Fish as an equal participant in the Earth's ecological system plays vital role in human life. Sea and river fish are an inexhaustible source that supplies people not only with tasty and healthy food, but also with unique components for the production of agricultural fertilizers and medicines. In addition, fish components are included in some types of raw materials used in light industry.
List of inhabitants of freshwater bodies
Gastronomic value freshwater fish Russia is a long and firmly established fact. However, the variety of species of river fish found in catches is so great that only an experienced fishing enthusiast can figure out which representative of the ichthyofauna was caught from the river. The list of names of river fish presented below is quite wide, but by no means exhaustive. So, lake and river inhabitants of fresh water bodies of Russia:
The presented list of fish is voluminous, but the importance of correctly identifying each caught individual cannot be overestimated. Many factors affecting the results of fishing depend on this. These include behavioral characteristics of the hunted object and food preferences.
Popular fishing objects
All representatives of the ichthyofauna found in the fresh waters of Russian rivers, lakes and reservoirs are divided into predatory, omnivorous and species that prefer to feed on plant foods and plankton. The most famous carnivorous fish are, without a doubt, pike perch, perch and catfish. But the undisputed leadership of this conditional rating belongs to the pike.
Common pike
The predator's body is shaped like a torpedo, which allows it to make sharp throws, because its favorite pike hunting option - ambush. The color is camouflage type, with a fairly wide color range, from gray to almost black or dark green. Depending on the habitat, brownish tints may be present. The white color of the belly provides camouflage of the predator against the sky. The fins are yellowish-red.
The basis of the diet is small fish, but large individuals are capable of attacking waterfowl, amphibians and small animals leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle: muskrats, baby beavers and otters. Typically, the weight of pike rarely exceeds 15-18 kg, but in large and densely populated reservoirs some specimens can reach 40 kg in weight.
River perch
Another characteristic representative of predator fish living in inland waters of Russia. It lives in schools at shallow depths, preferring quiet, clean waters. It has a greenish-yellow or gray-green color with characteristic gray, sometimes reaching black, transverse stripes.
A distinctive feature of the species is the dorsal fin., divided into two parts. The front one is quite tough, with sharp needles. Rear end fin is soft. The color of the pelvic and anal fins varies from pale orange to bright red.
The diet of perch is quite varied and consists of small fish, including its own species, insects and crustaceans living in and around the water.
The most popular baits are small-sized spoons and animal baits: worms, bloodworms and small baitfish.
Dimensions river perch rarely exceed 40−45 cm and weight 1.0−1.5 kg.
Golden crucian carp (silver)
This species, which is perhaps the most famous representative of the carp family, lives in almost all reservoirs of Russia. Large and small rivers and lakes, reservoirs and ponds, reclamation canals and quarries filled with water are all places where crucian carp can be found. He is absolutely indifferent to the quality of water and even to its short-term absence.
Leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, feeding on zooplankton, insect larvae, worms and aquatic plants. The body is round, slightly compressed on both sides, covered with smooth scales. There are two species forms of this fish: golden and silver. In accordance with belonging to one of the forms color varies from silver to golden shades.
Reaches 50−60 cm in size and weighs 2.5-3.0 kg. The most common fishing gear is a fly rod, but it can also be successfully caught using bottom gear. IN winter period is inactive, so the summer months are considered the most favorable fishing time.
Russian sturgeon
Without exaggeration, this inhabitant of Russian rivers can be called one of the calling cards of Russia. Sturgeon is a fairly large fish. The body length of individual specimens can reach six meters. The weight of commercial sturgeon varies in the range of 10-20 kg, but there are known cases of catching specimens weighing 7-8 centners or more.
The spindle-shaped elongated body of the fish, consisting of cartilaginous tissue, does not contain vertebrae. The notochord remains in it throughout the life of the sturgeon. No scales, and on the body of the fish there are peculiar diamond-shaped bony scutes-bugs. The sturgeon has a color that is different variations gray, turning white or grayish-yellow on the belly. The fins of the fish are usually dark gray.
The Russian sturgeon, however, like its Siberian or Amur relatives, leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, descending to depths of up to one hundred meters, where, in fact, it finds food for itself.
The sturgeon's diet is varied and includes insect larvae, shrimp, worms and leeches; it does not disdain small fish. When there is a lack of protein food, the sturgeon successfully consumes algae.
