Disymphia

The mud carp is a native Asian freshwater fish with a broad distribution from the Mekong River to the Pearl River deltas, inhabiting lakes, rivers and reservoirs.^{[citation needed]}

Mud carp cultivation was introduced to China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) as a substitute for common carp, as the common carp was forbidden to fish due to a ban.^[2] Chinese aquaculture farmers adapted by raising mud carp, which were bottom feeders, in polyculture with top-feeding grass carp, while silver carp or bighead carp lived and fed in the middle depths.^[3]

Mud carp is typically a subtropical fish.^[4] The mud carp is found in the mud and Mekong River and Pearl River delta, as well as bodies of freshwater along these two rivers.^{[citation needed]} In China's Guangdong province and Guangxi autonomous region, mud carp makes up about 30% of the freshwater fish population.^[5]

The fish has been introduced to Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.^[2]

Within China the fish is raised on fish farms.^{[citation needed]}

The mud carp is native to Southern China and parts of Mainland Southeast Asia. It is present in major river systems such as the Pearl River, Red River (China/Vietnam), Mekong River, and Chao Phraya River.^[2]

Mud carp is an omnivore and mainly consumes water plants or insects. Farm raised carp are fed pellets.^{[citation needed]}

Due to low cost of production, the fish is mainly consumed by the poor and locally consumed; it is mostly sold live and eaten fresh, but can be dried and salted.^[2] Increased fishing has threatened wild populations of mud carp.^[1]

The fish is sometimes canned (typically as fried dace with salted black beans) or processed as fish cakes, fish balls ^[6] or dumplings. They can be found for retail sale within China and throughout the Chinese diaspora.^[2] Canned dace from China has periodically been found to carry traces of malachite green, a carcinogenic antimicrobial banned for use in food.^[7][8][9]

• Dace
• Common carp