Where does sole fish come from, and how does it differ from basa fish?

Sole fish is a marine fish with tender flesh, very few bones, and relatively high nutritional value, but it has rather high requirements for its living environment, so the quantity farmed is also relatively small, and what we generally buy is frozen products. Let us take a look together at Where does sole fish come from? What are the differences from basa fish?

1. Where does sole fish come from?

Sole fish is a warm-temperate large bottom-dwelling fish of coastal waters, living and dwelling year-round in the coastal waters of our country, with the characteristics of wide temperature tolerance, wide salinity tolerance and adaptation to changeable environmental conditions; its suitable temperature range is 3.5-32°C, the most suitable water temperature is 14-24°C, and the suitable salinity range is 14-33‰. Moreover, sole fish grows very fast, feeds at a low level in the food chain, can tolerate low oxygen, and has few diseases, making it suitable for farming in the greenhouses currently used for farming turbot and olive flounder.

2. What are the differences between sole fish and basa fish?

First, sole fish is a marine fish, with relatively high nutritional value, relatively high farming requirements, and scarce resources. Its price is also relatively high.

As for basa fish, it is a freshwater fish, farmed in large quantities, with a high growth rate, and its flesh and taste are inferior compared with sole fish. Its selling price is very cheap.

Looked at this way, it is still quite easy to identify. So, after the skin is removed, can you still tell them apart, or are you left hopelessly confused?

It does not matter; although sole fish fillets and basa fish fillets are similar, there are still differences on careful distinction. In terms of thickness, basa fish fillets are thicker than sole fish fillets; in terms of color, basa fish fillets are snowy white, while sole fish fillets are slightly reddish. In fact, seen this way, the body of sole fish, even in the frozen state, is still reddish. Telling them apart is not so easy. If you really cannot distinguish them well yourself, then the advice is to buy sole fish at large supermarkets with good qualifications, and to read the labels carefully when purchasing; it is recommended to buy whole bags (with packaging instructions).

Sole fish is rich in nutrients and suitable for children to eat. Real sole fish, as a high-quality marine fish, contains Ω-3 fatty acids in its fat, which can inhibit free radicals in the eyes, prevent the formation of new blood vessels, and reduce the occurrence of lens inflammation; this is why it is also called “eye-protecting fish”. For children, the DHA contained in marine fish boosts memory and protects the eyes!

The nutritional value of basa fish is not even as good as that of grass carp, and water-retaining agents are used during transportation, so it is not suitable to give it to children often. Although its taste is acceptable, its specific nutritional value is hard to match that of marine fish, and it is even inferior to our grass carp. It is not recommended to use basa fish as the main fish for children to eat.

Sole fish has high nutritional value, but the meat that can be obtained is relatively little, and the farming cost is high, so the price is not low. One fresh adult fish of three jin can sell for about 160 yuan, roughly 50 yuan per jin. That is twice as expensive as a 600-gram bag of basa fish fillets.