One cannot help but be interested in the fact that the sturgeon belongs to the long-lived fish. The average lifespan of this amazing fish is 50-60 years, but history knows examples of catching centuries-old specimens.
river eel
This unique fish is extremely similar to a snake, as it has an elongated, rounded and slightly laterally compressed body. A layer of thick mucus covering the eel, makes it very slippery, which often helps it return to the water after meeting an angler. The caudal, dorsal and anal fins form a kind of ribbon bordering a significant part of the fish’s body.
The color of the eel depends entirely on its age and living conditions. A feature of the color is considered to be a characteristic metallic sheen, which allows the fish to be called silver.
The habitats of the river eel are characterized by a clay bottom and weak currents. It is there that he finds food for himself, which is worms and crustaceans. It is caught using floats and bottom fishing rods usually at night. Live bait is used as bait. Eel meat is very nutritious and extremely tasty, especially when smoked.
Gastronomic value of freshwater fish
Despite the fact that, according to experts, river fish is inferior in benefits to the human body to sea fish, the content of minerals and vitamins in its meat is quite high. Fillet river fish contains a lot of tocopherol, vitamins A and D. Consequently, regular consumption of river fish meat has an extremely positive effect on hair health, gives the skin a healthy shine and pleasant color, and maintains the stability of the visual organs.
A person who systematically eats fish that lives in fresh water bodies rarely has to be in a state of stress, since magnesium, which is part of fish meat, improves activity nervous system. And this, in turn, eliminates irritability and normalizes sleep.
How much fish should you eat? Nutritionists determine the rate of consumption of fish meat at 150-200 g daily.
It is no secret that the gastronomic value of fish largely depends on its bonyness, and according to this indicator, river fish is significantly inferior to sea fish. Nevertheless, among representatives of fresh water bodies there are species whose meat is practically boneless. Fish from Russian rivers and haute cuisine were not left out. Thus, from pike, the meat of which many consider low-grade, European chefs prepare a masterpiece dish - “Gefilte fish”.
Endangered and rare species
Today, many representatives of the ichthyofauna living in Russian reservoirs need human help. And the most depressing thing is the fact that this sad list is constantly expanding:
All these and some other species of fish are teetering on the verge of extinction from the face of our planet. For example, until the mid-thirties of the last century, the Volkhov whitefish was the main object of commercial fishing in the basins of the Svir, Volkhov, and Syaz rivers. However, the commissioning of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station “sentenced” this valuable fish to extinction.
Red Book
The compilers of the Red Book of endangered and rare fish species living in water bodies Russian Federation, classified into five categories. The main selection criterion was the population indicator:
- Species whose numbers are at a critical level and are threatened with extinction.
- Species with rapidly declining numbers.
- Rare, found in limited areas or in small quantities.
- Little-known and poorly studied species.
- Recovered species whose increasing numbers need to be controlled.
It should be noted that due to the difficulties arising from accounting errors, some species of freshwater fish may have ended up in the Red Book unjustifiably. The state of ecology of many river systems located on the territory of the Russian Federation is also not encouraging.
Pollution of water bodies with wastewater containing chemicals increased danger, and harmful emissions from industrial enterprises not only lead to changes in the usual way of life of representatives of the ichthyofauna, but also threaten mutations and the complete disappearance of the latter.
Attention, TODAY only!
Fish, or the edible part of fish, is not inferior in protein content to meat. It also contains fats, 86% of which are polyunsaturated omega-3 acids, necessary for brain function, vitamins A, D, E, and microelements. The composition of the product is determined by its type: there is freshwater and sea fish, white fish, red and brown fish are distinguished by color. Taste different fish is also different.
Scientists are constantly studying the effects of this product on the human body, thanks to which it has been found that fish protects against cardiovascular diseases, and if they already exist, mitigates the symptoms. People who regularly eat it have good eyesight, good physical and mental health: scientists who conducted a study in Mauritius proved that children whose diet regularly includes fish are less likely to end up in prison (by 64%, as they feel calmer and happier). Tumors and osteoporosis are rarely found in fish lovers; they remain active and young longer (according to nutritionists, the low life expectancy in the country is precisely because people rarely eat fish).
