Kingdom Animalia Order Perciformes Genus Siniperca Higher classification Siniperca | Phylum Chordata Family Percichthyidae Scientific name Siniperca chuatsi Rank Species | |
Similar Siniperca, Northern snakehead, Silver carp, Grass carp, Black carp | ||
Mandarin fish siniperca scherzeri feeding
Siniperca chuatsi, the mandarin fish or Chinese perch (Chinese: 鳜鱼), is species of temperate perch native to the Amur and Yangtze basins, and other rivers and lakes in China. Its back is yellow, green, or brown, with many irregular black spots and patches. It has a big mouth and small round scales. This species can reach up to 70 cm (28 in) in total length, and the greatest recorded weight is 10.2 kg (22 lb). It is an inhabitant of rivers, some of which can become quite turbid in the rainy season. It is a specialized feeder on other fishes, particularly those which see poorly in low light. Although it can live in near-freezing water, it only starts feeding when the temperature rises above 15 °C (59 °F) and breeding when it rises above 21 °C (70 °F). The mandarin fish is a commercially important species, as it is a popular food fish and has been widely farmed in its native range since the 20th century. First gaining major popularity during the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.), it appears in many Chinese books and poems. The farmed fish are typically pure, but sometimes hybrids between this species and its close relative the golden mandarin fish (S. scherzeri).
