5 Types of Pomfret That Are Profitable in Cultivation

Based on its origin, there are two types of pomfret, namely freshwater pomfret and seawater. Both types of pomfret have thick and delicious flesh, so the demand for pomfret is increasing every year.

One of the characteristics of pomfret fish is its fairly rapid growth time. You only need about three months to get pomfret weighing 1 kg. 

If you are interested in starting a pomfret farming business, you should first find out what type of pomfret you are going to cultivate. That way, you can find out how to care for and what cultivation methods are right for the pomfret.

Pomfret Fish Characteristics

In Indonesia, currently the price of pomfret starts from 55 thousand Rupiah per kg. The selling price depends on the location where you buy the fish and the quality of the fish itself. However, even the lowest price for pomfret fish is quite tempting.

The first step in cultivating pomfret is to know the characteristics of healthy pomfret. Here's the review!

1. Oval Body Shape

The most easily identifiable feature of pomfret fish is its oval and flat body shape. The ratio of the height and length of pomfret fish is 1:2. For example, if the length of the pomfret is 20 cm, the height of the pomfret is 10 cm.

2. Red Fish Fins

When the pomfret has entered its teens or adulthood, usually all of the fish's fins are red. The fins in question are the pelvic fins, tail fins, and anal fins.

3. Dark Body Color

The most obvious difference between pomfret fish and piranha fish is the body color. Pomfret fish tend to have a darker color than piranha fish. The base color of the piranha fish is a luxurious lighter shade of silver, combined with a pattern of spots all over its body.

4. There is a black line on the tail fin

If you look closely, the pomfret has a black line at the base of its tail fin. The method used by pomfret cultivators and fish traders to distinguish pomfret from other fresh/sea water fish is to pay attention to the black line.

5. Small Head Shape, Sharp Teeth, and Short Jaws

The next physical feature of the pomfret fish is its small head size, with sharp teeth texture but short jaws.

Characteristics of Pomfret Fish

In addition to physical characteristics, pomfret has special characteristics that distinguish it from other types of fish, namely:

1. Pomfret brood spawning is done by injectinginduce spawning).
2. Pomfret broodstock can produce up to 100,000 eggs.
3. Pomfret eggs will float when exposed to water.
4. The pomfret eggs will hatch within 16-24 hours.
5. Pomfret fry are classified as omnivorous fish because they can eat anything, from aquatic plants to plankton. However, adult pomfret are classified as carnivorous fish.
6. The appetite for pomfret fish is high.
7. At the age of 6-7 months, the weight of pomfret puppies can reach 500 grams/head.
8. Pomfret swims slower than other types of freshwater fish such as catfish and carp.

Types of Pomfret that Sell in the Market

Initially, pomfret in Indonesia was only intended as an ornamental fish in 1986. Now, there are 5 types of pomfret in Indonesian waters, each with its own characteristics and characteristics.

The following is a detailed description of the characteristics and characteristics of pomfret in Indonesia.

1. Black Pomfret

Black pomfret lives in muddy waters or in river estuaries. This type of pomfret can be found in the Java Sea, Malacca Strait, South Sulawesi waters, along Kalimantan waters, and the Arafuru Sea. 

The physical characteristics of the black pomfret are its body color is purplish gray, there is a black spot on one side, and the lower part of the body is silvery white. His body size is also taller and flatter with a shape resembling a rhombus shape. Black pomfret can grow to weigh more than 1 kg.

2. White Pomfret

The white pomfret has a body size and shape that is almost similar to the black pomfret, namely the body shape resembles the shape of a rhombus with a maximum body size of 15-20 cm. The body of the white pomfret is silvery white and the upper part of the body is gray.

The fins of this fish are opaque black. The body weight of white pomfret can reach 1-2 kg. White pomfret are used to living in groups with their herds.

The difference between black pomfret and white pomfret is that white pomfret has a more aggressive swimming motion than black pomfret. White pomfret can swim and survive in water to a depth of 15-25 m. In muddy areas, pomfret can survive up to a depth of 100 m.

3. Freshwater Pomfret

Freshwater pomfret lives in fresh water waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and America. The Latin name for freshwater pomfret is Silver Pompano. The shape and physique of this type of pomfret is very different from white and black pomfret.

The body of the freshwater pomfret is larger than that of the white and black pomfret. They are round in shape and dark gray or black in color.

There is a white patch on the middle of the body, and the upper side is slightly darker. The bottom or belly of this fish is reddish-orange. 

Freshwater pomfrets have 5 fins, namely pectoral fins, dorsal fins, pelvic fins, anal fins, and tail. The fins, lips and mouth of the freshwater pomfret are small. 

Another difference is that the freshwater pomfret has surface gills which allow this fish to breathe more and more widely than other types of pomfret. In addition, the swimming ability of freshwater pomfret is relatively fast. 

From the aspect of growth and development, freshwater pomfret can grow fast in a short period of time.

You need to be vigilant, because freshwater pomfret has cannibalistic properties. Freshwater pomfret live in groups and when they are hungry, they can eat their own kind.

Nutritionally, freshwater pomfret is the right choice of fish to increase children's brain intelligence and help consumers who are on a diet program because this type of fish is high in omega 3 and omega 6.

4. Star Pomfret

Star pomfret or Trachinotus blochii is a type of pomfret that you can find in the waters of the Japanese Archipelago, the South China Sea, Pacific waters, Indian Ocean, Australia, to Indonesian waters. 

The star pomfret is classified as a type of pomfret that lives in pure sea water. Nevertheless, the star pomfret can adapt in estuaries and muddy coastal waters. Even when the star pomfret grows up, they will swim to the coral reef area.

The physical characteristics of the pomfret star are a flat body shape resembling a rhombus shape, with a black body on top and silver-white on the other parts. The abdominal and lower fins of this fish are opaque black. 

The star pomfret lives in groups with its herd. The star pomfret is also classified as a type of cannibal pomfret that can prey on its own kind when there is no food around it.

5. Brama Pomfret

The last type of pomfret in Indonesia is the Brama pomfret which is classified into the family Bramids. Brama pomfret originates from Hawaiian waters and is now starting to be seen in Indonesian waters.

Some researchers claim that there is a possibility that the brama pomfret also lives in the waters of the southern Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

This fish has a slightly oval shape when viewed from the side, with slightly darker upper and lower body colors but grayish-white in the middle of the body. The ventral fins and tail shape of the long pomfret brama. When viewed carefully, the shape of the lower lip of the pomfret brama is larger than the upper lip. Brama pomfret weight can reach 3.3 kg.

Unfortunately, it is still not certain whether the Brama pomfret can be consumed by humans. Even so, people in Japan and Korea often make pomfret brama as food consumption because of its large shape and size so that it can be eaten together.