cyprinidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Thai mahseer?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Thai mahseer is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Thai mahseer? Get the app