Summary
Cirrhinus molitorella (mud carp or dace) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cirrhinus found mainly in southern China and Vietnam.
| Mud carp | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Subfamily: | Labeoninae |
| Genus: | Cirrhinus |
| Species: | C. molitorella
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| Binomial name | |
| Cirrhinus molitorella (Valenciennes, 1844)
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| Synonyms | |
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History edit
The mud carp is a native Asian freshwater fish with a broad distribution from the Mekong River to the Pearl River deltas, inhabiting lakes, rivers and reservoirs.[citation needed]
Mud carp cultivation was introduced to China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) as a substitute for common carp, as the common carp was forbidden to fish due to a ban.[2] Chinese aquaculture farmers adapted by raising mud carp, which were bottom feeders, in polyculture with top-feeding grass carp, while silver carp or bighead carp lived and fed in the middle depths.[3]
Habitat edit
Mud carp is typically a subtropical fish.[4] The mud carp is found in the mud and Mekong River and Pearl River delta, as well as bodies of freshwater along these two rivers.[citation needed] In China's Guangdong province and Guangxi autonomous region, mud carp makes up about 30% of the freshwater fish population.[5]
The fish has been introduced to Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.[2]
Within China the fish is raised on fish farms.[citation needed]
Dispersion edit
The mud carp is native to Southern China and parts of Mainland Southeast Asia. It is present in major river systems such as the Pearl River, Red River (China/Vietnam), Mekong River, and Chao Phraya River.[2]
Diet edit
Mud carp is an omnivore and mainly consumes water plants or insects. Farm raised carp are fed pellets.[citation needed]
Culinary use edit
Due to low cost of production, the fish is mainly consumed by the poor and locally consumed; it is mostly sold live and eaten fresh, but can be dried and salted.[2] Increased fishing has threatened the population of mud carp.[1]
The fish is sometimes canned (typically as fried dace with salted black beans) or processed as fish cakes, fish balls [6] or dumplings. They can be found for retail sale within China and throughout the Chinese diaspora.[2] Canned dace from China has periodically been found to carry traces of malachite green, a carcinogenic antimicrobial banned for use in food.[7][8][9]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Nguyen, T.H.T.; Van, N.S.; Thinh, D.V. (2011). "Cirrhinus molitorella". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T166016A6168828. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T166016A6168828.en. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Z., Xinping (7 April 2006). "Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme. Cirrhinus molitorella". FAO Fisheries Division [online]. Rome: FAO Fisheries Division. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ Fagan 2017, Ch. 17.
- ^ FAO 1983, p. 15.
- ^ Rath 2011, p. 22.
- ^ "Carp Family". Clovegarden.
- ^ "Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquacultured, Shrimp, Dace, and Eel from China-Presence of New Animal Drugs and/or Unsafe Food Additives". United States FDA. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ "CFS finds traces of malachite green in two tinned fried dace samples" (Press release). Hong Kong. Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety. 2015-08-29. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
- ^ "CFS finds traces of malachite green in canned fried dace sample" (Press release). Hong Kong. Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety. 2019-09-19. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
Bibliography edit
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Cirrhinus molitorella" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
- Rath, Rajendra Kumar (2011). Freshwater aquaculture (3rd revised and enlarged ed.). Scientific Publishers (India). ISBN 978-81-7233-694-3. OCLC 1138534747.
- Freshwater aquaculture development in China (Technical report). FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. Vol. 215 (published 1983). 22 April – 20 May 1980. ISBN 92-5-101113-3. OCLC 10455698.
- Fagan, Brian (2017). Fishing: How the sea fed civilization. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-21534-2. OCLC 978291325.
External links edit
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Cirrhinus molitorella