River
Manimala
Only species with a profile on Seriously Fish are counted.
- Species
- 4
- Families
- 3
- Photographed
- 4 of 4
- Difficulty rated
- 4 of 4
Shares fishes withspecies recorded from both
Runs through

Barilius bakeri
Cyprinidae · Day, 1865
Barilius bakeri is a fast-swimming cyprinid endemic to the Western Ghats of southwestern India, with records from many rivers in Kerala and Karnataka. It is traded as 'royal danio', 'blue-spotted hill trout' and 'blue-dotted mirror fish', and has a single row of bluish-green spots that get smaller with age. Its well-oxygenated, fast-flowing rivers are being polluted and degraded by exotic species and sand mining.

Laubuka fasciataMalabar Hatchet Chela
Cyprinidae · (Silas, 1958)
The Malabar hatchet chela, Laubuka fasciata, is a cyprinid endemic to the state of Kerala in southwestern India. A dark stripe runs from the eye to the caudal peduncle, and it favours slow-moving, shallow margins of rivers and streams over rock and gravel. It is occasionally available in the aquarium trade, apparently collected only in small numbers, and is an accomplished jumper.

Mesonoemacheilus triangularisZodiac Loach
Nemacheilidae · (Day, 1865)
The zodiac loach, Mesonoemacheilus triangularis, is a loach from the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in southern India. Also called the 'Batik loach', it is relatively common in the aquarium trade. Pale, black-edged saddles along the back and a similar set of bars from the belly set it apart from its congeners. Aquarists differ on its temperament, some finding it peaceful and others territorial and aggressive.

Channa diplogrammaMalabar Snakehead
Channidae · (Day, 1865)
The Malabar snakehead, Channa diplogramma, is a large snakehead endemic to the southern Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India. Treated as a synonym of the Indochinese C. micropeltes for over a century, it was revalidated in 2011 and has 103-105 lateral line scales, more than any other Channa. Its colour pattern changes markedly with age, and unlike most snakeheads it is pelagic and needs plenty of room to swim.