White Amur has many different names. Many humorous names can also be heard among fishermen: water cow, underwater grass cutter, etc. These names were not invented without a reason. They fully reflect the way of life of the fish and its nutritional characteristics.
White Amur feeds on algae and aquatic plants. That is why its meat is very tasty and healthy. It is considered the gardener of the pond and quickly eats the excess vegetation, thus clearing the pond of many algae and grasses.
What does White Amur look like?
Grass carp is a large freshwater fish. Its length can reach 120 cm, and its weight - 40 kg. However, under natural conditions, grass carp weighing up to 3-6 kg can be found.
Body. Elongated, slightly flattened on the sides. The shape resembles a cylinder. Covered with large scales. The lateral line is clearly visible, extending from the very tail to the beginning of the gill cover. The color of the back is gray, the belly and sides are golden.
Fins. The dorsal fin is quite high, but at the same time short. Pelvic fins are under the dorsal fin. The anal fin is small and light in color. The tail is quite large and has a dark shade.
Head. Compared to the size of the body, the grass carp's head is small. The forehead is flattened. The lips are fleshy, the corners are turned down. Head scales are dense and large. The eyes are small and have a golden iris.
White Amur grows quickly. It grows up to 9-10 cm every year.
What does White Amur eat?
White grass carp is a vegetarian that eats only aquatic plants. It can gain 2-4 kilograms per year. That is why grass carp are bred in artificial ponds.
White carp eats:
- Algae
- Soft grass
- Reeds
- hornwort
- Various grains
- Worms
- Water plants
How to spawn
Grass carp are considered sexually mature at the age of eight, but depending on the amount of food they consume, they can mature even earlier.
Spawning begins at the end of June - beginning of July, at a water temperature of about +25 degrees.
The female lays up to 1,500,000 eggs. The spawn must flow with the current, closer to the surface of the water. It is believed that if the eggs fall to the bottom, they will die immediately. After two days, small larvae emerge from the eggs. They attach themselves to plants and continue their growth and development by taking nutrients from the yolk sac.
After a week, a tiny fish emerges from the larva, whose body is no longer than a centimeter. The babies swim as close to the shore as possible and initially feed on zooplankton. When the fish grow a little, they begin to actively feed on plant food.
If the current in the tank is weak or absent, the female grass carp does not lay eggs, but destroys them with the natural properties of her body - resorption.
White carp in cooking
Since White Amur eats mainly plant food, it has almost no fat, so its meat is considered very healthy and dietary. One hundred grams of cooked meat contains approximately 120 kilocalories. Grass carp meat contains many useful substances, vitamins and trace elements.
It is recommended in case of vitamin deficiency, it is useful for those suffering from heart, blood vessel, and thyroid diseases, in case of impaired vision and impaired functioning of the nervous and digestive systems, to normalize the level of hormones. Also, by eating grass carp meat, people slow down the natural aging process - thanks to the antioxidants in the fish meat.
Grass carp meat is dense, soft and white. The bones are few and big.
Grass carp liver is considered a special delicacy. Gourmets notice its original taste, and nutritionists note its great benefits for the body.
Traditionally, the best dish from amur is considered to be fish cooked on a fire. You can bake the fish in the oven in foil or steaks in a pan.
