Lake Kenyir Research Articles

A Structural Equation Model (SEM) for the socio-economic impacts of ecotourism development in Malaysia.

The present study investigates the perception of local communities and obtains the socio-economic impacts of ecotourism development in Terengganu, Malaysia. Two ecotourism places of Terengganu namely Lake Kenyir and Sekayu Recreational Forest had purposively been chosen for study. A non-probability convenience sampling was adopted for sample selection and a structured questionnaire was administered among 310 respondents to investigate the perception of the local communities. Factor analysis was done to identify the latent constructs and a theoretical Structural Equation Model (SEM) was proposed and tested. Results show that employment opportunities, homestay accommodations, and community participation are some positive socio-economic impacts of ecotourism development. Moreover, degradation of natural resources and break-up of religious traditions have been identified as negative socio-economic impacts. To ensure sustainable ecotourism development and endure the maximum benefit to the local communities, these negative impacts should be minimized. Encouragement should be given to local communities to accelerate the positive impacts of ecotourism.

Diversity and abundance of plankton in different habitat zonation of Papan River, Lake Kenyir, Malaysia

Abstract. Ramlee A, Suhaimi H, Rasdi NW. 2021. Diversity and abundance of plankton in different habitat zonation of Papan River, Lake Kenyir, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 23: 212-221. Lake Kenyir is the largest artificial lake in Malaysia, yet there is limited information regarding the lake’s ecology. This study aimed to determine the diversity and abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton in various habitat ecosystems along the Papan River, Lake Kenyir. Three distinct sampling points were chosen based on the diverse habitat conditions, namely sampling point A (high water current area), sampling point B (shallow and muddy area) and sampling point C (minimum water current area). Samples were collected horizontally using a 30µm plankton net with two distinct towing methods: boat and hand towing to specific areas. The result showed that all sampling points had low chlorophyll-a concentrations ranging between 10 and 20 g/ml, indicating that no algae bloom had occurred. Bacillariophyta were found to have the highest distribution of phytoplankton division in all of the stations (50.96%). The other division discovered was Chlorophyta (29.62%), followed by Charophyta (19.43%). Additionally, 140 individual zooplankton species were discovered across all sampling locations. The phylum Rotifera is the most dominant in terms of species distribution (60.00 %), followed by Arthropoda (31.43%), Ciliophora (7.14%), and Rhizopoda (0.71%). The Shannon diversity index, evenness, and species richness measurements at sampling point A, B, and C revealed a range of index values due to variation in plankton species due to interaction and habitat conditions. The variation in planktonic abundance in the Papan River was attributed to their habitat preferences due to the freshwater lake's ecosystem's different zones and conditions.

Influence of environmental factors on biology and catch composition of Barbonymus schwanenfeldii in a tropical lake, northern Malaysia: implications for conservation planning.

Very little work has determined the relative importance of uncontrolled environmental factors for affecting fish biology, and how these might influence gillnet catches. This study addresses this deficit for an important Southeast Asian cyprinid (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii). Fish were caught monthly for 12 months using gillnets of three different mesh sizes, each of which was deployed in duplicate at the surface of one of three randomly selected sites in Lake Kenyir, Malaysia, concurrent with determining various environmental parameters and the abundance of phytoplankton (chlorophyll-a). Results indicated that growth co-efficient of B. schwanenfeldii was positively influenced by dissolved oxygen and negatively influenced by total inorganic nitrogen, whereas an opposite result was observed in case of the hepatosomatic index of fish. Water turbidity was a limiting factor only for small fish (mean total length: 15.74±1.10 cm). B. schwanenfeldii could best be caught during the period of high phytoplankton abundance or at the location of high phytoplankton density in the water. Water temperature negatively influenced the gillnet catches of the fish. The remaining environmental factors such as water depth, pH, and phosphate had a weak and insignificant influence (P >0.05) on the biology and gillnet catches of fish. The observed results can be very useful for the ecological monitoring and conservation plans for this species in relation to climate change. Furthermore, the utility of the similar data for other species would be useful not only forregional but also forinternational fishery by optimizing catches considering environmental conditions.

Three new species of Acanthocephala from Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) (Acanthocephala: Quadrigyridae) from tinfoil barb fish, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii in Lake Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia.

