What Kind of Fish Is the Bighead Carp? Introducing Its Varieties and Characteristics

China's four major domestic fish refer to the artificially bred black carp, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp. The bighead carp is also known as the bighead carp, so everyone may wonder, what kind of fish is the bighead carp?

1. What kind of fish is the bighead carp?

The bighead carp is one of China's famous four major domestic fish. This fish has a large and fatty head that accounts for one third of its body length, snow-white and tender flesh, a blackish body side with mottled patches, and relatively low-set eyes. The fish brain is rich in nutrients and contains a kind of fish oil needed by the human body, and the fish oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can help maintain, enhance, and improve brain function.

2. What are the farming techniques for bighead carp?

1. Fry and fingerling stocking

In the past, the stocking size for bighead carp in lakes and reservoirs was generally large-size fingerlings of about 13.2 cm. Under modern technical conditions, large-size fingerlings of 0.15-0.5 kg per fish or even 1.0 kg are required.

2. Stocking time

It should be carried out in winter or early spring when the water temperature is 5-10°C. At this time, high-density transportation of fingerlings is favorable, which can reduce losses during transport; the activity of fingerlings and predatory fish is weakened, and the harm caused by predatory fish to the stocked fingerlings is also relatively reduced.

3. Stocking location

It should be chosen in fertile reservoir bays in the upper reaches of the reservoir where the water is shallow, sheltered from the wind, and facing the sun. In this way, being far from the spillway and flood discharge tunnel in the lower reaches of the reservoir, the chance of the stocked fingerlings escaping can be reduced, the time needed to adapt to the large water environment can be shortened, growth can be accelerated, and the survival rate can be improved.

4. Stocking weather

It should be chosen on a mild and sunny day, and stocking should not be done on days with strong winds, snow, or ice.

5. Quarantine and disinfection

Before the fingerlings are stocked into the reservoir, fish disease quarantine and fingerling disinfection must be carried out. It is strictly forbidden to stock fingerlings carrying infectious diseases into the reservoir.

6. Careful handling

After the fingerlings that have undergone long-distance transport arrive at the reservoir, reservoir water should first be slowly added to the fish container. When the temperature difference between the water in the container and the reservoir water is not great, the fingerlings should then be slowly released into the reservoir. After the fingerlings are released into the reservoir, the stocking personnel should also stand at the reservoir edge or on a boat and gently stir the reservoir water with an oar, slowly driving the fingerlings to swim toward the open water.

The bighead carp is also a famous freshwater fish. It is rich in nutrients, is the first choice for fish head hot pot, and is not difficult to farm.