Construction engineer quits job to raise exotic fish in the forest.

The "floating restaurant" is located next to Mr. Tý's fish cages. Photo: Nguyen Phuc

Struggling with passion

At the artificial lake nestled amidst acacia forests in Da La (Lam Lang village, Cam Thuy commune, Cam Lo district, Quang Tri province), 37-year-old owner Tran Viet Ty is managing an "estate" comprising a system of...fish cagesand a small "floating restaurant." Few people know that he had a difficult past pursuing his passion for fish farming, which led his life down several different paths. He taught himself how to raise commercial fish through friends, the internet, and other sources. "I graduated from a vocational school in construction and also spent 10 years working in Ho Chi Minh City. But whatever I earned, I would 'send' it back to my hometown to raise fish in my family's pond," he recounted. "Raising fish, like many other farming jobs, requires perseverance and the courage to think differently. I thought differently, which is why I've achieved some success today."

But the idea of ​​"living in two places at once" wasn't working out, so in 2015 he left Ho Chi Minh City and returned to Quang Tri. When he discovered Da La Lake, he seized the new opportunity. That year, he and his uncle spent over 600 million VND to rent the lake.startupInitially, when he was still inexperienced, he raised all kinds of fish, letting them roam freely. However, in 2016, a major flood caused almost all of the fish he had raised to escape. When the water receded, standing on the edge of the lake and looking down, all he could see was mud and nothing but empty hands.

But not letting his passion fade, Tran Viet Ty rose again. Recognizing the risks involved in raising fish naturally in lakes, especially in Quang Tri province which experiences storms every year, he traveled to many northern provinces and cities to learn about cage fish farming.

Farm owner also runs a restaurant.

Tý recounted that while he was racking his brains trying to decide which type of fish would be suitable for raising in cages in Đá Lã, he was fortunate enough to receive a suggestion from a fish farm owner in Hải Dương.crispy carp"I've only ever known about carp, but never crispy carp. I was quite curious...", Mr. Tý recalled.

He struggled at first, but soon after, with perseverance, he "conquered" the crispy carp, exporting it to many places. "Although I sold it to some markets outside the province, I realized that people in my hometown knew little about this delicious and unique fish," Mr. Ty recounted. So, since March 2020, he ventured into another business, also becoming the owner of a restaurant specializing in crispy carp. With local approval, he invested 200 million VND to build a floating restaurant right on Da La Lake. With the cool, peaceful setting of the lake, mountains, and surrounding greenery, Mr. Ty's floating restaurant gradually became a favorite spot for many diners.

Now, when visiting Da La Lake, don't be surprised to see Mr. Ty sometimes standing on a fish cage catching fish, and other times sweating profusely preparing food in the kitchen. Orders from many restaurants and eateries in Cam Lo District and Dong Ha City also fly directly to his fish cages to purchase this fragrant and crispy fish.

After raising crispy carp, Mr. Ty revealed he is beginning to venture into new "adventures" with crispy pearl chain fish, crispy red tilapia, and other species. He raises these fish in cages and feeds them silkworm pupae to ensure their meat is crispy. "Raising fish, like many other farming tasks, requires perseverance and the courage to think differently. I thought differently, which is why I've achieved some success today and my decades of pursuing my passion for fish haven't been in vain," Mr. Ty concluded.

Crispy carp is a type of common carp but raised in two stages. Stage 1 involves normal rearing, while Stage 2 is the commercial fish farming stage (5-6 months). During this time, the fish are fed silkworm pupae until they reach a weight of 1.2-1.5 kg/fish, at which point they are sold. Silkworm pupae are considered a key factor in improving the quality of the fish meat, increasing muscle firmness and resulting in a crispy texture. With its firm, crispy, low-fat, and flavorful meat, crispy carp has an economic value 2-3 times higher than regular carp, selling for approximately 200,000 VND/kg.