Freshwater Fish, Shrimp and Shellfish · FFET10382
Taihu silverfish
Taihu silverfish has tender flesh and is often stir-fried with eggs, cooked in soup or sun-dried.
Fish, shrimp, crab and molluscs from rivers, lakes and ponds.
Taihu silverfish is a small, translucent freshwater fish from Lake Taihu and one of the Taihu Three Whites, alongside whitefish and white shrimp. Its harvest season is May and June. It can be stir-fried with eggs, cooked in soup or sun-dried.
What
Taihu silverfish is a small, translucent freshwater fish and one of the Taihu Three Whites, alongside whitefish and white shrimp. It is typically 2.5 to 5 centimeters long, with tender flesh (2018 description).1,3
When
The harvest season is May and June. Historical accounts trace silverfish to the Spring and Autumn period, describing it as a Song-dynasty delicacy and a Qing-dynasty tribute. These accounts come from a 2025 official article; no dated primary text was consulted to substantiate them, so they do not establish the earliest record of Taihu silverfish.1,2
Where
Taihu silverfish comes from Lake Taihu. Taihu boat cuisine is found around Wuxi, Suzhou and Changzhou in Jiangsu.2
How
The Taihu Three Whites are cooked soon after capture. Silverfish can be stir-fried with eggs, cooked in soup or sun-dried.1,2
Impact and influence
An article published on October 14, 2025, features silverfish as one of the Taihu Three Whites.1