Kelee shad
A small tropical shad found in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.
The kelee shad is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Dorosomatidae. It inhabits coastal waters and estuaries across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. This species feeds on plankton and remains the sole member of its genus.
- Reaches a maximum length of 35 cm
- Feeds on diatoms and dinoflagellates
- Found in the Bay of Bengal
- Only species in the genus Hilsa
What it is
The kelee shad is a ray-finned fish belonging to the family Dorosomatidae. This group includes gizzard shads and sardinellas. The fish has a streamlined body typical of shads. Most individuals measure around 16.5 cm in length. Some larger specimens can grow up to 35 cm. It is currently the only species placed in the genus Hilsa. Other species were once included in this group but have since been moved.
Where it lives
This species lives along coasts and in estuaries. Its range covers the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It prefers tropical waters. The Bay of Bengal is a common location for this fish. It thrives in these warm marine and brackish environments.
How it lives
The kelee shad feeds on microscopic organisms. Its diet consists mainly of diatoms and dinoflagellates. It also consumes other small plankton. The fish uses specialized structures called gill rakers to trap this food. These rakers filter particles from the water as it swims.
Questions people ask about Kelee shad
What does the kelee shad eat?
It feeds on diatoms, dinoflagellates, and other small plankton. The fish traps these tiny organisms using its gill rakers.
Where is the kelee shad found?
It lives along coasts and in estuaries of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. It is commonly found in tropical waters like the Bay of Bengal.
How big does the kelee shad get?
Most individuals are around 16.5 cm long. Some larger fish can reach a length of 35 cm.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Hilsa kelee", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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