The giant barb, also known as the Siamese carp, has a storied history in its native Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, it appears in ancient temple carvings at Angkor and has been named the national fish. Found in the Mekong, Chao Phraya, and Maeklong river basins, giant barbs often frequent deep pools along the river’s edge, but they can also move seasonally into canals or floodplains in search of food.

Known to reach 660 pounds, it’s the largest carp species in the world, earning it the nickname “king of fish” in Southeast Asia. With a massive head and thick, blubbery lips, the giant barb has scales almost the size of a human palm.

Slow-moving and almost exclusively vegetarian, these giant fish