The Swai fish, more commonly known as an iridescent shark,
is a type of catfish shark that originated in the deep rivers of Asia,
specifically the southeastern part. Although it’s called a shark, the Swai fish
is more of a catfish. They are commonly found in the Chao Phraya River and the
Mekong basin where they are cultivated and grown for food. These fish feed on
smaller fishes, plant matter and crustaceans.
Young Swai fishes have a long, black stripe that goes down
the lateral side of their bodies. Below this is another black strip that
highlights the first. These fishes have a strange, iridescent, shiny color to
them, giving them their name. Adult Swai fish commonly turn a shiny black and
grow to about 4 feet long, weighing at 97 lbs.
As mentioned earlier, these fishes are often grown for food.
They are widely sold in the United States and have more or less the same
delicate texture and flavor as the native U.S. Channel catfish. They have a
slightly sweeter, moist and mild flavor to their flesh. Their meat is a creamy
beige in color and turns completely white when cooked.
Aside from food, younger Swai fishes are commonly kept as
aquarium pets. These fishes are actually a bit challenging to keep as pets. One
of the main reason is that they prefer to live in schools, so you will have to
keep at least five of them in the same tank. You are also going to need a fairly
large tank if you are planning to keep Swai fishes as pets. They also have very
bad eyesight, so small movements outside their tanks could distract them and
make them think that these are threats, placing them under a lot of stress.
When stressed or threatened, they have a tendency to lie on their sides until
they recover.
Swai Fish Video
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