Pike is a genus of freshwater fish, the only one in the pike family. Pike can reach 1.5 m in length and weigh up to 35 kg (usually up to 1 m and 8 kg). The body is torpedo-shaped, the head is large, the mouth is wide. The color is variable, depending on the environment: depending on the nature and degree of development of the vegetation, it can be gray-greenish, gray-yellowish, gray-brown, the back is darker, the sides have large brown or olive spots that form transverse stripes. Unpaired fins are yellowish-gray, brown with dark spots; paired - orange. Silver pike are found in some lakes. The lifespan of individual individuals can reach up to 30 years.
Ide
Fish of the carp family, has an external resemblance to roach. Ide is a fairly large fish, reaching 70 cm in length and weighing 2-3 kg; although larger individuals are also found. The color is gray-silver, darker on the back than on the belly. The fins have a pink-orange tint. Ide is a freshwater fish, but can also live in semi-fresh water of sea bays. The ide diet consists of plant and animal foods (insects, mollusks, worms). Spawning occurs in the second half of spring.
Pike perch is a relative of perch, which lives only in clean water, provided with oxygen for its life and activity. There are no phosphates or other impurities in this fish. The height of pike perch is 35 cm. Its maximum weight is 20 kg.
Pike perch meat is light and lean, but very pleasant to the taste. It is saturated with phosphorus, chromium, sulfur, potassium, fluorine, cobalt, iodine and vitamin P. In terms of composition, this fish is quite healthy.
Bersh
Bersh also belongs to the perch family. His height is 45 cm. The most heavy weight fish is 1.4 kg. This species lives in rivers that flow into the Black and Caspian seas.
The bersh feeds on not very large fish, mainly gudgeon. The meat is like pike perch, but a little softer.
Perch
Perch lives in rivers, lakes, and ponds that have only clean water. That is, we can say that this fish not picky and found almost everywhere where it is clean.
To catch perch, you need to use only certain thin gear. Thanks to this, catching it is quite interesting and entertaining.
Ruff
In appearance, the ruff looks like a monster. It has such spiny fins to protect itself from predatory fish like pike. This fish is found in ponds and rivers, but changes color depending on its habitat. Height is 13 cm and weight is approximately 400 g.
Such growth of the ruffe depends on the excess of crayfish, insects and larvae on which they feed. This type of fish is common in many European countries. It is found mainly in rivers, lakes, seashores and ponds.
Spawns from two days to several weeks. This fish does not like sunlight, so it can be found at a depth of at least two meters.
Chop
This fish is extremely rare in our area, so few people know about it. The fish belongs to the perch family. It has an elongated spindle-shaped body, decorated with a protruding snout.
This fish is small in size, that is, its length is less than 1 foot. The main place of residence of the chop is the Danube River with its adjacent tributaries.
The chop feeds on worms, mollusks, and small-sized fish. The caviar, which has a bright yellow color, has been spawning since the end of April.
Pike
Pike belongs to the pike family. It has become widespread in fresh water bodies of the Eurasian and North American continents. We can say that this fish is distributed almost all over the world only in water that is saturated with oxygen.
When the amount of oxygen decreases, it dies. Height is 1.5 m, weight ranges between 35 kg. The body and head of the pike have an elongated shape. It can spawn only at temperatures from three to six degrees. Pike is a predatory fish.
It feeds mainly on low-value fish. Lives everywhere. The meat contains little fat and is dietary. They live no more than 25 years. In cooking this type fish are used raw, boiled, fried and stewed.
How to catch more fish?
I have been active fishing for quite some time and have found many ways to improve the bite. And here are the most effective:- . Attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones included in the composition and stimulates its appetite. It’s a pity that Rosprirodnadzor wants to impose a ban on its sale.
- More sensitive gear. Reviews and instructions for other types of gear can be found on the pages of my website.
- Lures using pheromones.
Roach
Roach has become widespread in the Russian Federation.
It lives in rivers, ponds and lakes.
The color of a fish depends on the composition of the water in which it lives.
It looks like a rudd.
Roaches feed mainly on algae, fry of various small fish and various midge larvae.
With the onset of winter, they go to spend the winter.
It begins to spawn later than pike, somewhere right at the end of spring, and before spawning it becomes covered with small white spots.
Roach caviar is very soft, transparent and has a green tint.
