What Species Of Fish Is This That You See Commonly Grilled?

[happysanook]

[uptheos]

Tab Tim?

[mania]

Isn't that Thai Tilapia?

http://www.tilapiathai.com/Product/tilapia.htm

Edited August 20, 2012 by mania

[daoyai]

Tilapia,... red = bpla tub tim (ruby) Grey= Bpla Nin (Nile)

[eyecatcher]

Whatever it is; it doesnt look too well does it?.......he'll be asking for a good pharmacist tomorrow

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Picture is of Pla Tub Tim, which is a fish engineered and copyrighted by CP Group. It differs from the original Nile Tilapia (Pla Nin) in that it's a bit bigger, and more orange in color especially the head, tail and fins.

But you also see the original Pla Nin grilled, and another common one is Pla Chon (often translated as Snakehead Fish).

A cheaper fish, often found grilled at markets (though not in the salt-grilled style pictured in the OP) is catfish. (Pla Dook / Pla Duk)

All of the above are fresh water / farm raised fish.

Down South you of course get a lot more actual sea fish.

Edited August 20, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[happysanook]

as in genetically engineered in the lab? or through breeding...?

[NancyL]

Tubtim is a widely consumed fish in this part of Thailand. It can be farm-raised, grows quickly, tolerates crowded conditions and brackish water. Thus, it's cheap and easy to produce.

In learning to read Thai, I've used Thai children's books -- books they use in their schools. There was a charming story in one about how the tubtim came to be so widely consumed in Thailand. The story claimed that many years ago the emperor of Japan gave the current king of Thailand a small group of Nile tilapia, because of HRH's interest in trying new food crops to promote sufficiency living. The King grew them in a pond at his palace in Bangkok, personally tending them himself. They multiplied quickly and some developed the mutation of light, golden-skin. The King noticed that those light-colored fish grew more quickly and were bigger than the darker Nile tilapia. He isolated them and bred them among themselves to develop what we all know now as tubtim.

Charming little story, but kind of at odds with the previous story about the fish being engineered and copyright (patented?) by the CP group.

[tolstoy]

"Tubtim is a widely consumed fish in this part of Thailand. It can be farm-raised, grows quickly, tolerates crowded conditions and brackish water. Thus, it's cheap and easy to produce."

Not so sure about that.

Pla nin. Yes. But Tabtim needs to have a current and not stagnant water. So it is more costly to raise than pla nin which is typically raised in green water using either cow manure or chemical fertilizer.

[barefoot1988]

on the topic of fish, what local fish is a good alternative for fish n chips?

[happysanook]

...

ahh.. just came across this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia

In the United States and countries such as Thailand, they are becoming the plant control method of choice, reducing or eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and heavy metal-based algaecides.

EDIT: Okay, i totally missed the point.. disregard this post...

Edited August 20, 2012 by happysanook

[NancyL]

...

ahh.. just came across this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia

In the United States and countries such as Thailand, they are becoming the plant control method of choice, reducing or eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and heavy metal-based algaecides.

EDIT: Okay, i totally missed the point.. disregard this post...

No, no -- it's a great wiki article. I especially like the fact that farm raised tubtim are fed hormones when they're young so the females will turn into males and focus on growing big, not having offspring.

Edited August 20, 2012 by NancyL

[cmsally]

So are we saying that Tubtim are packed full of hormones??? I guess that's going to be one more thing off the list of edibles.

[happysanook]

So are we saying that Tubtim are packed full of hormones??? I guess that's going to be one more thing off the list of edibles.

this list grows everyday, especially if diabetic or nearly so. the biggest health study ever has turned up that animal based protein is crap for you too.

organic vegetables that aren't potatoes...and ummm.. some grains...nuts and legumes if eaten in moderation (super high fat content)...fermented soy... that's about it...

regardless, i'm gonna eat me a modified Tilapia fish right now...

[hellodolly]

So are we saying that Tubtim are packed full of hormones??? I guess that's going to be one more thing off the list of edibles.

this list grows everyday, especially if diabetic or nearly so. the biggest health study ever has turned up that animal based protein is crap for you too.

organic vegetables that aren't potatoes...and ummm.. some grains...nuts and legumes if eaten in moderation (super high fat content)...fermented soy... that's about it...

regardless, i'm gonna eat me a modified Tilapia fish right now...

Give the scientist time and they will be coming out with a statement like there is no food that is good for you it will kill you.

[eyecatcher]

on the topic of fish, what local fish is a good alternative for fish n chips?

i think you need to genetically reproduce cod or haddock, or plaice to push the boat out

nothing else will suffice;

sorry!

[ARISTIDE]

It's salt crusted fish not mold (if that's what you think about the white stuff)

Whatever it is; it doesnt look too well does it?.......he'll be asking for a good pharmacist tomorrow

[ARISTIDE]

Asian seabass or Barramundi

on the topic of fish, what local fish is a good alternative for fish n chips?

Edited August 20, 2012 by ARISTIDE

[canuckamuck]

"Tubtim is a widely consumed fish in this part of Thailand. It can be farm-raised, grows quickly, tolerates crowded conditions and brackish water. Thus, it's cheap and easy to produce."

