Peat Swamp Trip in Johor

[royss78]

Hi there!

Is there anyone interested to visit peat swamps in Johor, Malaysia? I was surprised to find one so near my house. It was approximately 3 mins drive from my place and is accessible by road.

I gave it a try today and managed to net some fishes. Managed to get some Blackline Rasbora - Rasbora borapetensis, Croaking Gourami, Trichopsis vittatus and Blue Panchax -Aplocheilus panchax.

I'm trying to hunt for some wild bettas so if anyone is keen and would not mind to make a trip to Johor, do drop me a line. Oh yah, not forgetting anyone who know where to hunt for betta do buzz me. Thanks a million!

[blurless]

Whereabouts in Johor? I'm from Skudai...

I heard that paddy fields do have bettas in them.

[royss78]

Hi blurless,

You're from Skudai? You won't believe it cause I found this place in Taman Ponderosa which is next to where I live in Taman Molek. Is near the Ponderosa Golf Club.

I'm planning to check it out tomorrow again. Might try to fish for some Channa - Haruan cause I tried today but my line snapped.

Let me know if you are keen. I might go and check out a palm oil area in Pontian cause when I used to fish for haruans there I came across some bubble nest. Could be bettas but I didn't have a net so couldn't catch any that day.

Cheers.

[Arotiger]

the land oposite Johor Jaya near Bakawali, now the car park of Tebrau City, i used to catch baby gar type fishes about 1-3inches.

[blurless]

Hi blurless,

You're from Skudai? You won't believe it cause I found this place in Taman Ponderosa which is next to where I live in Taman Molek. Is near the Ponderosa Golf Club.

I'm planning to check it out tomorrow again. Might try to fish for some Channa - Haruan cause I tried today but my line snapped.

Let me know if you are keen. I might go and check out a palm oil area in Pontian cause when I used to fish for haruans there I came across some bubble nest. Could be bettas but I didn't have a net so couldn't catch any that day.

Cheers.

There's a lake near my house in Impian Emas where I seen people fishing Toman there. According to an uncle there, he caught a pretty big one before (I forgot the size).

I'm only back in JB on the weekends so can only go there during weekends. Am keen to check out the place you mentioned.

the land oposite Johor Jaya near Bakawali, now the car park of Tebrau City, i used to catch baby gar type fishes about 1-3inches.

Does that still exist now?

[royss78]

Hey blurless,

I like fishing for haruans and tomans but I'm trying to fulfill a childhood dream of mine to catch some wild bettas. They say you can find Betta Pulchra in the Pontian area of Ulu Choh so thinking of checking that place out. Let me know if you are keen to go on the weekend. Just drop me a line.

[royss78]

Hi Arotiger,

Yeah, does that place still exist? If is now the car park of Tebrau City, then I supposed is not there already but if you're keen to catch those small gar fishes you can also join me at the swamp near my place. The one I mentioned in my last post. The water catchment area is very close to the Plentong river and I've seen some of this small gar fish but is quite hard to catch cause they are quite fast. Let me know maybe we can organize a trip with blurless.

[blurless]

Hey blurless,

I like fishing for haruans and tomans but I'm trying to fulfill a childhood dream of mine to catch some wild bettas. They say you can find Betta Pulchra in the Pontian area of Ulu Choh so thinking of checking that place out. Let me know if you are keen to go on the weekend. Just drop me a line.

http://www.ibcbettas.org/smp/species/pulchra.html

There got specific details on which kampong you can find that...wonder how true is that. I'm not free this coming weekend, most likely is next weekend or after next...=.= very busy. I'd love to explore these peat swamps...

[royss78]

Hey,

No worries. Just drop me a line when you are free to come in to check out these swamps. Btw, thanks for the link!

[Arotiger]

Sorry it doesnt exist now. if you have a trip, i can meet you around Johor Jaya area. but busy around 15-31 oct

[royss78]

Sorry it doesnt exist now. if you have a trip, i can meet you around Johor Jaya area. but busy around 15-31 oct

How about this coming weekend? Say on Saturday... will check the weather forecast first and get back to you cause it has been raining of late.

[royss78]

Sorry it doesnt exist now. if you have a trip, i can meet you around Johor Jaya area. but busy around 15-31 oct

Hey Arotiger & blurless,

I checked the weather forecast and is raining everyday this week. I think we still can go as it rains mostly in the early hours of the morning. By noon the rain usually stops so is pretty all right to go and check the swamp out. The only thing to take note is that the water level maybe a little higher. Will take some pictures to show you how the place looks like and how convenient it is to get there as it is smack right in the middle of a residential area. Hope to get some nice pictures tomorrow of the swamp and the fishes that live there.

So we still on for Saturday? Let's say around 12pm noon? Let me know.

[blurless]

I can't go this saturday. If I'm in on M'sia on the 15 Oct weekend I'll let you know again.

Nice...show the pictures!

[royss78]

I can't go this saturday. If I'm in on M'sia on the 15 Oct weekend I'll let you know again.

Nice...show the pictures!

Hey blurless! I will try and get the pictures today because the last few days have been raining cats and dogs. Trying to make a trip later to document the fishes I caught as well as to take some pictures of the peat swamp. I found another place about 3 mins drive from the peat swamp, Kampung Plentong Tengah and I found a small stream by the road side that branches off into smaller puddles of water. Saw some small fishes there so I will try to document them as well. I hope to put up the pictures for you all later today if it doesn't rain.

[blurless]

Nice! Will wait for your photos..

[Jon-san]

Interesting! There are places in JB to catch wild small fishes?! Maybe when I go in to visit my wife's family, can make a visit. Are the places easily accessible?

[longcheeze]

Hope to see the pics soon. Interesting.

[blurless]

Interesting! There are places in JB to catch wild small fishes?! Maybe when I go in to visit my wife's family, can make a visit. Are the places easily accessible?

I think there should be alot of such places. My GF's house in JB, the drains at the back of the house have wild guppies...places where you least expect to have fish.

[royss78]

Hey All,

Here are the pictures as promised. The pictures were taken from my friend's Iphone so hopefully is clear enough.

1. Swamp picture taken from the road side... is only 3 mins from my house.
swamp picture taken from the road side.jpg

2. Swamp with dead trees and vegetation.
swamp showing dead trees and vegetation.jpg

3. Swamp with residential development in the background... is really sad to see all these natural habitats being destroyed just to make way for development.
swamp_development background.jpg

4. Netting the fishes.
netting fishes_081011.jpg

5. Blackline Rasbora - Rasbora Borapatensis
blackline rasbora.jpg

[royss78]

Continuation...

6. Blue Panchax - Aplocheilus Panchax with some snails.

blue panchax_snails.jpg

7. Croaking Gourami - Trichopsis Vittatus

croaking_gourami.jpg

8. Ghost Shrimp - Palaemonetes Sp. ... I think they are not native to Malaysia but there were quite a lot of them there.

ghost_shrimp.jpg

By the way, this place is in this suburb called Ponderosa in JB... just in case any of you might be interested to visit the place. Sorry I didn't document any water plants as I'm not that verse in it. Will do so the next time.

There you go guys... my next trip is going to this place called Sanglang in Pontian district about 70km away from JB to try and net some fishes in a ditch next to an oil palm estate. I used to fish for snakeheads there and was told there are wild bettas in that area so I might try it out. Hopefully can catch some or maybe some other unique fishes.