This study was carried out in order to identify acanthocephalan species complexes, based on morphological variability, infecting Barbonymus schwanenfeldii from Lake Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia. Acanthocephala were fixed in ethanol, stained with aceto-carmine and studied morphologically by using a light microscope. Variation in morphological traits such as proboscis, proboscis receptacle, egg, testes shape and location, number of hooks and cement gland has been traditionally used to diagnose the acanthocephalans species but the delimitations between closely related species are still confusing and are always questionable among taxonomists. Molecular analysis was used for support the identification. Morphological variability prospecting reveals the presence of three different new species complexes from the subgenus Acanthosentis by referring published taxonomic keys. These new species may be distinguished from the other 46 described species of Acanthosentis by having six unique structures: the presence of an anterior parareceptacle structure (PRS); vaginal sleeve structure; a paired lateral, cone-shaped, muscular jacket surrounding the vagina; alternating pattern and size of proboscis hooks, variation in proboscis size and shape; the presence of the circular collar ring around the neck between the proboscis and trunk and lastly the presence of a muscular-like structure attached to the collar ring on the proboscis. These acanthocephalans found in the intestine of B. schwanenfeldii in Kenyir Lake Malaysia represent new species, named Acanthogyrus ( Acanthosentis) kenyirensis n.sp., A. ( A.) terengganuensis n.sp. and A. ( A.) tembatensis n. sp.

Environmental variables affecting the gillnet catches and condition of Labiobarbus festivus and Osteochilus hasseltii in northern Malaysia

The influences of technical factors on the catching efficiencies of gillnets are well understood, but less is known about the importance of environmental factors and how these might concurrently affect target-species condition. Here we address this deficit for two economically important southeast Asian cyprinids (Labiobarbus festivus and Osteochilus hasseltii) during a one-year study at a key fishing location in Lake Kenyir, Malaysia. Three gillnets (each 200 m long, 2 m deep and comprising either 38-, 51-, or 76-mm mesh) were deployed each month concurrent with sampling of benthic macroinvertebrates and various environmental parameters. Various multivariate analyses (detrended correspondence analysis, redundancy analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance) were used to explore potential relationships between the extrinsic variables (mesh size, sampling season, water quality and, based on known prey items, benthic macroinvertebrates) and gillnet catches and the biological condition (growth co-efficient and hepatosomatic index) of the target species. Catches of L.festivus (the most abundant species) were positively influenced by water turbidity without seasonal effects, while their biological condition was positively influenced by benthic macroinvertebrates (mostly Trichoptera) and the concentrations of DO and phosphate, and negatively influenced by water temperature. By comparison, seasonal influences on the catches and biology of O. hasseltii were somewhat size specific with positive and negative effects of the monsoon on small and large fish, respectively. The abundance of phytoplankton also positively affected the catches of O. hasseltii, while their biological condition was positively influenced by water temperature, but negatively influenced by water turbidity. Such species-specific differences were attributed to life histories, and although the more abundant L. festivus might be best sought during any period of turbidity, effort should be focused during the monsoon when individuals have optimal condition (and therefore better flesh quality). In contrast, larger O. hasseltii might be best sought during non-monsoon months concurrent with greater catches and optimal condition. Collecting similar data for other freshwater species both nationally and internationally might facilitate future efforts at fine-tuning gillnet fishing effort.

Influences of environmental parameters and phytoplankton productivity on benthic invertebrates in a tropical oligotrophic lake, northern Malaysia

Studies that associate environmental parameters with aquatic organisms in man-made lakes remain limited by accessibility and interest particularly in many Asian countries. With missed opportunities to monitor environmental transitions at Lake Kenyir, our knowledge of lake transition is restricted to the non-mixing shallow waters only. Triplicate monthly benthic invertebrate samples were collected concurrently with various environmental parameters at three locations (zones A-C) of Kenyir Lake, Malaysia. Our results affirmed that the northeast part of Lake Kenyir is oligotrophic. Abundance of phytoplankton, total suspended solids, phosphate, nitrite and nitrate drive the abundance of various groups of benthic invertebrates. All of these extrinsic variables (except phosphate) negatively influenced the density of Trichoptera and positively influenced (P<0.05) the densities of Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropod, Isopoda and Copepod in all zones. Phosphate negatively influenced the density of Trichoptera and positively influenced (P<0.05) the densities of Oligochaeta, Bivalvia and Copepod. Its influences on the Polychaeta, Gastropod and Isopoda densities were zone-specific. Overall, seasons equally influenced the relationships between extrinsic and response variables in all zones. The results of this study are useful to evaluate the lake's environmental quality, in conservation and in similar projects involving environmental handling, monitoring and recovery.