Not so sure about that.

Pla nin. Yes. But Tabtim needs to have a current and not stagnant water. So it is more costly to raise than pla nin which is typically raised in green water using either cow manure or chemical fertilizer.

Tabtim is simply a color mutation (achieved through selective breeding) of the regular bla nin, (Nile perch, tilapia) they even have bla nin babies occasionally. Also I have seen them raised in the same setup as for bla nin.

Edited August 20, 2012 by canuckamuck

[WinnieTheKhwai]

So they can reproduce?

[tolstoy]

They can if they haven't been given hormones. Even with the hormones about 1% tend to stay reproductive.

Canuckamuck, believe what you want, but just read the agricultural forum here on Thaivisa and you will see that those doing it commercially have different systems for nin and tabtim.

Also if they were exactly the same except for a color difference, then why is their price 2-3x as much.

Ill tell you, it is because they are more costly to raise.

I have a rinky dink set up but still manage to raise 1k kilo every six months.

Yes, they can the two species can breed together and often do mix and yes there is a chance that they can carry genetic material from both and pass it on, but to do it commercially it is best to separate the two. if you are not super over crowding Nin you don't need to ariate the water. you do with tab tim though.

[NancyL]

The places where I shop, the tubtim are usually cheaper than the pla nim, leading me to believe the lighter color ones were easier to raise -- i.e. could take more crowding and more brackish water.

And yes, the OP's photo shows one that's salt encrusted and grilled. I've bought a few of those and could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it.

My favorite way to eat it is to buy a live one at the market, supervise it being filleted, take home the fillets and remains in separate bags and throw the fillets into a tomato-based stew about 10 minutes before serving. Later I use the remains to make fish broth for future concoctions.

Edited August 20, 2012 by NancyL

[hellodolly]

Asian seabass or Barramundi

on the topic of fish, what local fish is a good alternative for fish n chips?

I had heard that in Mexico some places used sharks.

[BillyBobThai]

The pool that the King used, was his own royal swimming pool. I can only wish that more of the world leaders

took such an interest in their own people. Crying shame that he will not live to be 300.

[Beetlejuice]

Many years ago someone either told me or I read somewhere that a Tabtim fish is a cross species of the native Thai Flowerhorn fish and a type of river carp.

See picture below:

Edited August 20, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[millwall_fan]

Tubtim is a widely consumed fish in this part of Thailand. It can be farm-raised, grows quickly, tolerates crowded conditions and brackish water. Thus, it's cheap and easy to produce.

In learning to read Thai, I've used Thai children's books -- books they use in their schools. There was a charming story in one about how the tubtim came to be so widely consumed in Thailand. The story claimed that many years ago the emperor of Japan gave the current king of Thailand a small group of Nile tilapia, because of HRH's interest in trying new food crops to promote sufficiency living. The King grew them in a pond at his palace in Bangkok, personally tending them himself. They multiplied quickly and some developed the mutation of light, golden-skin. The King noticed that those light-colored fish grew more quickly and were bigger than the darker Nile tilapia. He isolated them and bred them among themselves to develop what we all know now as tubtim.

Charming little story, but kind of at odds with the previous story about the fish being engineered and copyright (patented?) by the CP group.

Full marks for your story NancyL, but as an American, you couldn't be expected to know that 'HRH' is a term for some members of royal families but never for the Sovereign who is styled his Majesty. Just a heads up - no-one would want you to serve time in Bangkwan for Lese Majeste

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The places where I shop, the tubtim are usually cheaper than the pla nim, leading me to believe the lighter color ones were easier to raise -- i.e. could take more crowding and more brackish water.

And yes, the OP's photo shows one that's salt encrusted and grilled. I've bought a few of those and could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it.

Um, you're not supposed to eat the outside. Cut and fold away.

[ARISTIDE]

And yes, the OP's photo shows one that's salt encrusted and grilled. I've bought a few of those and could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it.

Salt crusted grilled fish are not normally scaled and salt should only mildly penetrate the flesh.

[T_Dog]

Tubtim is a widely consumed fish in this part of Thailand. It can be farm-raised, grows quickly, tolerates crowded conditions and brackish water. Thus, it's cheap and easy to produce.

In learning to read Thai, I've used Thai children's books -- books they use in their schools. There was a charming story in one about how the tubtim came to be so widely consumed in Thailand. The story claimed that many years ago the emperor of Japan gave the current king of Thailand a small group of Nile tilapia, because of HRH's interest in trying new food crops to promote sufficiency living. The King grew them in a pond at his palace in Bangkok, personally tending them himself. They multiplied quickly and some developed the mutation of light, golden-skin. The King noticed that those light-colored fish grew more quickly and were bigger than the darker Nile tilapia. He isolated them and bred them among themselves to develop what we all know now as tubtim.

Charming little story, but kind of at odds with the previous story about the fish being engineered and copyright (patented?) by the CP group.

Nancy.... I ran across that history a few years back and here is a bit more background for those interested:

http://www.siamtilapia.com/en/farm/nile.php

[hml367]

You mean there's still more to learn?

MSPain