re: How upsetting is it to get Swai instead of catfish?

Catfish in the north.

The next time you are in the grocery and see frozen catfish in the freezer cases, take a look at the labeling on the box. For years, most of the boxes were labeled "Delta Pride Catfish" They were out of Belzoni, MS, which in those days labeled the town as "The Catfish Capital of America". I think their main processing plant was actually in Isola, about 5 miles up Highway 49, north of Belzoni. In that part of the Delta, there were tens of thousands of acres (112,700 acres reported) of catfish farms. Now, not nearly so many (34,700 acres reported). Some of the land was converted to rice, and much of it to Corn, serving the automotive ethanol industry.

The big producers in Mississippi now include Delta Pride (out of Isola, MS), Simmons, Catfish Producers of America and several smaller operations. Per Mississippi State University reports on the industry, 70% of the catfish sold in the USA is now imported and only 30% domestically produced. The cost of catfish feed is the biggest problem domestic farmers face.

I have always questioned why there is no (not much) domestic production of farm raised Talipia. I guess it is not profitable because of high feed prices in the USA.

Many don't know that the fish Peter, Andrew, James and John - the "sons of Zebidee" fished for in the Sea of Galilee, were Talipia. In that area of the world, Talipia are sometimes called "Jesus Fish". I think most of them sold by Costco, Sams, Walmart, Kroger, Rouses, etc. now come from Asia, farmed by folks who could not care less about Jesus.

edited to add:

Belzoni hosts the Catfish Festival on April 1st. There is a craft fair, Delta Blues and Soul music and lots of opportunities to buy a Fried or Grilled Catfish plate. Might be worth a trip into the MS Delta for some. We have been twice and usually at least talk about going. +- worth the trip to see a place in the middle of catfist/corn/soybean/cotton/Poor folks America.

So many places have "tilapia" as the gulf fish of the day. That or Salmon.


Catfish isn't my preferred dish. I wanted to try a place. The place had five things on the menu. I didn't want beans as it was Tuesday and I had them the day before at home. I didn't want fried chicken. So fish was my option. I could have just gone somewhere else but this place was on the top of Hold The Mayo's top ten (for red beans) and I happened to pass by at the exact moment I was starting to look for a place to eat.

The place won't make my rotation and didn't Crack into my hood plate lunch spots.

I'll still say the best plate lunches are

Red Wagon - Harahan (still under $10)
Parenton's - Jefferson (huge portions, good food)
Guillory's - Metairie (that local diner)
Radosta's - Metairie (that local sandwich shop)
Sammy's Deli - Elysian and 610 (menu almost too big. Get a Ray Ray)

From the restaurant perspective, especially with inflation and other costs associated the price point is the reason why they are selling it. Grouper, snapper, Mahi for farm raised or fresh local caught is from $8 to $15 a pound. Availability and price varies constantly. Swai is $2.25 a pound and is always available consistently. With that said, I’m always getting fresh fish with no regard for the price when I’m paying for a meal.

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Swai taste just fine. You'd be surprised how many people can actually tell the difference.

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I'm guessing most of those haven't had good pond raised US catfish. You can make Swai taste similar but the mush just kills it for me.

If you watch the 60 minutes special on Chinese Fish, you will not eat them.

They are grown in ponds full of shite, and they eat each other's turds.

If you skin catfish it will curl up when you fry it. If you fillet catfish it will not. That thin membrane is what makes it curl.

Funny how often catfish gets catfished ....

Freshwater fish is garbage. It’s going to be trash from whatever gas station you bought it from.

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I just hate that idea that a mom and pop place(especially claiming to be cajun, La, or southern in roots) uses this crap fish.

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Blake's in Thibodaux on the Bypass Rd used to serve fried catfish. It was pretty decent. Then I noticed one day that "cat" was removed from the listing. Figured they switched to Basa or Swai so I asked Blake one day when he was in there. Basa. It's still not terrible but definitely a difference. And they sell a shite-pile of it every day. People just assume it's catfish.

I buy my catfish from two local retirees. $4.00lb and the prettiest, whitest, cleanest little strips you wanna see.

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Aren't there people in this thread comparing the texture and taste to catfish?

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I don't know but Swai is catfish, so it's like comparing catfish to catfish. I mean, I prefer flathead to channel, and channel to blue, and blue to bullhead.