Channa Marulioides var. Terengganu

I would like to highlight a story of a fish and unlike any other fish. Of the entire world they reside only in the peat swap of Terengganu and possibility around it's vicinity. The fish is known as the Toman Bunga var. Terengannu (梅花斑). The only variant of the species Channa Marulioides that produces a plum flower pattern on its body. And that was how the name Toman Bunga - Flower Snakehead derived.

Plum Flower

Take note that unlike common marulioides the terengannu var. white scales produce a plum flower image.The real sticking flower is as per picture is considered as the highest grade of the Terengganu var Toman Bunga. You can actually see a band of plum flowers strung together. The holy grail of the Toman Bunga. Pic courtesy of Nasir Jumat.

Years of misinformation had messed up the perception of the flower pattern and Patel forming scale. No thanks to fish traders for confusing everybody.The common maruliodes white scales are hence considered as flowers. But obviously they should be just called rice instead of flowers. You must be wondering all these years in which part do they look like flowers.

Common maru white scale do not form into a flower image

Terengganu var. white plum flower 

Years ago maru was known as Toman Jelai or Jelai, until the Terengannu var was discovered and the name was given as Toman Bunga. It was a very sort after fish. Mind you not all terengannu will form into flower patterns. The uniqueness of the T.var will forms white scale in a random formation rather than a neat formation.

Random white scales take note you can have a 3 scales that form into 1 white scale. Thats how they look so large.

Another common mislabeling is the perception of the sticking flower literally translated from Chinese describing a band of flowers strung together. They are in fact should be correctly term as snakeskin. Because no matter how you look at it you can’t find a single piece of flower but they do look like snakeskin.

Snakeskin formation

Many had not seen the real Toman Bunga until of late with the power of internet and digital age, pictures of these beauty again came to life and spread. The full glory of the Terengganu Bunga once again blossom.

Sadly the fame did not bring fortune and the fish will soon join the fate of the Golden Arowana as they are being exploited. More will be caught and exported.

I've always long to write this article correcting the lost information of the Malaysian Toman Bunga, always frustrated when I kept reading and hearing all the misinformation’s that were being passed down. But was afraid that by doing so I will only promote the fish and will only see it ending sooner.

But Lately I've noticed Terengganus are being exported to Thailand, Singapore, China and even Japan. The time to highlight this is now or too late. I hope to see Malaysian Fish Farm playing an active role to breed this near extinct beauty before it is gone forever from our water. To preserved the original gene of the real Toman Bunga. The Malaysian Heritage.

Please share this information in hope they will receive greater protection or breeding programs being form so that our future generations may get to see this beauty again before it is lost forever.

Mike wai
*Images are downloaded using google image as a form of descriptions and dissertations, credit goes to the original author of the image.