Leiopotherapon plumbeus
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AYUNGIN ( n. a-yu-ngin )Leiopotherapon plumbeus
Silver theraponid - English
Size: small ( 4 cm. ) A small silverish freshwater commercial fish from the Philippines and is popular for its tasty flesh making this fish one of the most expensive fish in the country. Most species are found in Laguna de Bay. Generally, females are larger than males. It is an omnivorous fish feeding on planktons, small shrimp, eggs of other fishes, moss, waterplants, and even insects.
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[edit] Characteristics
Ayungin is a middle water swimmer. They are not bottom dwellers nor surface swimmers. They swim in big schools, swim very close to each other making a camouflage of a big fish to avoid predators like the snakeheads and water snakes. It is now considered an endangered species since the young ayungins are caught by local fishermen for fish meals, duck feeds, and for personal consumption.
[edit] Commercial Value and Demand
In proportion to its size, ayungin is one of the most expensive fish in the Philippines. Prices depend on what region you are in but the average price costs from P200 to P500 per kilo(dried)and around P300 fresh (or more depending on the weather and season). But the real problem is, rarely you can see this fish in the market at present. The demand is very high, the locals find it to be the tastiest fish among all the edible native freshwater species, although it is small.
[edit] Ways to catch
The best way to catch ayungin is using hook and line with the smallest hook available in the market because of their small mouth. Catching ayungin is very challenging, so hard to catch. Using net sometimes is useless because ayungin is a middle fish swimmer. And they know what the net is, intelligent fish. The best bait for ayungin is small shrimp called yapyap.
[edit] Recipe
1) Daing na Ayungin - Dried Fried Ayungin with Vinegar
2) Paksiw na Ayungin - cook in vinegar, pepper and ginger
3) Sinigang sa Bayabas - cook with ripe guavas and water cabbage-kangkong.
4) Inihaw na ayungin-cook in low charcoal fire
5) Inihaw sa gata-broiled with coconut milk, sometimes with ripe guava and vegetables.
6) Sinigang sa Sampaloc-cook with unripe sour tamarind with vegetables.
7) Pangat na ayungin-cooked with calamansi and tomatoes.
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