Known As a Cleaning Fish, Can Sapu-Sapu Fish Be Eaten?

Illustration of the sapu-sapu fish (photo: Research Center for Marine Aquaculture, Maros)

YOGYAKARTA - Many of us ask, can the mop fish be eaten? In the community, this type of fish is known as an aquarium cleaning fish. Even so, mop fish can be easily found in shallow freshwater waters such as rivers, ditches, and lakes.

Because its population is abundant, the mop fish is often caught to be used as an alternative source of consumption, animal feed, and leather craft materials.

So, is the fish safe to eat? To find out the answer, read the explanation in the article below.

Can Sapu-Sapu Fish Be Eaten?

The sapu-sapu fish (Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps) which is also known as the "cleaning fish" is an invasive species that lives in common waters (rivers, lakes, swamps, reservoirs, ponds, etc.), quoted from the diskan.hulusungaiselatankab.go.id page.

The fish lives by eating mosses (algae) that stick to the surface of rocks or plants at the bottom of the water.

In addition, this type of fish also consumes detritus, organic waste, organic waste, and microorganisms found in its place.

Biologically, the mop-mop fish does not contain natural toxins that are dangerous for humans. This means that these fish can basically be eaten. However, the main concern is their habitat.

The sapu-sapu fish is known to be able to survive in dirty and polluted waters, even in environments with high waste levels.

Because they live in these waters, the fish are at risk of containing heavy metals, such as mercury, which are dangerous if consumed by humans.

If the fish is caught from a polluted river or ditch, then the potential danger increases.

Furthermore, the safety of eating sapu-sapu fish is also related to the possibility of parasites and bacteria. For this reason, fish must be cooked with the correct method in order to kill any pathogens that may be present.

The correct cooking method, including frying, baking or boiling the fish to maturity, will ensure that the fish is safe to eat.

How to Process Sapu-Sapu Fish?

Processing sapu-sapu fish requires special treatment because its body is hard and covered with thorns. The cleaning stage must be carried out carefully so that thorns and difficult to process body parts can be removed properly. After cleaning, the fish meat can be processed according to preference, for example by frying or roasting using a rich seasoning to improve its taste and texture.

The characteristics of the fish meat are quite hard and low in fat, so it is different from the types of fish that are commonly consumed. The taste is also tends to be unique with a strong earthy aroma, so not everyone likes it. However, the use of the right spices can reduce the taste. The addition of spices and the process of marinating can cover the typical aroma of the fish and make it more delicious when eaten.

That's the explanation of whether the fish can be eaten. Get other interesting news updates by visiting the VOI.id page.