What kind of fish is the bighead carp? Six major differences from the silver carp!
The scientific name of the bighead carp is the bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), also known as the fathead fish, spotted silver carp, yellow silver carp, black silver carp, pine fish, bighead carp, and bighead silver carp, among others. It is one of China's famous "Four Great Domestic Fish"; because its head is large and fatty and its flesh is snow-white and delicate, it is the first choice for fish head hot pot. So, what kind of fish is the bighead carp?
1. What kind of fish is the bighead carp?
1. The bighead carp is a fish of the family Cyprinidae and the genus Hypophthalmichthys. Its body is laterally compressed, and its head is large and fatty, accounting for one third of its body length. Its eyes are small, it has no barbels, its scales are small, its pectoral fins are long, the upper half of its sides is grayish black, its belly is grayish white, and its sides are mottled with many irregular small light yellow and black spots.
2. The bighead carp is a fish of the middle and upper water layers, mainly living in the middle and upper layers of the water. It is widely distributed and found throughout China's freshwater basins; in Xinjiang and Mongolia, there is a fish species commonly called the "bighead carp," namely the flat-snouted fish (Aspiorhynchus laticeps). Because it is extremely precious, it was listed as an endangered species by the state in 1988.
3. The bighead carp is a filter-feeding fish, mainly eating rotifers, cladocerans, copepods (such as cyclops) and other zooplankton and protozoa, as well as some phytoplankton (such as diatoms and blue-green algae) and artificial feed. It has a cleansing effect on water quality, so it is called the "scavenger of the water."
4. The bighead carp is a fast-growing fish. Under conditions of sufficient feed, a 1-year-old fish can weigh 0.8-1 kg, while in natural rivers and lakes and other water bodies, individuals of more than 10 kg are commonly seen, and the largest can reach 50 kg.
5. The bighead carp is a fish with fresh and savory meat. It can be cooked by braising, stewing, steaming, or oil-soaking, with steaming and oil-soaking being the best. Because its head is large and contains more fat and gelatin, steaming and oil-soaking best bring out its light and fresh savory characteristics.
6. The bighead carp is a fish with very high nutritional value, rich in various nutrients. It has the effects of warming the stomach, relieving dizziness, benefiting the brain marrow, tonifying deficiency and fatigue, soothing the liver and relieving depression, strengthening the spleen and benefiting the lungs, dispelling wind-cold, and strengthening the bones and muscles. It is suitable for people with weak constitution, deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach, and malnutrition.
2. What are the differences between the bighead carp and the silver carp?
The bighead carp and the silver carp are very similar in form, and many people mistake them for each other. Here we introduce the differences between them.
Difference 1, different species: Both are among China's famous "Four Great Domestic Fish" and both are fish of the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, class Osteichthyes, order Cypriniformes, family Cyprinidae, but the bighead carp is a fish of the genus Hypophthalmichthys and the species nobilis, while the silver carp is a fish of the genus Hypophthalmichthys and the species molitrix.
Difference 2, different body surface: The two are similar in body shape, both being laterally compressed, but the upper half of the bighead carp's sides is grayish black, its belly is grayish white, and its sides have mottled markings; while the silver carp's sides and belly are white, its back is bluish gray, and it has no markings.
Difference 3, different fish head: The heads of both are relatively large, but the bighead carp's head is larger and fatter, accounting for one third of its body length; while the silver carp's head is not as large, about one quarter of its body length.
Difference 4, different food: Both are filter-feeding fish and both live in the middle and upper layers of the water, but the bighead carp mainly feeds on zooplankton, while the silver carp mainly feeds on phytoplankton.
Difference 5, different content: Because their food differs, the content in their muscles also differs. Therefore, the bighead carp's protein content is higher than the silver carp's, and its fat and cholesterol content is very low; while the silver carp's fat content is higher than the bighead carp's, and it is also rich in gelatinous protein.
Difference 6, different delicious parts: The beauty of the bighead carp lies in its head, which is large and fatty, with snow-white and delicate flesh, making it the first-choice material for fish head hot pot; while the beauty of the silver carp lies in its belly, whose flesh is soft, tender, and fine, but whose bones are small and numerous.
The bighead carp, also known as the bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), is a fish of the middle and upper water layers and a filter-feeding fish, and it grows very fast; its head is very large and fatty, its flesh is snow-white and delicate, and its nutritional value is also very high, making it the first choice for fish head hot pot; it looks similar to the silver carp, and the six methods above can distinguish them from each other.