Jarbua terapon (Terapon jarbua) is a saltwater, freshwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia. It is mainly found over sand, estuary, at depths of 20–350 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia runs summer, autumn.
Scientific name: Terapon jarbua · Water: Saltwater, Freshwater, Brackish · Season: Summer, Autumn · Also known as: Jarbua Terapon
Size: 15–22 cm
The jarbua terapon is a small, silver, slightly compressed grunter marked by three or four curved dark bands running from the nape to the tail, plus a dark blotch among the dorsal spines. It is strongly euryhaline and ranges from full seawater into estuaries, mangrove creeks and far up rivers; adults gather in loose shoals while juveniles are common in sandy intertidal areas and tidal pools. Seasons differ: Taiwan and Hong Kong fish it mainly through summer and autumn, with early autumn the anglers' favourite window, Singapore peaks from spring to early summer, and Malaysia's best window is autumn. Names differ too: it is the ikan kerong, also called mengkerong or kerong jalur, in Malaysia, where it is among the cheapest and most familiar fish in the wet market, and 花身仔 in Taiwan. A size-12 hook with a sliver of prawn, a worm or a small fish, fished on the bottom or under a float close in, will usually produce bites, and because it takes aggressively and gathers in shoals it is a must for beginners and shore newcomers. Most fish run 15–22 cm, with a maximum of about 36 cm total length; maturity comes at roughly 13 cm. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
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