Hampala sabana

Overview

Hampala sabana is a large river cyprinid endemic to Sabah in Borneo. Adults reach about 41 cm, a size that largely excludes it from ordinary aquarium keeping. A single principal flank marking is one clue to identity, but counting body blotches alone is insufficient.

Distribution & habitat

It is restricted to the Malaysian state of Sabah. The type locality lies in a Kinabatangan tributary near Deramakot.

Clear, well-oxygenated running water is preferred, over sand, gravel, rock, or mud. Deeper stretches with slower current appear favored. Such rivers commonly traverse tropical forest, although conversion to palm and rubber plantations and other human activity has modified some freshwater environments.

Aquarium setup

Adult dimensions are a fundamental obstacle to suitability. A youngster temporarily fitting into a conventional tank does not establish a feasible lifetime arrangement. Its association with clean, oxygen-rich rivers also matters; merely providing an enclosure that physically contains the fish is not an adequate assessment.

Notes

The species combines a single body marking with a comparatively high number of scales around the caudal peduncle, usually 14–16 within a recorded range of 12–16. These characters need to be considered together.

Markings tend to fade in large members of the genus, while juveniles can resemble other species. Neither the pattern of a shop juvenile nor a generic trade label should be assumed to represent definitive identity or adult appearance.