BEIJING, Nov 13 — A fish pond in Changsha, Hunan province, has gone viral after its owners revealed they feed over 5,000 kilos of chilli peppers to more than 2,000 fish daily.

As reported by South China Morning Post, The pond is co-managed by Jiang Sheng, a 40-year-old fish farmer, and his former secondary school classmate, Kuang Ke. According to Kuang, the pond covers roughly 10 acres and houses over 2,000 fish, which are regularly fed a variety of chilli peppers.

“At peak times, we feed up to 5,000 kilos of chilli peppers each day,” Kuang was reported as saying.

“After consuming them, the fish develop better body shapes, enhanced flavour, and even shiny, golden scales.”

Jiang explained that fish do not have taste buds like humans but rely on their sense of smell.

“Chillies are rich in vitamins, just like aquatic plants, and fish love them. Feeding chilli peppers to fish also enhances their intestinal health and boosts their resistance to stress,” he said.

The peppers are collected from local farmers, often unsold or nearing spoilage, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional fish feed.