Bream
Bream is a dull fish, but has a delicious taste. Prefers to live in calm water with slow currents.
Their lifespan is 20 years, however they grow slowly. For example, a bream that lives 10 years weighs only three or four kilograms.
The fish has a silvery-dark color. Life expectancy is seven to eight years. The length varies within 41 cm, and the weight reaches 800 g. It begins to spawn in the spring.
It feeds on aquatic plankton, invertebrate larvae and crayfish mollusks. It lives mainly in the Black and Caspian Seas. In cooking it is used in different forms: fried, boiled, salted, smoked and dried.
Gustera
The silver bream is a sedentary fish. 
The color is bluish-gray. The lifespan of fish is no more than 15 years.
The length is 35 cm and the weight is 1.2 kg. These fish do not grow quickly. They live in calm waters.
Spring and autumn for the silver bream are the period of formation of numerous flocks and dense aggregations.
This is where the name of the fish comes from.
It feeds mainly on insect larvae and small fish mollusks.
The silver bream usually spawns at night, at the end of May or at the beginning of June at a water temperature of 15 to 17 ° C with a duration of 1 to 1.5 months.
The fish has become widespread in European countries. The meat has a lot of bones and is tasteless.
Carp
Carp has a dark yellow-golden color. The lifespan of a fish is 30 years, but it stops growing at 7 or 8 years. Weight is from 1 to 3 kg, and height is 100 cm.
Carp is a freshwater fish, but is also found in the Caspian Sea. In the summer it feeds on young shoots of reeds and other aquatic plants, as well as young eggs of spawning fish, and in the fall it begins to eat various small insects and invertebrates.
Carp
Carp belongs to the carp family. Has a mustache. The fish feed on undercooked potatoes, bread crumbs and cake. In winter, carps hibernate. They are very insatiable and gluttonous.
Life expectancy is about 100 years. The fish is yellow-green and brown in color. Lives in rivers, reservoirs, rates, lakes that have a bottom filled with silt.
Fish spawns at water temperatures from 18 to 20 degrees in the morning. Weight is about 9 kg. In China it is considered a food fish, and in Japan it is considered a decorative food.
crucian carp
Crucian carp is the most famous fish among the people. 
Lives in almost all reservoirs and ponds in Russia.
It belongs to the carp family. It resembles a carp, but does not have a mustache.
This fish is hardy and unpretentious to water quality. They react little to a lack of oxygen.
In winter, fish can freeze into ice and not die if the internal liquid does not freeze.
Weighs 0.5 kg.
Spawns at a temperature of at least 14 degrees.
Tench
It lives in rivers and reservoirs overgrown with plants and covered with a carpet of duckweed.
She is considered a strong fish. It is good to catch tench starting in August. In terms of taste, the fish is no worse than carp and pike perch. It also makes good fish soup.
Chub
The chub is a freshwater fish. Belongs to the carp family. Its length is 80 cm and weighs about 8 kg. It uses aerial insects, young crayfish, fish and frogs as food.
Widespread in European countries and Asia Minor. Spawns at water temperatures from 12 to 17 °C. Likes to live in areas with strong currents.
Ide
Ide is widespread in all rivers and reservoirs of European countries. Prefers slow currents and deep places. Does not hibernate. Quite a hardy fish. Length ranges from 35 to 63 cm, weight ranges from 2 to 2.8 kg.
Life expectancy reaches 20 years. Feeds on animal and plant foods. Ide spawns in the spring at temperatures from 2 to 13 degrees.
Asp
The asp is the most common species of the carp family. 
It has a dark bluish-gray color.
The height of the fish is 120 cm, and the weight ranges between 12 kg.
This species lives in the Black and Caspian Seas.
Likes to swim in fast-moving waters; stagnant places are avoided.
Chekhon
It has a silvery, grayish and yellowish color. The length of the fish is 60 cm and the weight is 2 kg. Life expectancy is 9 years. The fish grows quite quickly.
Lives in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, the sea. Young fish first eat phytoplankton and zooplankton, and in late summer feed on insect larvae. Lives in the Baltic Sea.
Rudd
In appearance, the rudd is similar to a roach, but much more attractive. He is 51 cm tall and weighs 2.1 kg. Life expectancy ranges from 19 years.