Description of myxosporeans (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) infecting the popular food fish Notopterus notopterus (Pisces: Notopteridae) in Malaysia and India

This study was a co-operative investigation of myxosporean infections of Notopterus notopterus, the bronze featherback, which is a popular food fish in the South Asian region. We examined fish from Lake Kenyir, Malaysia and the River Ganga, Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh, India, and observed infections with two myxosporeans: Myxidium cf. notopterum (Myxidiidae) and Henneguya ganapatiae (Myxobolidae), respectively. These species were identified by myxospore morphology, morphometry and host tissue affinity, and the original descriptions supplemented with small-subunit ribosomal DNA sequences and phylogenetic analysis. Free myxospores of M. cf. notopterum were found in the gallbladder, and measured 14.7 ± 0.6 μm long and 6.3 ± 0.6 μm wide; host, tissue and myxospore dimensions overlapped with the type, but differed in morphological details (spore shape, valve cell ridges) and locality (Malaysia versus India). Plasmodia and spores of H. ganapatiae were observed in gills, and myxospores had a spore body 9.7 ± 0.4 μm long, 4.5 ± 0.5 μm wide; sample locality, host, tissue, spore morphology and morphometry matched the original description. Small-subunit ribosomal DNA sequences were deposited in GenBank (M. cf. notopterum MT365527, H. ganapatiae MT365528) and both differed by >7% from congeneric species. Although the pathogenicity and clinical manifestation of myxozoan in humans are poorly understood, consumption of raw fish meat with myxozoan infection was reported to be associated with diarrhea. Identification of current parasite fauna from N. notopterus is an essential first step in assessing pathogen risks to stocks of this important food fish.

Endophytic bacteria of Anisophyllea disticha (Raja Berangkat) from tropical lake environment in Malaysia

Lake Kenyir is the largest artificial lake in South East Asia and serves as habitats for diverse flora and fauna. Moreover, Lake Kenyir is a rich resource of medicinal plants which has been used by local community surrounding the lake. Endophytic bacteria are able to colonize plants without causing harm and they can be highly beneficial towards their plant hosts. The aim of this study is to isolate and identify endophytic bacteria from the leaves and roots of a medicinal plant, Anisophyllea disticha (Raja Berangkat), and to evaluate their antimicrobial capabilities. Twenty isolates each from the leaves and roots were randomly selected for molecular identification using 16S rRNA gene. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that genus Bacillus dominated the endophytic bacteria from the leaves with two isolates belonging to Paenibacillus and Aeribacillus. Five genera namely, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, and Mycobacterium were successfully obtained from the roots of A. disticha. Nine endophytic bacteria—five Bacillus species (R3, R11, R13, R26, R37), Lysinibacillus (R9), two Staphylococcus species (R6, R27) and Mycobacterium species (R33) from roots were found to show weak antibacterial and/or antifungal activities. Findings from this study provide an insight to endophytic bacteria inhabiting A. disticha and the role they may play in their plant host.

Classification of Land Use/Land Cover Changes Using GIS and Remote Sensing Technique in Lake Kenyir Basin, Terengganu, Malaysia

Geographical information system (GIS) techniques and Remote Sensing (RS) data are fundamental in the study of land use (LU) and land cover (LC) changes and classification. The aim of this study is to map and classify the LU and LC change of Lake Kenyir Basin within 40 years’ period (1976 to 2016). Multi-temporal Landsat images used are MSS 1976, 1989, ETM+ 2001 and OLI 8 2016. Supervised Classification on Maximum Likelihood Algorithm method was used in ArcGIS 10.3. The result shows three classes of LU and LC via vegetation, water body and built up area. Vegetation, which is the dominant LC found to be 100%, 88.83%, 86.15%, 81.91% in 1976, 1989, 2001 and 2016 respectively. While water body accounts for 0%, 11.17%, 12.36% and 13.62% in the years 1976, 1989, 2001 and 2016 respectively and built-up area 1.49% and 4.47 in 2001 and 2016 respectively. The predominant LC changes in the study are the water body and vegetation, the earlier increasing rapidly at the expense of the later. Therefore, proper monitoring, policies that integrate conservation of the environment are strongly recommended.

