What are the main varieties of loach known as "ginseng of the water"

Loach is also called fish loach or loach fish, and is more widely distributed in the south and less common in the north. They live in lakes and ponds and have high nutritional value, so they are also called "ginseng of the water." Loach can basically be harvested throughout the year, and the largest yield comes in summer. After people catch loach, they can use it fresh or eat it after drying, and there are many ways to eat it. So do you know what the main varieties of loach are?

1. True loach

True loach is the most common loach variety, with a very wide distribution range in our country, and they can be found in freshwater waters such as lakes, ditches, rice fields, ponds and reservoirs. The body of true loach is cylindrical and looks rather plump, so people also call them "meat loach."

2. Large-scale loach

The large-scale loach is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other regions. The water temperature in which it lives is generally 10-30°C, and the most suitable water temperature for them is 25-27°C. They are omnivorous animals, and at the juvenile fish stage they mainly feed on zooplankton, chironomid larvae, tubifex and so on. After growing up, the large-scale loach can eat many kinds of insects and also feeds on filamentous algae, plant roots, stems, leaves and humus.

3. Chinese sand loach

The Chinese sand loach has a rather cute common name--"Chuanjinmei," and it is a species unique to our country. Its appearance resembles that of loach, and it is often accompanied by sand and mud, so people also call it sand loach. The meat of the Chinese sand loach is tender and delicious, so it has high edible value. In addition, they also have high ornamental value. They have a slender body, rather bright body color, and beautiful markings on the body surface, so the Chinese sand loach is also kept by people as an ornamental fish.

4. Taiwan loach

Taiwan loach is a relatively special loach variety and also a currently quite popular breeding variety, mainly distributed in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other regions. This loach has a very big difference: it is large in size, grows quickly, has a relatively low feed conversion ratio, and has strong disease resistance. So Taiwan loach has attracted the attention of many farmers. Their breeding cycle is short, so for most regions, if the timing can be controlled well, two seasons of finished product can be produced in one year.

5. Northern weather loach

The northern weather loach is also called dogfish, nile gouzi, and flower loach, and is mainly distributed in areas such as the Irtysh River in northern Xinjiang. They usually live in clear and cold water and mainly feed on crustaceans, insects and so on. The spawning period of the northern weather loach is generally from early May to mid-June, the number is relatively large, and the meat is tender and delicious, and it is also often dried into fish by people and eaten.