Fish are essential at all dinner receptions. This does not include minor amounts of live reef fish caught by local fishermen from the reefs in the South China Sea. Although reef fish dominate the live seafood market, also imported live are lobsters, mantis shrimps, crabs, shrimps, abalone and certain clams. Small quantities of coconut crabs, scallops and giant freshwater eels are imported live as well. Traditionally 'red' means 'good fortune' among the Chinese.
Chinese hosts like to present a red coral trout at wedding, birthday or other celebration dinners.
At present almost all red coral trout are caught wild. They come mainly from aquaculture and the supply is therefore very steady. In PRC people may substitute certain freshwater fish if they cannot afford the more expensive reef fish. After the economic crisis in Southeast Asia, high-priced reef fish became less popular. But humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus and high-finned grouper, Cromileptes altivelis , remain expensive because the supply is limited.