A newly identified population of Gambusia affinis (Baird and Girard, 1853), a non-native invasive species, in Lake Kenyir, Malaysia: implications for management

Gambusia affinis (Baird and Girard, 1853), a notorious non-native invasive fish species, has negatively impacted aquatic ecosystems around the world. This species was recently identified in Lake Kenyir, one of the largest impoundments in South East Asia, using DNA barcoding. The coxI sequence of Gambusia caught in Lake Kenyir was compared with the sequences of topotypic voucher specimens of G. affinis and two other candidate Poeciliidae. The species was found to cluster with G. affinis but not with monophyletic clades of either G. holbrooki or P. reticulata thus confirming species identity. The fish is yet to be widely established in the lake with the current distribution limited to areas of anthropogenic disturbance.

Sustainability Measurement for Ecotourism Destination in Malaysia: A Study on Lake Kenyir, Terengganu

Sustainable tourism uses the resources of an area and attempts to create a balance between potential and existing activities. Practical case studies of sustainable tourism are difficult to identify because of the involvement of interrelated variables and dimensions. The study measures the index of sustainability for ecotourism in Lake Kenyir from social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The study follows non-probability convenience sampling design with purposive sampling technique for the sample selection. The study uses 47 indicators under six relationship aspects, namely, resource on community, community on resource, resource on tourism, tourism on resource, tourism on community, and community on tourism to measure the ecotourism sustainability of the study site based on respondent perception. Based on the Barometer of Sustainability, the result demonstrates that Kenyir is classified as “potential sustainable” ecotourism destination. The study identifies four relationship aspects, namely, resource community, resource tourism, community tourism, and tourism community with potential sustainable level. The community and tourism resources have the poorest sustainability, and fall within the potentially unsustainable level. Result reveals the good interrelationship between tourism and community in the study site.

Use of cestodes as indicator of heavy-metal pollution

Thirty snakehead fish, Channa micropeltes (Cuvier, 1831) were collected at Lake Kenyir, Malaysia. Muscle, liver, intestine and kidney tissues were removed from each fish and the intestine was opened to reveal cestodes. In order to assess the concentration of heavy metal in the environment, samples of water in the surface layer and sediment were also collected. Tissues were digested and the concentrations of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were analysed by using inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS) equipment. The results demonstrated that the cestode Senga parva (Fernando and Furtado, 1964) from fish hosts accumulated some heavy metals to a greater extent than the water and some fish tissues, but less than the sediment. In three (Pb, Zn and Mn) of the five elements measured, cestodes accumulated the highest metal concentrations, and in remaining two (Cu and Cd), the second highest metal accumulation was recorded in the cestodes when compared to host tissues. Therefore, the present study indicated that Senga parva accumulated metals and might have potential as a bioindicator of heavy-metal pollution.

Massive Mortality Associated with Streptococcus agalactiae Infection in Cage-cultured Red Hybrid Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in Como River, Kenyir Lake, Malaysia

Massive mortality of cage-cultured red hybrid tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in Como River, Kenyir Lake, Malaysia was investigated. Moribund fish showing erratic swimming, sluggishness and hemorrhagic eyes were collected for the study. Water quality parameters were measured on-site. The highest temperature was 32.70°C at the surface while lower temperature was 30.85°C at 6 m. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was highest 7.05 mg L-1 at 4 m while lowest 6.15 mg L-1 at 10 m. The pH value was highest 8.28 at 6 m and lowest 7.52 at surface. The result has shown that un-ionized ammonia levels ranged from 0.00046-0.01 ppm within the optimum range. While Nitrite (0.003 ppm) and Nitrate values (0.1-0.7 ppm). The water quality parameters were showed their values within the accepted range of water quality for aquaculture. Bacteria were isolated from diseased fish using blood and nutrient agars, and identified using BBL Crystal™ Enteric/Non-fermenter ID and Gram Positive ID Systems and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility analysis. Results showed the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae, Burkholderia cepacia in the fish liver and Staphylococcus aureus in the fish eyes, suggesting a possible case of warm-water streptococcosis associated with S. agalactiae with multiple bacterial complications. Nevertheless, a continuous long term monitoring is essential for the sustainable development of cage aquaculture in Como river of Lake Kenyir Malaysia.

