Yongjia Tianyu (a specialty of Yongjia, Zhejiang)

The basic introduction of Yongjia farmfish

Yongjia farmfish grows in rice fields. It is a kind of fish that looks like carp, tastes better than crucian carp, scales like fish, and looks like goldfish. It is a variant of carp and an excellent fish species suitable for rice cultivation. It has a diverse diet, wide adaptability, strong reproductive ability, high survival rate, fast growth, tender and delicious meat, and rich nutrition. Tianyu is also one of the medicinal fish species, which can promote diuresis and reduce swelling. Yongjia County has a long history of fish farming in rice fields. According to the folk legend of Nanxi, when Sun Quan of the Three Kingdoms came from the world, the ancestors of Yongjia had already raised fish in the fields, indicating a history of more than 1700 years. Now, Yongjia County is most famous for the field fish produced in Mingao

Tianyu is a locally farmed species of carp, commonly known as "Tianyu" because it is accustomed to living in rice fields. Field fish, after long-term cultivation in rice fields, are more docile than ordinary carp, do not like to jump, and are less likely to escape, making them an ideal and excellent fish species for rice field cultivation

As an omnivorous and omnivorous fish, the field fish has a wide range of adaptability to feed and does not have strict requirements for other living conditions. Even if the water is shallow and half of the fish is exposed on the surface of the water, it can stick its belly to the mud and "crawl" freely on the field surface with its two pectoral fins

The field fish grows fast, and the largest individual fry can reach 500g. The meat taste of field fish is delicious, and both large and small fish have good meat taste. Fish weighing 50-100 grams can meet the requirements for consumption, so it is very suitable for small-scale edible fish raised in rice fields for a short period of time. Its color, aroma, and taste are excellent, making it a delicacy for guests

There are many benefits to raising fish in rice paddies. Field fish can eat pests, loosen the soil to increase oxygen, maintain and fertilize, improve the growth and development of rice, and promote tillering of rice. Generally speaking, rice paddies with fish farming can increase rice yields by about 10% compared to those without fish farming. The rice is abundant with flowers, and the fish in the fields receive abundant feed, which makes them grow particularly fat. So people in Nanxi often say, "Fish and rice are raised in rice paddies, and rice yields a bountiful harvest."

Yongjia field fish has become an ideal ornamental fish species due to its colorful body color. Many Nanxi people have moved field fish to their family's fish tanks and ponds to beautify and decorate their garden environment

Yongjia field fish has the advantages of diverse diet, wide adaptability, strong reproductive ability, high survival rate, rapid growth, tender and delicious meat, and rich nutrition. Tianyu is also a medicinal fish, and its meat has diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects

How did the history of Yongjia Tianyu come about