Rearing Empurau in Aquarium

EMPURAU (Tor tambroides)

Empurau (weighing 1kg-1.5kg) is RM600 per kg. For sizes > 2kg, it is RM750/kg. It is an exotic fish and people who like the fish never think twice to purchase it.

The prices of the fish in domestic restaurants are between RM500 to RM600 per kg. However, it still depends on the grade and size of the fish.

Empurau grows like any other fish except it takes years to reach its’ biggest size so people think that it is a very slow growing fish. The growth is about 500g a year in the first three years. After reaching between 2kg and 3kg, it could grow faster at between 1kg and 2kg a year.

Empurau was found in abundance several decades ago in the upper reaches of the Rejang River in central Sarawak when the river was still unpolluted by logging activities.

Local fishermen Kapit Division have claimed to have caught empurau weighing between 50kg and 60kg. The fish now sold between RM400 and RM450 per kg in Kapit. In the early 1970s, the fish was sold between RM15 and RM25 per kg in the Kapit market.

Empurau usually like to eat engkabang fruit (illipe nut), ara fruit, prawn.