The advancement of technology has allowed for the isolation of various components in living creatures to study their biochemical properties. One such component is collagen from fresh water fish. Collagen is a fibrous protein complex composed of amino acids, glycosylated chains of proline and glycine that facilitates the smooth movement of body joints. Scientists have been studying the biochemical makeup of collagen for years. Their recent study describes the characterization and fabrication of micro/nano fibrous scaffolding using collagen derived from fresh water fish.

Studies on freshwater fish

This is the first study to be done on the biochemical makeup of collagen from freshwater fish. The researchers studied both the marine and fresh water specimens and found no significant difference in collagen content across the two species. In the fresh water fish, there was a slight increase in the levels of collagen associated with the bony prominence and tail-like structures. But when it came to the saltwater fish, the levels of collagen were depleted with a complete loss of elasticity and the structure of bony prominence. The study therefore concluded that collagen from fresh water fish are too large to be suitable for use in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

As mentioned earlier, this is an important step towards understanding the usefulness of collagen in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It is known to be an excellent source of antioxidants which is highly required in anti-aging therapy. The study also revealed that both fresh water varieties of the fish contain the important omega -3 fatty acids but in significantly lower quantities than saltwater fish. Further, the researchers were not able to differentiate between the fresh water fish’s ability to generate collagen and its ability to absorb collagen from seawater.

Most of the fresh water fish used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics have undergone a process called molecular distillation. This process removes all the impurities from the fish including essential fatty acids, cholesterol, ash, and DNA. This enables manufacturers to produce concentrated preparations devoid of these materials. However, even after the process of molecular distillation, the levels of essential fatty acids are still relatively low and most of the molecules are water insoluble. It is believed that the lack of essential fatty acids results in a build-up of cholesterol in the body which can clog the blood vessels and lead to cardiovascular disease.

fatty tissues and muscles found in freshwater fish

According to the studies, the fatty tissue and muscles of the pike were found to have ten times the amount of connective tissue found in the white-tailed deer. This implies that the pike has much more muscle mass than the white-tailed deer. Because of this, experts assert that the pike is more fit and hearty than its white-tailed counterpart. Further, the pike is known to live up to forty years or more in captivity.

Another factor that contributes to the fact that pike are considered as one of the most fit and hearty freshwater water fish is its regenerative ability. The pike has regenerative capabilities similar to that of the trout and salmon. This means that the pike can recover from injury very quickly. If this type of regeneration is found to be present in the fish, then it is considered as an indication that the fish is living a long and healthy life. In addition to having high levels of energy and vitality, the pike is also known to possess good eyesight and sharp hearing.

Although it is true that the pike is prized species for saltwater sports fishing charter, it should be emphasized that the fish can also thrive in freshwater too. This suggests that anglers need not limit their fishing charters to just saltwater fish only. Freshwater pike are also favorites of sports fishing charter because they do not grow as large as their saltwater counterparts. Therefore, they can easily fit into the hand of smaller anglers. This makes them very easy to catch in a small fishing tackle. In addition to being easy to capture, pike are known to be quite intelligent fish that prefer to feed on small food items such as worm and grubs.

If you are planning to go fresh water fishing, be sure to check out the many varieties of fish that are available for catching. There are bigger varieties of fish including the Jack Crevalle and the Blue Marlin. Other less popular varieties include the Caperfish and the Flathead. With so many varieties, any angler will surely have a great time searching for their favorite catch.