Is pomfret a saltwater fish or a freshwater fish? A detailed look at its habitats
Pomfret is a large tropical and subtropical fish valued both as food and as an ornamental species, also known as mirror fish, flat fish, and changhou turtle, among other names. It is rich in nutrients and has the effects of tonifying qi and nourishing blood, strengthening the stomach and replenishing essence, easing the joints, and softening the sinews and strengthening the bones. It is very effective for indigestion, diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, anemia, and aching bones and muscles. Below, let us take a look at whether pomfret is a saltwater fish or a freshwater fish!
Is pomfret a saltwater fish or a freshwater fish?
Pomfret is a general term for fish of the family Stromateidae in the order Perciformes, and among them there are both saltwater fish and freshwater fish. For example, the freshwater white pomfret was introduced to Taiwan, China in 1982, after which successful artificial breeding led to its promotion for aquaculture in freshwater ponds. In 1985 it was introduced from Taiwan, China via Hong Kong, China to Guangdong Province for trial farming, and in 1987, after successful artificial breeding, it was gradually promoted nationwide. It has now become one of the highest-yielding famous specialty varieties.
The nutritional value of pomfret
1. Lowering cholesterol: Pomfret is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and has the effect of lowering cholesterol, making it a good fish food for people with high blood lipids and high cholesterol.
2. Preventing cancer: Pomfret is rich in the trace elements selenium and magnesium, which have a preventive effect on cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery sclerosis, and can also delay the aging of the body and prevent the occurrence of cancer.
3. Preventing and treating anemia: Pomfret is rich in protein and iron, and has the effects of tonifying qi and nourishing blood and softening the sinews and strengthening the bones. It is very effective for indigestion, anemia, and aching bones and muscles.
What kinds of pomfret are there?
1. Silver pomfret: The silver pomfret is a warm-temperate offshore fish of the middle and lower layers. It usually lives scattered in waters with slow currents at a depth of 5-110 m, moves in the upper and middle layers of the water in the morning and at dusk, likes to gather in groups in shaded places, and forms even more concentrated schools during neap tides. It is distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region.
2. Golden pomfret: The golden pomfret is a warm-water fish of the middle and upper layers. It is relatively large in size and generally does not form large schools. In spring and summer it swims from the open sea toward coastal waters, and in winter it swims back to the deep-water areas of the open sea. It is a valuable food fish, but its yield is not large, so it can serve as a target for seawater farming.
3. Red pomfret: The red pomfret is a tropical and subtropical fish. It likes to inhabit the middle and lower layers of the water, has a gentle temperament, and has the habit of moving in groups. It is relatively suitable for farming in fairly fertile fish ponds, and can also be farmed in brackish water with a salinity within 10‰.
4. Knife pomfret: The knife pomfret is distributed in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. It inhabits relatively deep waters, sometimes swims to coastal waters to feed, feeds on zooplankton or benthic organisms, and likes to chase shiny things.
5. Black pomfret: The black pomfret is a tropical and subtropical fish of the middle and upper layers, and is one of the commercial fish species in the South China Sea and East China Sea. It is distributed along the northern coast of the Indian Ocean to Korea, Japan, and the coastal waters of China, and generally lives in sea areas with clear water color.
6. Grey pomfret: The grey pomfret is an offshore migratory fish of the middle and upper layers. It usually lives scattered in sea areas with slow currents, overwinters in winter in the southern Yellow Sea and the arc-shaped sea trench of the East China Sea, and adult fish mainly feed on jellyfish, benthic animals, and small fish, while juvenile fish mainly feed on small fish, arrow worms, copepods, and so on.
7. Spiny pomfret: The spiny pomfret is a warm-temperate fish of the middle and lower layers. In China it is produced in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Juvenile fish inhabit the surface layer and often hide in the tentacles of jellyfish for protection, while adult fish are benthic, carnivorous, and mainly feed on small benthic invertebrates.