Found in rivers that flow into the Caspian, Azov, Black and Aral seas. Fish eat animal and plant microorganisms. They especially love shellfish caviar.
Meat contains many useful minerals such as phosphorus, chromium, vitamin P, proteins and fats.
Podust
Podust has a long body. The lifespan of fish is 10 years. The length reaches 40 cm and the weight is 1.6 kg. Loves fast-flowing rivers.
It feeds on microscopic algae that lie at the bottom of rivers. Spawns in April at temperatures from 6 to 8 degrees. Distributed throughout Europe.
Bleak
Bleak is a fish that is known to every person who has picked up a fishing rod at least once. It belongs to the carp family. The size of the fish ranges from 12 to 15 cm, and the weight reaches about one hundred grams.
It lives in rivers that flow into the Black, Baltic and Azov seas.
Bystryanka
Bystryanka is similar to ordinary bleak. This is a rather small fish and its maximum size was no more than 10 cm. It has a brownish-green color. Weighs about 2 g. Lives about 6 years.
It grows very slowly. It takes zooplankton and algae as food.
Gudgeon
The gudgeon belongs to the carp family. 
The body of the fish is spindle-shaped.
The size is 15-22 cm.
It is found in reservoirs.
Spawns in spring.
Accepts larvae and small invertebrates as food
white cupid
Fish "Great Cupid" belongs to the carp family. It accepts as food only aquatic plants that have high growth rates. The fish is 1.2 m tall and weighs 32 kg. This type of fish is distributed throughout the world.
Silver carp
Silver carp feed on microscopic algae in huge sizes. This is an industrial fish that is easy to acclimatize. She weighs 8 kg. Belongs to the carp family. The fish has teeth that are designed to flatten algae.
Silver carp is widespread in the Republic of China and the Central Asian region. The length of the fish reaches 1 m, and the weight is 25 kg. It is an industrial fish. Silver carp love warm water. In rivers, places with fast currents are selected. They spawn in early spring.
Som
Catfish is a large freshwater scaleless fish of the catfish family. Its length reaches 5 m, and its weight is 400 kg. The color is brown. Lives in the Russian Federation and other European countries. Applies to inactive fish.
Channel catfish
Channel catfish are fish belonging to the catfish family. It contains 37 species of fish that live in North America. The fish has a very slender, scaleless body and huge mustache, which is of particular interest.
Fish spawn at a temperature of 28 degrees. Channel catfish are a heat-loving fish, but they can overwinter under ice.
Acne
Eel is a freshwater fish that belongs to the family of river eels. This fish is predatory. Lives in the Baltic, Azov, Black and Barents seas. It looks like a snake.It has an elongated cylindrical body and a small head, which is flattened in front. This fish is found in waters with clay bottoms. The eel feeds on a variety of animals that live in mud, crayfish, worms, larvae, and snails.
The length is 47 cm, and the weight can reach 8 kg.
Snakehead
Snakehead fish live in swampy areas. Looks like a snake
Burbot
Burbot belongs to the order of cod-like fish. 
It has a long, small and round body.
The color is brown and gray.
But it can change depending on the environment.
This fish spawns in the cold season.
Prefers cold and clean waters.
Burbot is a predator.
Hunts mainly at night.
Feeds on invertebrates and zooplankton. Burbot is an industrial fish.
Loach
The loach fish is one of a small group of fish characterized by a long body that is covered with very small, smooth scales.
In appearance, the loach resembles an eel or a snake. The fish has a long cylindrical body. The length of this fish is 30 cm.
This species is widespread throughout Europe. The fish prefers calm water. It likes to be mostly at the bottom, and comes to the surface only during a thunderstorm or during rains.
Char
Red char fish is a relative of the salmon breed. There are many types of this fish. A characteristic property of the loach is that it has the ability to change its color, which depends on its habitat and the number of years.
These fish have no scales. It is small in size. In cooking, char does not shrink in size when exposed to high temperatures.
Fish is rich in omega-3, that is, fatty acids that help the body perform protective functions to fight inflammation.
Hungarian lamprey
Lives mainly in the river. This fish is widespread in Transcarpathia in Ukraine. The Hungarian lamprey lives in shallow areas of rivers with a clay bottom.
Ukrainian lamprey
Ukrainian lamprey feeds on various types of fish. Lives mainly in rivers. Distributed in the basins of Ukraine. Doesn't like to be deep underwater.
