Knowledge on the lipid compositions of tropical freshwater aquatic animals is limited despite their
importance in the human diet and the health-related benefits of fish lipids. This study examines the lipid
content and fatty acid composition from the edible muscle tissue of some common freshwater aquatic
animals that inhabit rice fields in Thailand, namely snakehead (Channa striatus), Gunther’s walking
catfish (Clarias macrocephalus), climbing perch (Anabas testudineus), blackline rasbora (Rasbora
borapetensis), swamp barb (Puntius brevis), and freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense). All
specimens were low in muscle fat (1.1% of wet weight). There was considerable variation in the fatty
acid composition between species. All species were good sources of the essential fatty acids, and
particularly of C22:6n-3 (5.2–13.3% total FA) and C20:4n-6 (7.2–14.6% total FA), signifying their high
nutritional quality for human nutrition. The findings indicate that strategies for rural development, food
security, and alleviation of poverty in rural areas need to pay special attention to the management of
aquatic resources to ensure the health and well-being of rural people.