Invasive fish plaguing Sun Moon Lake turned into local delicacy
Invasive fish plaguing Sun Moon Lake turned into local delicacy
2026-05-26
In addition to the snakehead fish, Sun Moon Lake is dealing with several other invasive species. The red devil cichlid is considered the second-most troublesome, but because it’s small, bony, and doesn’t have a lot of meat, it doesn’t make for a nice meal. Even so, some local businesses have turned them into a tasty snack by coating them in flour and deep-frying them to make them crispy.
Fish fry enticingly in bubbling oil, but they aren’t ready to be eaten yet. The chef coats them in flour and fries them again.
These small, red fish are a new delicacy in Sun Moon Lake. Tourists love these snackable, fried red devil cichlids.
The red devil cichlid is one of three major invasive species threatening the lake’s ecosystem, along with the giant snakehead and jaguar cichlid. Giant snakeheads can be grilled or steamed, but red devil cichlids are small and don’t have a lot of meat. To cook them effectively, vendors coat them in flour and deep-fry them three times to make them crispy, then add pepper, salt, and basil.
- It’s really crispy, almost like a fish-flavored potato chip.
- Have you ever had it before?
- I’ve never had it before. It’s my first time coming here and trying it.
Vendors and tourists are helping deal with this invasive species by cooking and eating it. Red devil cichlids have been plaguing Sun Moon Lake for over 15 years, but they were largely considered inedible. Mr. San, who has been fishing here for over 40 years, decided to start catching and cooking them. He heads out onto the lake every day at 3 a.m. to check his traps.
Mr. San collects fish until sunrise, bringing back invasive species to cook and sell.
Mr. San
Fisher
Among the people in our community here, I’m the only one still working as a fisher. No one else in our village is doing it anymore.
Fried until crispy, these fish can be eaten whole. As Sun Moon Lake struggles with invasive species, eating them is one way to keep their population down.
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#SunMoonLake #fish #snack #friedfish #localfood #fisher #invasivespecies #sustainability
吃下肚! 外來魚肆虐日月潭 酥炸"紅魔鬼"成風味小吃
2026-05-26
日月潭外來魚種威脅除了魚虎外，還有很多不同外來魚種的威脅，其中紅魔鬼更是僅次於魚虎的惡霸。但因體型小、肉少刺多，難有食用價值。有地方業者以酥炸方式創造特色小吃！裹上麵粉，反覆炸到酥脆，整條紅魔鬼都可以吃下肚。
油鍋裡炸得酥香味四溢，但還沒到絕對美味，必須反覆裹粉油炸。
來到日月潭，近幾年多了這一味小吃！酥炸"紅魔鬼"。有遊客一吃就愛上。
遊客吃得口齒留香的是日月潭的外來魚種，紅魔鬼、魚虎，與珍珠石斑被稱為日月潭「三害」，會捕食潭蝦與魚卵，危害日月潭生態。體型大的魚虎被抓來紅燒，但紅魔鬼體型小、肉少又多刺，簡直是來激發人的料裡天份與功力，業者將它裹粉油炸3次每次3分鐘，再佐以胡椒鹽、九層塔等提香炸到"粉身碎骨"。
-很酥很像那種魚口味的洋芋片
-你以前沒有吃過嗎?
-以前都沒有都沒有吃過，第一次來這邊有吃到這樣東西
遊客用"吃"消滅這些潭中的不速之客。日月潭飽受紅魔鬼侵襲超過15年之久。與魚虎相比，紅魔鬼體型較小，肉少又多刺，一直被眾人認為無食用價值，在日月潭從事捕魚工作40餘載的三哥決定以吃來消滅它！每天凌晨3點就要到湖面上捕魚，漁網、陷阱樣樣都有。
直到日出，補獲的這些肆虐日月潭的外來魚種，通通帶回岸上料理。
[[日月潭漁民 三哥]]
“我們在這邊的住民剩三哥我一個在做(漁民)而已，我們部落沒有人在做了。”
補捉"紅魔鬼"，將魚骨炸到酥脆，整條魚都可以吃下肚，本來被視沒有食用價值的魚，不但除了"潭害"，現在還成了地方風味小吃。
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