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ponds. It is also bred extensively by aquarium keepers and sent abroad as
aquarium pet.
(5) MAHASEERS
Mahaseer which belongs to the family Cyprinidae and
genusTor(formerlyBarbus tor) is very popular as game fish. Three species
ofthis genera occur in Maharashtra where they are known as ' Khadri',
‘Mhaslya', ‘Baras' or 'Khadas’. They have elegent streamlined bodyand
large attractive scales. They inhabit running streams and are alsofound in
reservoirs into which small streams debouch in the monsoon.They are
known to take live bait and give a wonderful fight after theyare hooked.
Some anglers with worldwide experience considerMahaseer as better fish
for angling than even the trout. Several bookshave been written on the
methods of hooking a Mahaseer and thethrills enjoyed while landing it.
Mahaseer grow to a large size, sayeven up to 50 kg. in weight. They arc
also good eating when they are up to about 5 kg; in larger fish the flesh is
known to be rather coarse.Mahaseers normally breed in clear, running
waters and take small fish as their food
.
(6) BENGAL CARP (Catla, Rohu and Mrigal)
As mentioned earlier, these three carps have been introduced in
Maharashtra on account of their usefulness in pisciculture in ponds and
lakes. As young ones of these fish (fry) are being stocked every year in
different sheets of water and as they are also being bred indigenously by
hormone injections, these fishes are common everywhere in the State.
(i) Catla, also known as ' Catla' in Marathi, is the most favourite, with fish
farmers, because of its rapid growth. It is known to grow to a size of 15 to
18 inches and a weight of two to three kg. in the first year in well manured
ponds. With upturned mouth and large gill rakers, catla is a surface and
column feeder mainly feeding on plankton. It attains maturity at the end of
FAUNA 156