Visual evidence and ecological implications of Pterygoplichthys spp. invasion in Setia Alam central park Lake, Malaysia: a preliminary photographic observational study

The invasive suckermouth armoured catfish (Pterygoplichthys spp.), known as Ikan Bandaraya, is colonising Southeast Asian urban freshwater systems, raising ecological and management challenges. In this study, Pterygoplichthys spp. were photographed at Setia Alam Central Park Lake in Selangor, Malaysia. During field inspections on April 10, 2025, many individuals were swiftly apprehended utilizing cast nets. The photographs show high population density, shallow lake margin habitat occupancy, and reproductive-age adult morphology. The species' fast reproduction, benthic dominance, and adaptation to contaminated and hypoxic conditions are supported by earlier investigations. Ecological effects include sediment destabilisation, biodiversity displacement, and trophic perturbations. The species' bioaccumulation of heavy metals and minimal natural predation create public health and sustainability issues. Using photographic evidence and global invasion studies, this study urges legislative intervention, public education, and the use of non-invasive monitoring methods like eDNA. The study sheds light on Pterygoplichthys spp ' spread in Malaysian urban lakes and emphasises the necessity for community-based control.