HABITAT 

Vietnam

Presented the chance to visit a former warzone to look for fish, Stanislav Kislyuk takes a trip to Vietnam to explore a range of different biotopes.

Shallow waters at Mui Ne.

IT’S A typically cold European December which makes us migrate for warmer climes, and where better than to visit somewhere that our favourite fish come from?

First things first, we start this adventure by packing — air pumps, oxygen tubs and an esoteric selection of variously size nets. A local fish supplier kindly agreed to allow us to use his facilities and take care of shipping, should we return with a bounty. Then, after a sleepless night in the plane, we left the dull grey behind us to touch down in the sunnier surroundings of Ho-Chi-Minh-City, our base for excursions deep into Central Vietnam, Cambodia and the Island of Phu Quoc.

Ho-Chi-Minh-City, otherwise known as Saigon, is the second most important city in Vietnam. It’s a bustling Asian metropolis, where everything is in constant motion. As a first-time visitor I’m overwhelmed by the multitude of bicycles roaming the streets, and the myriad of exotic food smells carried on the warm sticky air.

Fascinating as that is, we are nevertheless happy to leave this chaos the following day and head north into the country. Our first stop is the small village of Phan Thiet, accompanied as it is by the scenic small stream of Mui Ne. The area is well known for beautiful red rock formations, but due to a periodically low water level it’s not inhabited by fish for the most of its length.

The last 100m or so of the stream is notably deeper, and close to a spring there is a pool of about 25m2 , containing numerous trapped fishes — perhaps during the rainy season they can escape to spread further down the stream. Here we found Danio albolineatus, Poropuntius sp. and a small mystery barb species with several black spots over a silvery body.

Unfortunately, there were also some Nile tilapia and guppies — introduced and invasive species that blight resident fish —a pitiful but common sight in Vietnam.