Erumeen

Erumeen is the local name in Kerala, South India, for a fish. It appears rarely as an aquarium fish, but is locally appreciated as a very tasty food fish. The scientific name is Etroplus suratensis. It is one of three species of Etroplus, the only genus of cichlid fish in India (except introduced Tilapia etc.). Cichlids occurs otherwise only in Africa and America from Texas and southwards, altogether with well over 1000 species. The strange occurrence in India is one of many proofs for the hypothesis that India, Africa and Madagascar were connected a long time ago.

Erumeen, Etroplus suratensis is the largest of the three species and is principally a brackish water species occuring along the southwestern coast of India and along the coasts of Sri Lanka. It is also introduced into Malaysia (and perhaps also to other areas). We appreciated Erumeen especially fried. In different curries the delicious taste disappears among all spices. In the aquarium trade it is known as Pearl Spot or Green Chromide.

The Orange Chromide, Etroplus maculatus, is a more well-known species in the aquarium trade. It is more tolerant to fresh water. Like most other cichlids both parents take care of eggs and fry, guarding them from predators.

The third species, Etroplus canarensis, is quite unknown. In the 1860s Francis Day collected a few specimens (at least 7) in South Canara on the border between the states of Karnataka och Kerala. More than 100 years later, in 1992, A G K Menon and company collected a couple of specimens (two?). About 1997 six specimens was imported to the USA via the aquarium trade by Jeffrey Rapps. Possibly a few specimens were imported also to Europe during the 1990s.

Here is a link to V. Kutty who, like us, tried to collect Etroplus canarensis in India,
and here is a link to S*Poo Nai's Erumeen.

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© 2000 Erik Åhlander & Suzanne Wejland.

Updated May 24, 2001

Text & design: Suzanne Wejland (suzanne.wejland@telia.com) and Erik Åhlander (erik.ahlander@nrm.se)