Fishes of Chennai – A Field Guide to Chennai's Freshwater and Brackish Fishes

About the Book Chennai has always been a city shaped by water, and in its rivers, lakes, marshes, estuaries and canals lives a remarkable world of fish that most of us have barely noticed. Fishes of Chennai, written by Aravind Manoj and Beta Mahatvaraj, is the first field guide to bring together the freshwater and brackish fishes of the Chennai Metropolitan Area and its surroundings, documenting more than 100 species, from the carps and catfish you see at any market to native fish barely recorded anywhere else. The book explores each fish along with its natural history, ecology, and cultural significance, including references to fish in the ancient Tamil Sangam texts What's Inside - More than 100 freshwater and brackish species, each with its own feature - Over 125 photographs, sent in by anglers and naturalists across India - Fish grouped by body shape, so you can match one to a photo in the field - Size, diet, breeding, habitat, range, and conservation status for every species - Native, translocated, introduced, and invasive fish clearly marked - A scientific checklist, a glossary, the meaning behind each name, and full references - The bigger picture: habitat loss, pollution, and the people protecting Chennai's waters - References to fish in ancient Tamil literature (Sangam texts), connecting species to Tamil cultural history and mythology Who It's For Naturalists, aquarists, students, and anyone who wants to know the fish of their own city. The science is current; the writing assumes no background. Book Details Authors : Aravind Manoj & Beta Mahatvaraj Edition : First edition, 2026 Language : English Species : 100+ Photographs : 125+ Pages : 230 Format : Paperback, perfect bound ISBN : 978-81-685366-7-8 Publisher : Meenkaran Publications Shipping Free shipping within India. This is a pre-order; your copy will ship from the first week of September 2026. International shipping is calculated at checkout. If your country isn't listed at checkout, reach us at info@dastarboi.com, WhatsApp +91 7904599095, or Instagram @da_starboi.