The grass carp (
Ctenopharyngodon idellus), also known as "White
Amur" is a
herbivorous freshwater fish native to
China, and can be found across
Asia -- especially in
Malaysia -- and many states in the
US now, as well. It is known for its striking colouration and large scales. The grass
carp grows to about 125
cm, and usually lives for between 8-10 years. They require rapidly moving waterways for reproduction - generally reproducing during China's
monsoon season.
In recent years, farm-raised,
sterile triploid grass carp have seen use as a natural
ecological alternative in some bodies of water, especially in
Florida, to
pesticides, due to their consumption of "nuisance"
aquatic grasses and weeds that breed mosquito
larvae. This said, once introduced into a foreign
ecosystem, they are generally difficult to remove, and uncontrolled introduction into some environments - such as
Inle Lake in
Myanmar (
Burma) - has has
adverse consequences. Introduction to most bodies of water in the US requires that they be sterile.
The grass carp is fished in many regions, mostly Asian, as it is a tasty, excellent source of nutrients. In
China, where it is pronounced "
cao yu" (草鱼), or "grass fish", it is said to be of value with regards to the
traditional medicine scale, having a "warm" nature. When prepared, it is generally fried, broiled, or stewed. The author of this
writeup has had it in a brown sauce, fried with pork and
onions, sprinkled with
scallions :).
References:
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/accounts/cyprinid/ct_idell.html
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/management/aqua024.html
http://www.gsmfc.org/nis/nis/Ctenopharyngodon_idella.html
http://www.cfm.com.cn/20010804/ca2390.htm (Using Babelfish translation)
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=79
http://www.zhenjiu.de/Literatur/Fachartikel/englisch/medical-nutrition.htm
http://www.nrm.se/ve/pisces/myanmar/myaninle.shtml