People successfully cultivate Phu Quoc spring catfish

Phu Quoc catfish (also called eel eel, or spring catfish) is a rare species, only available in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang.

>>>Phu Quoc catfish has a scientific name and is recognized

The research team is led by MSc. Dang Khanh Hong, deputy director of Kien Giang Agricultural and Fishery Extension Center, who is the project leader, had a study on this species, confirming that this is a new species in the world.

After the scientific article on Phu Quoc catfish was published in a specialized journal Zootaxa, stream eels were officially named Clarias gracilentus Ng, Dang & Nguyen , 2011.

Stream fish (Photo: Truong Anh Sang)

A few years ago, people living along streams were only used to exploit and did not know how to raise commercial products, so the number of fish was exhausted and at risk of extinction. Since Phu Quoc broodstock has been successfully propagated by the Kien Giang Fisheries Extension Center, so far, the whole district has over 50 farmers. The survival rate of fish is very high, giving the yield of 90-100kg / 1 pond (100m ² ), the average fish weight is 0.55kg / fish. Commercial fish is priced at VND 120,000 / kg locally, VND 200,000 / kg in Rach Gia. After 12 months, each household profit more than 11.1 million VND / pond.

The Phu Quoc catfish has good meat quality, slightly tough, firm flesh. Fish can make many dishes such as cooking sour soup, cooking batches, baking rice paper rolls, steaming rice . and is now considered a specialty of Phu Quoc.