Taimen

Last updated 2026-10-09 — The first of the Five Fish is the taimen, also known as the Siberian taimen. This fish is a large predatory cold-water salmonid and one of the rarest cold-water fish species in the world. The taimen found in Heilongjiang aren’t as big as those in Xinjiang—the largest ones grow to just over a meter in length and weigh around fifty to sixty jin, with plump, round bodies. Though they may look adorable, they are apex predators in the water and, for smaller fish, there’s no escape. The taimen and the Siberian salmon are both salmonids and closely related. The taimen grows in cold water and feeds on live prey, which gives its flesh an exceptionally delicate texture. People in Heilongjiang use it as filling for dumplings, resulting in an incredibly fresh and clean flavor. It's also great in dishes like braised fish slices, fish chunks, or even fishball soup.