Health & Life

Boneless, Protein-rich, Omega 3-packed Fish: Nature’s Exclusive, Un-Feedable Treasure

Described as the boneless, tender, and white delicacy resembling vermicelli, this fish species only appears once a year in the Da River region. Despite its price of 400,000 VND/kg, this fish is so rare that it cannot be found for purchase.

Administrator

17 November, 2023

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River Da’s Cand hitvthe marketh

Famous as a specialty of the Da River region, the cand is a boneless fish, about 5-7cm long, white and soft like vermicelli. According to people living along the Da River, the cand is not a farmed fish, they appear naturally and are caught by local people for sale.

This type of fish has a sweet and non-fishy taste and is often used to make soup, fish cake or fried crispy. However, the cand only appears once a year in the Da River region during May and June, making them a rare specialty.

In recent years, the cand specialty has been sought after by many people. Even in the late season, families often buy a large amount to freeze for later consumption. Because by the end of the season, it is difficult to find fresh cand even with money.

Currently, it is the cand season in the Da River. The price of cand ranges from 200,000-300,000 VND/kg, even some places sell them for up to 400,000 VND/kg and still attract many buyers. Some stores even continuously “run out of stock”.

When does the Da River cand appear?

This is a famous fish species living in the Da River. This soft and translucent-like glass fish is known by Hanoi people for its delicious dishes. However, because the fish only appears once a year around April – May, people often seek to buy them.

The cand only appeared in the section of the Da River flowing through Lai Chau, Dien Bien in the past few years after the Da River was regulated for hydropower. Previously, this fish species mainly lived in Son La, Hoa Binh and was not widely known.

The smallest fish is only the size of a pinky finger, while the smallest ones resemble vermicelli. Their bodies are translucent like glass, with only one black spot being the eye. The Da River cand only appears once a year, so food enthusiasts in the city compete to “eat it before regretting it”.

The fish is the most delicious and plump at the beginning of April. Because they have just gone through a long winter of starvation, so when the sun comes out, they will form schools to find food. The food of this fish species is only algae, floating debris, which creates the white color of the fish’s body. In addition, this fish species can only live in nature, in clean water areas, not be raised like other fish species.

During this time, the fish swim in groups like carp. It is difficult to catch them because they swim away when they sense movement and scatter, and only regroup when it is calm. Only those with experience in rivers and lakes can catch them, and each time the net is cast, only a few kilograms are caught.