What is the market price per jin for arapaima?
The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, also known as the pirarucu, warship dragon, giant dragon, etc. It is a relict ancient freshwater fish of the genus Arapaima in the family Arapaimidae, native to the Amazon River basin in South America. Its meat can be made into dried or salted products, and its teeth, after being dried in the sun, can be used as a substitute for files. Now let us take a look at how much arapaima costs per jin!
How much is arapaima per jin?
The arapaima is one of the most popular aquatic products in the Amazon River region of South America. In Brazil, as a food fish, the price of arapaima is 5 US dollars per kilogram, which is equivalent to spending 16 yuan to buy one jin of fish meat. If kept as an ornamental fish, a 20 cm arapaima generally costs around 300 yuan. However, the arapaima has entered the ranks of very rare fish species and has been listed as an endangered protected animal on the IUCN Red List. Strict controls have been imposed on hunting it, including setting up no-fishing zones and catch limits.
Can arapaima be eaten?
Arapaima can be eaten. The arapaima has enormous economic value. Its meat can be made into dried or salted products, and its teeth, after being dried in the sun, can be used as a substitute for files. An average arapaima has 70 kg of fish meat. In Brazil, with the permission of the local government, indigenous residents may hunt a certain number of arapaima for food, but there are strict limits on both the number and the size of the fish. In South America, the tongue of the arapaima is ground into powder and mixed with water together with guarana and drunk. It is said to be able to kill roundworms.
Living habits of the arapaima
The arapaima lives in the most primitive tropical jungle waters in the world. It mainly feeds on small fish, but occasionally also preys on snakes, turtles, frogs and insects, and even preys on small crocodiles. Because the weather is extremely hot and the oxygen content of the slow-flowing river water decreases, the arapaima needs to surface from time to time to swallow air in order to breathe. During the dry season, it can also protect itself by burrowing into the mud and sand. The arapaima has great brute strength and uses its tail as a weapon, capable of easily knocking down an adult man and shattering bones, causing massive internal injuries.
Current population status of the arapaima
The arapaima is a huge air-breathing fish, and in the adult stage some specimens can reach several hundred kilograms, sometimes exceeding 4 m in length. This fish is tasty and has no fish bones, so it has been the target of intensive fishing since the early eighteenth century. A century ago, in just one port, Belem Port in Brazil, the annual arapaima catch exceeded 1200 tons. In 2006, the total reported catch for the entire Amazon River basin reached only 380 tons. It is estimated that the current number of individuals in wild arapaima populations is between 50000 and 100000.