Unique stream fish species

Unlike its counterparts that live in rivers, lakes, and canals in the plains, the Channa argus fish chooses Mount Cam, in Nui Cam commune, as its habitat. Because of this unique living characteristic, the Channa argus fish is also included in the list of famous mountain specialties, although its numbers are quite scarce.

This fish species prefers to live in high altitudes.

During my visits to Mount Cam to see friends in that "paradise-like" place, I was a little surprised to hear about a type of stream fish. Although I'm from An Giang and often visit Mount Cam, hearing about this unique fish still felt a bit strange to me. In reality, this stream fish is called Chanh Duc, and its appearance is not much different from the common snakehead fish. However, due to its habitat in the high mountains, the Chanh Duc fish still has some distinct characteristics.

Mr. Tran Van Dang, residing in Thien Tue hamlet, Nui Cam commune, cheerfully said: “People from the lowlands who come here often half-believe and half-doubt the mention of snakehead fish because they've never heard of it before. For the people of Nui Cam, snakehead fish have been a staple in meals for a very long time, like a readily available 'gift from heaven.' This type of fish is quite small, looking exactly like a baby snakehead. However, its ventral and dorsal fins have a rather special color, usually red, sometimes slightly orange. Because of its beautiful color, some people raise this type of fish as an ornamental pet.”

The Channa argus fish lives in the Cam Mountain area.

According to Mr. Dang, the Channa argus fish mainly lives in stream branches, waterways, or waterlogged bomb craters. However, the people of Cam Mountain commonly call them stream fish for easier identification. When Channa argus lay eggs, the eggs hatch into juvenile fish, which are then led to forage in schools, just like snakehead fish. Seeing this, the mountain dwellers don't catch them immediately but wait until the juveniles are large enough before catching the adult fish to prepare as dishes for their families.

“When I first came to live in the mountains more than 20 years ago, there were so many snakehead fish! If you wanted to eat them, you just took a lead wire, bent it into a hook, found some earthworm bait, and sat in a stream for a short while to catch 5-7 fish for a meal. Back then, people in the mountains didn't pay much attention to snakehead fish.”

Later, following the popularity of mountain crabs and snails, the snakehead fish also became well-known. Thanks to its delicious meat, the mountain people used it to entertain guests from afar, so gradually it became a specialty. And anything considered a specialty will have a high price, so people kept fishing for it tirelessly," Mr. Dang said honestly.

According to this local resident, the Channa argus is quite aggressive. With other fish in rivers and lakes, being bitten once and missing the bait is enough to scare them away, making them absolutely unwilling to bite a second time. But with Channa argus, if they bite the bait and then fall back into the stream, and you cast your line again, they will bite a second time. Therefore, persistent anglers can catch a considerable number of Channa argus on each trip.

It needs to be preserved.

Huynh Van Thanh, a resident of Vo Dau hamlet and a long-time resident of the mountain, said that because it is the only species of fish living on Cam Mountain, the Chanh Duc fish is unique in the eyes of tourists. Many curious people try to fish all day on Cam Mountain, but don't catch a single one. In reality, catching this fish is not simple; it requires experience and knowledge of the streams and waterways where they congregate.

"People in the mountains catch and sell snakehead fish to customers at a rather high price, from 300,000 to 400,000 VND/kg. Because natural fish resources are scarcer than before, finding the quantity that customers demand is quite difficult. Sometimes, they have to fish for many days to catch enough for customers, so that price isn't really that expensive," Thanh shared.

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The meat of the Channa argus fish has a distinctive and delicious flavor. Photo: THANH TIEN

Mr. Thanh also revealed that snakehead fish are very delicious and prepared just like catfish, but their meat is fragrant, firm, and has a distinctive sweet taste. When he wants to treat his friends to a sour fish soup, he has to go fishing for 3-4 days to get enough. Therefore, no one introduces this type of fish to tourists like mountain crabs or mountain snails, because the supply is unstable. Moreover, if they keep trying to catch them to sell to tourists, soon there will be no more snakehead fish left living in Mount Cam.

According to locals in the mountains, some farmers in Ta Lot hamlet, Nui Cam commune, have successfully domesticated the Channa argus fish. They supply it to the market, primarily to restaurants and tourist groups who want to enjoy the unique flavor of this fish species that lives in the highlands.

The successful domestication of the Channa argus fish by local people is very appropriate, as the natural fish population is limited. Professionals should provide support for this model, as it helps preserve this local specialty fish, thereby allowing tourists to access and enjoy this unique delicacy from the majestic "roof of the Mekong Delta".

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/doc-dao-loai-ca-suoi-a425829.html