For a long time, freshwater dolphins have been considered a specialty of Dong Thap during the flood season. The specialty dolphins only appear in large numbers during the flood season, so they are very popular in restaurants and sold at very high prices, even selling for 800,000 VND/kg in some years.
When the flood water from upstream flows in, it is the time when red-tailed blue dolphins (commonly known as Western dolphins) follow the upstream Mekong River to Dong Thap province.
Freshwater dolphins in the Mekong River - a specialty of Dong Thap in the flood season. The price of dolphins in the early flood season is often high, up to VND800,000/kg. (Photo: Nguyen Van Tri/VNA).
Many fishermen catch large red-tailed blue dolphins to sell, and raise the small fish and then harvest them to sell during the flood season.
Currently, at Cao Lanh city market and markets in Dong Thap province, the average price of this fish is from 450-500 thousand VND/kg.
For a long time, this fish has been considered a specialty that appears a lot during the flood season, only appearing a lot during the flood season, so it is very popular in restaurants and sold at a very high price, even selling for 800 thousand VND/kg in some years.
The red-tailed blue dolphin (Western dolphin) has the scientific name Botia modesta Bleeker and is a freshwater fish with smooth, shiny turquoise and red-blue skin.
Harvesting freshwater dolphins during flood season in Tan My commune, Thanh Binh district, Dong Thap province. (Photo: Nguyen Van Tri/VNA)
The tail, fins, and fins of the fish are a beautiful orange-red color, 2-5 cm in size, about 7-10 cm long, and the head has 2 curved, pointed, crossed spikes. Some people say that underwater this fish makes a "squealing" sound like a pig, so the people of the West named it the Western dolphin.
Because the natural red-tailed blue dolphins are increasingly depleted and scarce during the flood season, many households have bought baby red-tailed blue dolphins caught naturally in the flood-prone districts and brought them to ponds to fatten.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hien in Tan My commune, Thanh Binh district said that on average 1kg can produce about 200-400 fish fry.
He released 200kg of fish fry on an area of 1,000m2 of water surface. After 9 months of raising, he harvested nearly 1 ton of commercial fish, earning a profit of more than 100 million VND.
Mr. Nguyen Van Duong's family in Phu Loi commune, Thanh Binh district has been raising red-tailed blue dolphins for more than 3 years with a pond area of over 5,000 square meters. This year, Mr. Duong's family earned more than 1 billion VND in profit.
Harvesting freshwater dolphins during flood season in Tan My commune, Thanh Binh district, Dong Thap province. (Photo: Nguyen Van Tri/VNA).
Mr. Duong said that raising red-tailed blue dolphins is very elaborate, using clean pond water, feeding the fish with industrial food, oxygenating the pond water, and running additional water propellers.
When the weight reaches about 28-30 fish per kg, it is harvested. On average, farmers earn more than 200 thousand VND/kg.
The small number of fish but high consumer demand makes freshwater dolphins in the West sell at high prices.
In addition to retail sales at the market, dolphins are purchased by restaurants to prepare delicious specialties from the upper Mekong River to serve diners.
This type of fish is currently a specialty dish in the West that can be processed into braised dishes, grilled with salt and chili, or cooked in sour soup.
Source: https://danviet.vn/ca-heo-dac-san-dong-thap-loai-ca-ngon-trong-nhu-ca-canh-chi-nghe-ten-khoi-nguoi-xuong-tien-mua-20250310075954957.htm
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