What is the difference between silver carp and catfish? A quick guide to telling them apart

The pronunciations of silver carp (lianyu) and catfish (nianyu) are very similar, and many people even think they are the same fish. In fact, silver carp and catfish are not the same fish, and they differ greatly. Silver carp is also called white carp, water carp, jumping carp, lianzi, etc., while catfish is also called tangshi, whiskered carp, sticky fish, tangshayu, shengzaiyu, huodezi, etc. Let us take a look at their differences below!

Different biological classification

1. Catfish: Catfish belongs to the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Actinopterygii, order Siluriformes, family Siluridae, genus Silurus, species catfish.

2. Silver carp: Silver carp belongs to the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Actinopterygii, order Cypriniformes, suborder Cyprinoidei, family Cyprinidae, subfamily Hypophthalmichthyinae, genus Hypophthalmichthys, species silver carp.

Differences in living habits

1. Catfish: Catfish live in the middle and lower layers of water and are nocturnal animals. They are carnivorous fish, and their prey is mostly small fish. They mainly swallow food whole, and their teeth mainly serve to prevent food from escaping.

2. Silver carp: Silver carp is a fish of the middle and upper layers of water and is a typical filter-feeding fish. It uses the special structure of its gills to filter plankton from the water and feeds on plankton throughout its life. At the fry stage, it mainly eats zooplankton, and when it grows longer than 1.5 cm, it gradually switches to eating phytoplankton.

Differences in external features

1. Catfish: Catfish have barbels around the mouth that look like a cat's whiskers, with at least one pair above the upper jaw, some also have a pair at the mouth, and some also have a pair on the lower jaw. Many catfish have a spine on their back and have pectoral fins. The spine may have venom glands, and being stung causes pain and injury. All catfish lack fish scales; their skin is bare, or covered with bony plates.

2. Silver carp: Silver carp has a laterally compressed body, a grayish-blue back, and white sides and belly. Its head is relatively large, its eyes are set very low, and its scales are small. An keratinous ridge runs along the midline of the belly from below the pectoral fins all the way to the anus. The pectoral fins do not extend beyond the base of the pelvic fins, and all fins are grayish-white.

Differences in nutritional value

1. Catfish: Catfish is sweet in taste and warm in nature. It has effects such as tonifying the middle and boosting yang, promoting urination, and treating edema. It is rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of fish meat contains 64.1 grams of water and 14.4 grams of protein, and it also contains various minerals and trace elements. It is especially suitable for people who are weak and deficient or malnourished. Catfish roe has an off flavor and is not suitable for eating.

2. Silver carp: Silver carp is sweet in taste and warm in nature. It has effects such as strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, warming the middle and soothing the stomach, and dispersing heat. It can provide abundant collagen protein, which can both strengthen the body and beautify the skin, making it an ideal food for women to nourish their skin.