Higher classification Siniperca | Phylum Chordata Family Percichthyidae Scientific name Siniperca scherzeri Rank Species | |
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Similar Siniperca, Coreoperca herzi, Mandarin fish, Northern snakehead, Opsariichthys bidens | ||
The golden mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri), also known as the leopard mandarin fish, is a species of temperate perch native to eastern Asia (Korea, China, and Vietnam). This species can reach at least 33.4 cm (1.1 ft) in standard length and 607.3 g (1.34 lb) in weight. It is typically yellowish-brown with blackish-brown speckles ("leopard"), but there are also bright yellow ("golden") individuals, which are particularly prized in Korea and selectively bred in captivity.
It is a commercially important fish, but has declined due to overfishing and habitat loss. It is farmed; typically using pure specimens, but sometimes involving hybrids with the faster-growing mandarin fish (S. chuatsi). The Koreans organize fishing festivals in the end of April in Danyang City, China, with the aim of catching large specimens.