Young Man Heartbroken as Beloved Pet Carp Dies Suddenly; Friend Offers to Cook It
A Chinese man's pet carp died after years of care, and his friend cooked it into soup and stir-fried roe despite the owner's emotional distress, sparking debate online over pet loss, food waste, and safety concerns with ornamental fish.
A young man was heartbroken when his pet carp, which he had raised for years, died suddenly. Unable to let go emotionally, his friend suggested cooking it instead. On May 8, Chinese social media erupted over an incident from Dengzhou, Shandong Province, after a man cooked his friend's recently deceased pet carp, which went viral and sparked widespread discussion.
Reports indicate the carp had been raised for over 2-3 years before dying from oxygen deprivation, weighing more than 20 kilograms. The owner was deeply grieved and regretful. He had originally intended to dispose of the fish, but his friend suggested: "Why throw it away? What a waste. Let's make soup instead."
After that, the friend prepared the carp by making fish soup from the meat and thoroughly stir-frying the roe. Meanwhile, the actual owner couldn't bring himself to eat a single bite—he just stood watching his friends and sadly said, "I've raised it this long. I just can't bring myself to eat it myself."
The friend who cooked the carp revealed that the taste was "delicious and very rich," with firm meat and plenty of fat. The roe yielded an entire wok when stir-fried. Those who ate it said the taste was much better than expected.
Once the story spread online, netizens flooded social media with comments. Many argued this couldn't be done because carp are emotional pets with psychological bonds to their owners. Others countered that since the fish had died, it should be used to full value rather than wasted.
However, after the incident gained widespread attention, experts and many netizens warned about food safety. Since ornamental carp are not bred for consumption but for display, medications, special feeds, or chemicals may have been used during their care and could remain in the fish, making them potentially unsafe to eat.
Many also pointed out that the real issue wasn't whether it was edible, but the pet owner's feelings. For some people, pets are like family members, and losing one is emotionally devastating and deserves understanding and respect.