Application of Leiper's tourist attraction system to small-scale sport event tourism in Malaysia.

There is a lack of literature on sport tourists attending small-scale sport events and their travel behaviors in Malaysia. This lack of data makes it difficult for tourism authorities in to implement effective market segmentation and targeting. Thus it is necessary to conduct a study to explore the potential of small-scale sporting event as tourist attraction in Malaysia using Leiper’s (1990) tourist attraction system as framework. A study is conducted on participants and spectators attending a mountain bike race and motor cross events in Lake Kenyir Malaysia. Data were collected quantitatively from 400 subjects using the Leisure Motivation Scale developed by Ragheb and Beard (1983). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Visitors to sport event at Lake Kenyir fall into three categories: (1) sport excursionist, (2) active sport tourist and (3) passive sport tourists and the majority of the respondents (81.75%) were sport tourists. The results indicate factors such as competence mastery and intellectual factors are significant variables which motivate people to seek active sport-oriented vacations. Passive sport tourists are motivated by social factors and the need to escape from over stimulating situations. This study confirmed the usefulness of Leiper’s tourist attraction theory in sport tourism.

Do insectivorous bird communities decline on land-bridge forest islands in Peninsular Malaysia?

Abstract:To assess the impact of habitat fragmentation on tropical avian communities, we sampled lowland forest birds on six land-bridge islands and two mainland forest sites in Lake Kenyir, Peninsular Malaysia using timed point counts, hypothesizing that insectivorous birds are the worst affected guild. We used an information-theoretic approach to evaluate the effects of area, isolation, primary dietary guild (omnivore, frugivore and insectivore) and their interactions in predicting species richness, abundance and diversity. Our analysis showed that a model that considered the effects of area, dietary guild and their interaction best explained observed patterns of species richness. But a model considering both area and dietary guild best explained the variation in abundance. Notably, insectivorous birds were singled out as the dietary guild most sensitive to fragmentation, followed by frugivorous and omnivorous birds and hence provide support for our hypothesis. Assemblages of insectivorous birds were clearly depauperate on anthropogenic forest islands in Lake Kenyir and are consistent with forest fragmentation studies in the Neotropics. Given their specialized foraging ecology and diversity, conservation of intact communities of insectivorous bird guilds in Malaysia will be critical for maintaining predator–prey interactions in lowland tropical forests.

Dung beetle assemblages on tropical land-bridge islands: small island effect and vulnerable species

Aim Using dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in a tropical land-bridge island system, we test for the small island effect (SIE) in the species– area relationship and evaluate its effects on species richness and community composition. We also examine the determinants of species richness across island size and investigate the traits of dung beetle species in relation to their local extinction vulnerability following forest fragmentation. Location Lake Kenyir, a hydroelectric reservoir in north-eastern Peninsular Malaysia. Methods We sampled dung beetles using human dung baited pitfall traps on 24 land-bridge islands and three mainland sites. We used regression tree analyses to test for the SIE, as well as species traits related to local rarity, as an indication of extinction vulnerability. We employed generalized linear models (GLMs) to examine determinants for species richness at different scales and compared the results with those from conventional linear and breakpoint regressions. Community analyses included non-metric multidimensional scaling, partial Mantel tests, nestedness analysis and abundance spectra.

The floristic composition and ecology of periphytic diatoms from the man-made tropical lake Tasik Kenyir, in Malaysia

