White amur bream (Parabramis pekinensis)

Scientific name: Parabramis pekinensis Basilewsky, 1855

The White amur bream (Parabramis pekinensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 10–20°C (50–68°F). Native range: Asia, Basin of the Amur, from Blagoveshchensk to the very mouths. Sungari, Ussuri, Lake Khanka, Liao. China south to Shanghai and Ningpo.

White amur bream care at a glance

Temperature: 10–20°C (50–68°F)

Biology

Feeds on higher aquatic plants. Its flesh is tasty but very bony. One of the most important commercial fishes of China.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Parabramis pekinensis
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 55.0
Common length: 8.5
Environment: Freshwater; benthopelagic; amphidromous
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Asia: Basin of the Amur, from Blagoveshchensk to the very mouths. Sungari, Ussuri, Lake Khanka, Liao. China south to Shanghai and Ningpo.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.1)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026