[Watch] “Where Are The Fish Going?” Ikan Puyu On Land Surprises Many People
Some believe the sight of climbing perch (ikan puyu) on land means a flood is coming.
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A TikTok user Joe (@pikat.asia) was amused when he saw Climbing Perch (ikan puyu/Anabas testudineus) fishes walking on land in Cherating, Pahang. He asked his followers whether he should catch and fry them to eat later.
In the video, the fishes could be seen skipping down a dirt path dotted with tiny puddles. Some were astonished to see fish on dry land and wondered what happened.
@pikat.asia lalu nk g mikat tgk bnyok ikan puyu atas darat…tgkp goreng r..#ikanpuyu ♬ bunyi asal – joe…pikat,asia
Climbing perch can move on land by crawling or wriggling their bodies with their pectoral fins. True to its name, they can climb trees!
These fishes have an accessory air-breathing organ that allows them to breathe outside of water bodies. They can be found in canals, lakes, ponds, and swamps.
They can survive on dry land for several days in moist conditions. When there’s a drought, climbing perch can also burrow into mud to survive.
According to the local elders, the sight of climbing perch fishes on land means a sign of an impending flood.
This belief may have some credence because someone pointed out that many climbing perch fishes came to land near her house in Pahang before 2014 and there was a huge flood.
This led to another user jokingly saying the number of fish sighted foresees how big the flood will be.
Meanwhile, others believe it’s not a warning about floods but it’s best to be alert.
What does the sight of these fishes mean?
In 2021, locals at Tanjong Karang witnessed many climbing perch fishes near Surau Sulaiman.
At the time, the Selangor Fisheries Department Director, Abdul Rahman Abdul Wahab said the fish were on a migration route.
The fish migration season typically occurs in rainy seasons. Fishbase said the fishes undertake lateral migration from permanent water bodies to flooded areas during flood season before returning to permanent water bodies at the start of the dry season.
Climbing perch are steeped in superstitions
In Malaysia, particularly Sarawak, some believe the climbing perch can help ward off intruders, evil spirits, and spells from their homes.
They believe the fish can guard their homes because the climbing perch doesn’t sleep at night.
These fishes are in demand and often reared in ceramic urns, tanks, and aquariums to serve as “protectors.”
Meanwhile, in Thailand, the climbing perch is believed to be able to ward off diseases.
Anyone who doesn’t buy into the superstitions and doesn’t believe it’s a flood omen will gladly eat the fish although it’s said to be very bony.
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