Can the red wolf-tooth goby be eaten, and is it poisonous?
I believe many people do not know about the red wolf-tooth goby. It has a fierce and bizarre appearance, and sharp teeth grow on both sides of its jaw, which makes everyone mistakenly think it is not a harmless creature. So, can the red wolf-tooth goby be eaten? Is it poisonous?
1. Can the red wolf-tooth goby be eaten?
The red wolf-tooth goby can be eaten. It is a goby, a fish of the family Taenioididae and the genus Odontamblyopus. The outer row of teeth in both jaws is sharp and curved, arranged sparsely, and exposed when the mouth is closed; the inner row has 1 to 2 rows of small fine teeth. Its eyes are especially small and buried under the skin, and its whole body is smooth without any scales; the dorsal fin, caudal fin and anal fin are connected. They form a fishery only in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and are widely distributed in the various river systems from the Yangtze River to the Pearl River.
This fish, produced in the rivers of Jiujiang County, Jiangxi Province, China, is also known as “Lushan stone fish” because its flesh is delicious and its flavor is unique, and it is fortunate enough to share fame with Lushan. The red wolf-tooth goby of the Fushui River in Yangxin County, Hubei Province, China, is also called “spring fish” because its fishing season is in late spring and early summer. In the Zhangxi area of Dongzhi County, Anhui Province, China, the season for catching it is when the wheat ears are harvested, and it is called “wheat fish”.
In addition, there is a legend in Jing County, Anhui Province, China: during the Jin Dynasty, a lofty person named “Qin Gao” refined elixir in the jagged Lion Stone Cave, and the elixir residue that entered the small stream miraculously turned into this kind of fish with a tiger's head and a snake's tail. From then on, every midnight, pleasant qin music would come from the stream, so people named the stream “Qin Stream”, and the fish in the stream were called “qin fish”. In addition, among the four major fish listed as tribute, the red wolf-tooth goby was included, so it is also called “tribute fish”.
2. Is the red wolf-tooth goby poisonous?
It is not poisonous. The red wolf-tooth goby is a warm-water eel-shaped false goby. It inhabits shallow seas and near estuaries, often burrowing in mud and sand, and belongs to nearshore warm-temperate fish. This fish can survive in both the sea and freshwater, burrows and hides along riverbanks, and eats small fish or small shrimp. It mainly lives in clear-water shallow areas with sandy soil rich in oxygen. Their pelvic fins are sucker-shaped, and their suction is extremely strong. Under normal circumstances they attach to stone walls in crevices, and only leave when foraging. Adults like to jump, sometimes jumping out of the water, and sometimes jumping from one stone to another.
3. How is the red wolf-tooth goby eaten?
1. Dried fish
The method is: after washing the fish and drying it, stir-fry it in a pan with a small amount of oil until golden brown, then sun-dry it for one more day, and it is ready to eat. Every ten jin of fresh fish can be processed into two jin of dried fish. There are many ways to cook small dried fish: after soaking until soft, they can be used for scrambled eggs, steamed egg, soup, or boiled in water, then cooled as a cold dish. The taste is delicious. On the current market, the products sold are all small dried fish.
2. Tea product
In the Qin Stream area of Anhui, China, it is also a precious tea delicacy. Around Qingming each year, the local people take the caught small fish, boil salt water, and quick-cook them with seasonings such as fennel, tea leaves and sugar. They are sweet and fragrant in the mouth.
The red wolf-tooth goby is not only edible, but also has diverse cooking methods. Braising, making soup, pan-frying and deep-frying are all good choices, and it is regarded as a delicacy on the dining table.