What varieties of Taiwan loach are there? A comprehensive analysis of common types

Taiwan loach, its native species is the Taiwan true loach, which belongs to a type of what everyone knows as the green loach. Nowadays, relatively few farmers engage in farming this kind of loach, mainly for export to Japan, using contractual fixed-quantity farming. The Taiwan loach varieties now discussed in various loach QQ groups are the loach varieties currently mainly farmed in Taiwan, mostly concentrated around Tainan, followed by Pingtung County, with a total area of approximately 150 jia (roughly equal to hectares). Where did this kind of loach come from? This kind of loach is not a native species of Taiwan, but was imported from the mainland around 1990. At that time, several loaches were placed in packaging for transporting yellow eels, with the purpose of reducing deaths of yellow eels during transport. The earliest breeding and farming of this kind of loach was carried out by a farmer in Miaoli County, Taiwan. The following year, it was found that this kind of loach adapted very well in Taiwan and grew very quickly. Next, farming was promoted. Also, because temperatures in northern and southern Taiwan differ somewhat, the further south the warmer, Tainan and Pingtung in southern Taiwan became production areas for farming this kind of loach, while Miaoli and other places had no farms for this kind of loach. This is caused by climate.

Is there actually such a variety as Taiwan loach? After reading about the origins of Taiwan loach, do you understand a little? What does Taiwan loach actually look like? It indeed grows faster than mainland loach. Within one year, with a farming cycle of 10-12 months, it can reach a size of no more than 10 per jin. As for the widely spread claim in QQ that it can grow to no more than 20 per jin in three months, that is absolute nonsense (special experimental farming environments are not included here); the real situation is absolutely not like this. What factors cause Taiwan loach to grow quickly? Simply put, climate is first, feed is second, management is third (there is another even more important factor, which will be described in the next article to avoid confusing the main point of this article). Without these three conditions, Taiwan loach in the mainland would also be just as slow. With these three factors, mainland loach brought to Taiwan for farming would still grow just as quickly. This is also the principle of southern oranges becoming northern trifoliate oranges.