Black-backed Golden-scale Crucian Carp

Black-backed Golden-scale Crucian Carp

　　Among the four famous fishes of Chuzhou (bream, flower carp, common carp, and crucian carp), the crucian carp stands out with its plump, delicate flesh, sweet, fragrant, fresh, and mellow taste. Its black back and golden scales shimmer with a silvery sheen, hence the name. It rivals the Longchi Black-backed Crucian Carp from Luhe County in the south. In the late Qing Dynasty, it enjoyed great renown, but due to its habitat in the narrow waters near Xiaguan and insufficient artificial conservation and breeding efforts, it has become nearly extinct.