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

Loach is also called fish loach or loach fish. It is more widely distributed in the south and less common in the north. They live in lakes and ponds and have high nutritional value, which is why they are also called the "ginseng of the water." Loach can basically be harvested throughout the year, and the largest yield is 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 and is widely distributed in China. 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 it "meat loach."

2. Large-scale loach

Large-scale loach is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other areas. 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. At the juvenile stage, they mainly feed on zooplankton, chironomid larvae, tubifex and so on. After growing up, 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

Chinese sand loach has a rather cute common name, "Chuanjinmei," and it is a species unique to China. Its appearance resembles loach, and it often stays with sand and mud, so people also call it sand loach. The meat of Chinese sand loach is tender and delicious, so it has high edible value. In addition, it also has high ornamental value. Its body is slender, its body color is rather bright, and its body surface also has beautiful markings, so Chinese sand loach is also kept by people as an ornamental fish.

4. Taiwan loach

Taiwan loach is a rather special loach variety and is also a currently popular aquaculture variety. It is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other areas. This kind of loach has very notable differences: it is large in size, grows quickly, has a relatively low feed conversion ratio, and has strong disease resistance. Therefore, Taiwan loach has attracted the attention of many farmers. Its breeding cycle is short, so for most areas, if the timing is well managed, two crops of finished product can be produced in a year.

5. Northern loach

Northern loach is also called pike, Nile gouzi or flower loach, and is mainly distributed in areas such as the Irtysh River in northern Xinjiang. They usually live in clear, cold water and mainly feed on crustaceans, insects and so on. The spawning period of northern loach is generally from early May to mid-June. It is numerous in quantity, and its meat is tender and delicious. It is also often dried into fish jerky by people for eating.