A total of 159 diatom taxa, mostly pennates, under 35 genera, were encountered on the submersed surface of standing dead trees in Lake Kenyir, Malaysia, during one year of sampling in 1995. Their station wise distribution was 101 taxa at the Dam side (site 1) and 145 taxa at the Petang River (site 2), showing 50% more taxa at the latter station. The spatial variability of diatoms is corroborated by the value of the Jaccard similarity index which was found to be 0.48 between the two stations. The monthly species richness ranged from 22 (November) to 60 (September) at the Dam side, whereas it was 32 (January) to 82 (September) at Petang River. The species diversity ranged from 2.87 to 3.70 and showed a positive correlation with species richness. The pattern in frequency of occurrence of the diatom community was similar at both sites; 35% of the total taxa occurred only once a year in the samples; 31% of the taxa occurred 2–4 times. 15% taxa occurred 5–8 times, and the last 20% occurred 9–12 times in a year. The results of Principal Component Analysis showed that the first and second components comprised 59.4% variability in the data. A general pattern in diatom assemblages can be categorised into four groups along pH gradients. These are group 1: alkalibiont taxa, group 2: heterogeneous mixture of alkaliphilous, circumneutral taxa, group 3: acidobiontic taxa, and group 4: acidophilous taxa. This study showed that the diatom species pool of Lake Kenyir is very rich, like that expected in a tropical waterbody, and the frequency of occurrence of diatom taxa may be related to the niche availability which requires further investigation. Moreover, the spatial variability of diatom communities within the lake is conspicuous, which is probably linked with habitat heterogeneity: Dam side is the main basin of the lake with open deep pelagic zone, and Petang River is a small shallow flowing stream bed comprised of cobbles and boulders.

Temporal changes in the periphytic algal communities in a drowned tropical forest reservoir in Malaysia: Lake Kenyir

AbstractPeriphytic algal assemblages, comprising bacillariophytes, cyanophytes and chlorophytes of standing dead trees in Lake Kenyir, a tropical drowned forest reservoir, were studied during 1995. A total of 317 algal taxa were identified in this study. The monthly floral mean species richness and cell count data demonstrated significant temporal differences between the months, in one‐way anova (P &lt; 0.05). Both redundancy analysis and cluster analysis on monthly blue‐green abundance and diatom assemblages exhibited conspicuous groupings among the months, with underpinning seasonal differences. The responses were not similar, however, between the upstream and downstream ends of the lake. The grouping or clustering of months can be generalized as: (i) November, December and January as the monsoonal months; (ii) February, March, April and May as the transitional months; and (iii) June to October as the dry months. Based on stepwise multiple regression with forward selection, alkalinity and dissolved oxygen concentration were significant environmental predictors at the downstream dam sampling site, and reactive silica, electrical conductivity, Secchi depth transparency and sunshine hours were significant predicators at the upstream riverine sampling site, based on Monte Carlo tests. Being a ploymictic, mesotrophic lake, the limnology and temporal changes for Lake Kenyir appears to be complex and driven by monsoons, as evidenced from the temporal changes in its periphytic algae communities, particularly the diatom assemblages. The downstream sampling site (site 1) at the dam, in the main basin and deeper zone of the lake, the seasonal amplitude was likely complex because of thermocline formation and stratification processes. In contrast, the upstream sampling site in the Petang River (site 2) exhibited a clearer distinction between the dry and monsoon months, based on its cyanophyte and diatom floral assemblages. These study results are pertinent for lake management, especially for developing biomonitoring programmes or lake productivity studies, as well as for climate change studies, within the context of tropical lake ecology.

Understanding the Motives of Sport Tourists Attending an Event in Lake Kenyir Malaysia

Understanding the Motives of Sport Tourists Attending an Event in Lake Kenyir Malaysia

A survey of coccidian infections of freshwater fishes of Peninsular Malaysia, with descriptions of three species of Goussia Labbé, 1896 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae).

Ninety-five specimens of 14 freshwater fish species from small streams in the Kuala Terengganu district and the Lake Kenyir Reservoir, Malaysia, were surveyed for coccidian infections. Six fish species proved to be infected with apicomplexans belonging to the genus Goussia. In all of these fishes Goussia species were found in unsporulated and semisporulated stages. Oöcysts of four species inhabiting the intestinal epithelium became sporulated in tap-water within 24 hours. In two fish species sporulation failed and only unsporulated oöcysts were recorded in the intestine. Three of the intestinal species finishing sporulation proved to be new to science and were described as Goussia malayensis n. sp., G. bettae n. sp. and G. pogonognathi n. sp. from Apocheilus panchax, Betta splendens and Hemirhamphodon pogonognatus, respectively. The fourth species, found in Trichogaster pectoralis, was identified as G. trichogasteri Székely & Molnár, 1992, a species known from aquarium-cultured T. trichopterus.