VietNamNet Bridge - Some fish can be used for medical treatment or can bring good luck. They are sold at very high prices.

1. Su vang (Otolithoides biauritus)

As a rare fish, su vang is believed to have medicinal value.

In late November, Mr. Nguyen Tien Nhat in the central province of Quang Binh caught a su vang fish weighing 2,8kg at sea. He is breeding the fish at home. As the fish was defined as su vang, many traders called to buy the fish at the price of up to $25,000. However, they then said the fish is small and did not want to buy it. Therefore, Nhat is breeding the fish at home.

Earlier, a fisherman in Thai Binh province caught a su vang fish and sold it for $50,000.

According to coastal residents, Chinese traders always hunt su vang fish to process special cuisines and to make neurological and skin medicine. The fish ball is used to produce specialized suture thread, which is priced for tens of thousands of USD/bladder, depending on the length. Many people believe that eating su vang will give them luck and prosperity.

Su vang (Otolithoides Biauritus) are distributed in the Indian ocean, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China. Its spawning season is from January to April and from September to October of the lunar calendar. The fish will swim to brackish estuaries to lay eggs.

2. Anh vu (Semilabeo notabilis)

Anh vu was previously offered for the king for good luck, especially in the New Year. Not as expensive as su vang fish, anh vu fish is also priced several million VND per kilo. Some people choose anh vu fish as a New Year gift.

This species lives in the Central Highlands. People believe that eating anh vu fish can cure some diseases and is good for the kidney.

3. Giant barb

If anh vu tops the list of fish for the king, giant barb is dubbed the "king" of the fish in the Mekong River.

The giant barb or Siamese giant carp is the largest species of cyprinid in the world. These migratory fish are found only in the Mae Klong, Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins in Indochina. Its numbers have declined drastically due to habitat loss and overfishing, and it is now considered critically endangered.

Giant barb meat is very delicious so restaurants are willing to pay thousands of USD for a giant barb.

Most recently, a restaurant in HCM City purchased a pair of giant barbs weighing 240kg from the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang for several thousands of USD.

On December 28, 2014, a fisherman in Dong Thap caught a 90kg giant barb in the Nha Man River (a tributary of Tien River).

On December 6, 2014, a 1.8 m long, 130 kg giant barb was caught by fishermen Nguyen Thanh Loc, 50 and Nguyen Van Minh, 27, in Vinh Long province in the Co Chien River.

On October 16, 2014, Tran Minh Dung, 35, a fisherman in Ho Chi Minh, netted a 130 kg giant barb in the Dong Nai River, District 9, HCM City.

4. Arowana

Different from these fish, the arowana is a type of ornamental fish. They are imported from other countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore ... People believe that arowana can bring good luck to its owner.

There are many species of Arowana but in Vietnam there are four species: Huyet Long, Thanh Long, Kim Long Qua Boi and Kim Long Hong Vy.

The Arowana has a long life-span, classified as endangered in the world so they are very expensive. In Vietnam, the price ranges from several millions to hundreds of million VND/fish.

$1 = VND22,500

Nam Nguyen