He Caught "Aquarium Catfish" for Sashimi! Video Exposed, Food Safety Center Warns: Risk of Infection and Cancer

If you have ever kept fish or observed aquariums closely, you are likely familiar with "catfish", which often play the role of cleaners in tanks by removing small debris. However, in a shocking turn of events, some individuals in China have been catching these ornamental fish to make sashimi, leaving many netizens appalled.

A Facebook page, "The Daily Life of Fisherman Wu and His Wife", uploaded 20 videos related to catfish within just five days. The titles included "Cleaner Elimination Plan" and "Cleaner Bizarre Experiment", featuring the capture and processing of catfish for their meat. The creators claimed that catfish from South America have invaded southern China, causing harm through rapid reproduction, and thus aimed to "eliminate this bad fish" by consuming them raw as sashimi. They even invited viewers to watch them eat the fish live.

These videos attracted over a million views, with many Taiwanese viewers expressing disgust, saying, "I want to vomit," "It's disgusting," "It feels dirty," and "This fish has many parasites; please don't eat it raw." Hong Kong netizens also shared the videos in a Facebook group, criticizing the act as a ploy to attract views.

Health Risks and Legal Considerations

According to reports from Hong Kong 01, Hong Kong has banned the sale of traditional Chinese raw fish for over 30 years. The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety has warned against eating raw freshwater fish due to the risk of contracting diseases like "Chinese liver fluke", which can cause liver duct obstruction, inflammation, and cancer. There is also a risk of ingesting "Group B streptococcus", which can infect the blood, lungs, bones, and joints. The center emphasizes the importance of thoroughly cooking fish and using separate utensils and cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination.