Pet arowanas are as highly prized as they are expensive. Believed to bring good luck to their owners, rare arowanas can cost north of S$400,000.
Source: Fish Online Store
Unfortunately, for an arowana owner in Henan, China, his pet fish of three years tragically passed away following an issue with the water pump.
A bizarre suggestion from an aquarium owner then led him to steam and eat his beloved pet arowana, with tears in his eyes.
According to an article on NetEase’s 163.com, the man from Zhengzhou, China bought a small silver arowana three years ago, when it was only about 10cm long.
After three years of painstaking work, he successfully bred it to a length of about 30 to 40cm.
But tragedy struck when the water pump malfunctioned, and despite the man’s best efforts to save his pet arowana, it eventually passed on.
Heartbroken, the man asked an aquarium owner for advice. His reply was apparently to steam the now-dead fish.
And so that’s exactly what he did.
Source: 163.com
From cleaning and gutting, to adding the cooking wine and spring onions before steaming the arowana, the man documented the entire cooking process.
Finally, the man ate the fish with two bowls of rice, while commenting that the meat was “fresh and tender”, with tears in his eyes.
Source: 163.com
Here’s what the arowana looks like, steamed.
Source: 163.com
According to the report, silver arowanas are prized for their “armour-like scales” and “majestic demeanour”, with one costing as much as S$63,000 (300,000 yuan).
Given the years spent breeding the fish, it’s only understandable for the man to go to desperate lengths to save the fish.
But since the fish was beyond rescuing, perhaps this is the best way for the man to honour his old friend.
Would you ever bring yourself to eat such a highly-prized fish? Let us know in the comments below.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from VDS NEWS-CN on YouTube.
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