 | The Rohu (Labeo rohita) is a freshwater fish of the carp family Cyprinidae that is also commonly called the Ruee, Rui or Tapra. Known to put up a strong and long fight when caught on a hook, this fish is considered to be a sacred delicacy to be eaten at all special occasions in some regions of India.
Rohu can be found throughout South Asia and South-East Asia in the weedy, slow flowing or standing waters of lakes and rivers. They have very few natural predators in these waters except when they are small fledglings. Before reaching a juvenile stage they are often consumed by turtles, water breathing insects and other types of larger fish.
The types of food this fish prefers to eat changes with age. In its early stages the diet consists mainly of zooplankton. As it grows it then prefers more phytoplankton and eventually feeds on phytoplankton and submerged plants as an adult. They also have a fondness for bread, which is the most common bait used for catching them on a hook.
Rohu are generally solitary and reach maturity between two and five years. Its spawning areas are most often in the shallow waters of flooded rivers. They are a colorful fish defined by an upper body of dark scales, a lower body and belly that is golden brown and fins that are bright red. One of their most defining features is a large, oval gaping mouth ringed by thick lips. They can live up to ten years in the wild, growing to a maximum length of 200 cm (78.74 inches) and a whopping 45 kgs (99.21 pounds) in weight. They are now widely cultured in ponds and on fish farms, but do not breed well in calm waters so induced spawning often becomes necessary.
The texture of the fish is white, non-oily and the bigger the size of the fish the tastier it is. Rohu are heavily consumed throughout all areas in which they are found and prepared in a variety of ways. The roe is especially sought after as a delicacy and praised for its unique flavors. In many cases, the roe is also considered sacred and is most often fried and served hot as an appetizer at special ceremonies.
Picture of the Rohu by Khalid Mahmood, licensed under GFDL. |
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