Wuchang bream
Megalobrama amblycephala
Also known asBlunt-snout bream
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 400 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 28% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 2.00% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.70% of body weight
- Max density
- 50 g per litre
A 1500 g adult eats about 30.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~300 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States (federal) | check local regulations | verified 2026-05-13 |
| New South Wales | prohibited | verified 2026-05-13 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Native to freshwater lakes and rivers in central and eastern China, particularly the middle and lower Yangtze River basin. The species (Megalobrama amblycephala) is a medium-sized cyprinid reaching 40–60 cm and 2–4 kg. Also called blunt-snout bream, it's one of the most important aquaculture species in China, with annual production exceeding 800,000 tonnes. Wuchang bream is a herbivorous fish that feeds on aquatic macrophytes, algae, and higher plants. The body is deep and laterally compressed with small scales and a silver to olive coloring. The flesh is white, tender, and moderately bony, widely consumed in Chinese cuisine (steamed whole fish is a traditional preparation). The species was first domesticated for aquaculture in Wuchang (now part of Wuhan), Hubei province, in the 1950s.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- temperate (handles seasonal swings)
- USDA zones
- 6–12 (winter low around -23°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- no
- Cooling needed
- no
Care notes
A warm-water herbivorous food fish primarily relevant to Chinese aquaculture and to aquaponics operations serving Chinese markets. Temperature range: 15–32°C, optimal at 24–28°C. Growth: 0.5–1.5 kg in 10-14 months on commercial carp pellet (25-30% protein) or in systems where the fish grazes directly on aquatic plants, duckweed, and terrestrial vegetation. FCR on pellet is 1.5-2.5; the herbivorous diet means the fish efficiently converts low-value plant material into edible protein, and in integrated aquaponics, excess duckweed production, vegetable trimmings, and aquatic plant waste from the grow beds can substitute for a significant portion of the pellet ration. This plant-recycling ability is the species' main advantage in aquaponics. Stocking density: 15-25 g/L. Water quality tolerance is moderate: DO above 3 mg/L, pH 6.5-8.5, temperature stability within the range. The species breeds readily in captivity via hormone-induced spawning, with each female producing hundreds of thousands of eggs per spawn. Fingerlings are abundantly available from Chinese hatcheries at very low cost (fractions of a cent per fish). Outside China, the species is unknown in both aquaculture and consumer markets. For operators within China or those serving Chinese diaspora communities, wuchang bream is an established, reliable food fish with strong domestic demand and a plant-based diet that aligns well with integrated aquaponics production systems.