Bangalore: It is over 3 feet in height (or width held across) and weight 45 kgs full of meat. It was introduced by Fisheries Dept to Shimoga Mandya and tested in Raichur and Bellary districts in ponds of fresh water, lakes and rivers, the farmers jump at it when they see such a big fish in their farm wells. The yield is 20 to 30 tonnes per hectors an year.
Obviously, farmers take the fingerlings from the Fisheries deptt. (in Mangalore?) and rear them. Originally form Thailand (South Asia) they are now bred and sold in India, and Karnataka waters.
Andhra, Bengal, Haryana and Punjab have this huge fish in home ponds in farms since 1995-96. In Mysore, we have Mahashiva fish (big head) in Cauvery waters where foreign tourists go angling around Jungle resorts.
The Thai fish has high yields to the intensive farmers, who construct ponds on their small lands. Any good reservoir breeds them to the hilt.