The body length is 25 cm, spawns at a water temperature of 8 degrees. After spawning, they live for another two years and die.
Sterlet
It has a dark gray-brown color. 
Life expectancy is 27 years.
Length ranges from 1.25 m and weight up to 16 kg.
Lives in rivers.
In winter it goes into a sedentary state, goes deeper and does not feed on anything.
Distributed in the Black, Azov, Caspian, White, Barents and Kara seas.
It is a very valuable industrial fish.
Danube salmon
Danube salmon is a unique representative of the fish fauna of Ukraine. It lives in the Danube River basin and is not found anywhere else in the world. The fish belongs to the salmon family. Its length is about 1 meter.
Salmon color is gray. It begins to spawn in April. This fish is a voracious predator that feeds small fish. The weight of the fish is 140 g, sizes range up to 15 cm.
The lifespan of Danube salmon is twenty years.
This species is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and is protected. It is forbidden to catch him.
Brook trout
Brook trout belongs to the salmon family. It has a body length of 25 - 55 cm, and a weight of 0.2 - 2 kg or more. The color changes from dark brown to golden. This fish leads a sedentary lifestyle and does not like to migrate.
Trout feeds on crayfish and insect larvae. The most large number Trout get their food during a thunderstorm, when the wind blows a huge number of insect larvae into the water.
Umber
Umbra belongs to the Eudoschidae family. The body dimensions are 10 cm and the weight is approximately 30 g. The color is reddish-brown. It became widespread in the basin of the Danube and Dniester rivers.
If it hears danger, it burrows into the ground. Spawns in March or April. It eats fish larvae and small invertebrates.
European grayling
European grayling is one of the main industrial fish in the North of the Urals. Spawns in rivers at a temperature of 10 degrees. She is very predatory fish. Likes to be in fast-flowing rivers.
Carp
Carp is a freshwater fish. Belongs to the carp family. The fish is dark in color. Its length is 60 centimeters. The carp is found in the Black, Azov and Caspian seas. Weight is about 5 kg.
River fish without bones
There are no bones in the following types of fish:
- in maritime language;
- in fish of the sturgeon family, which belong to the order Chordata.
Features of river fish
Water is a very dense substance, so the movement of fish in it is difficult. However, her body is adapted to such conditions.
Many fish, especially good swimmers, has a long torpedo or spindle shape. Such fish include salmon, podust, dace, chub, asp, sabrefish and herring. In calm water and with small current There are fish that have a flat body. These include bream, rudd and crucian carp.
Among the river fish there are predators - pike, burbot, pike perch and catfish, which have a terrible mouth, huge jaws and strong teeth. Pike has the peculiarity of arching when swallowing food.
Fish that feed on small fish have small mouth openings. And those that feed from the bottom and dig the ground have a retractable mouth.
The skin color of many fish changes depending on their habitat. The speed of movement can be from ten to twenty meters per second.
Our planet has been inhabited by many different animals for millions of years. Among them, a special type stands out - fish. They filled rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. These animals play a large role in the natural food chain, as well as in the human environment. Both sea and river fish serve as a source of food for people, medicines and fertilizers for agriculture, as well as raw materials for light industry. What are these inhabitants of the rivers of our country, how do they survive and what do they eat? This issue deserves due attention, because all living organisms on Earth are necessary parts of nature.
Fishes of Russian rivers
The most common fish that live in Russian rivers are beluga, pike, burbot, catfish, sturgeon, stickleback, crucian carp, salmon, carp, perch, carp, and rudd. And this is not a complete list of them. The fastest river fish include salmon, dace, podust, asp and sabrefish, and the most nimble include rudd, bream, roach, bream, tench and crucian carp. These aquatic vertebrates are divided into predatory and peaceful inhabitants. What river fish eat directly depends on this division. The former feed on smaller representatives of this class, while the latter spend most of their time searching for plankton and plant food. Especially in summer, various algae grow rapidly, which provide a haven for crustaceans and mollusks. And this is not just food, but a kind of delicacy for fish. Predators (for example, pike, pike perch, perch), in turn, feed on smaller fish.
The largest representatives of river fish
Nowadays, any river fish whose length is more than 1.80 meters and weighs at least 90 kg is considered a large specimen. Several species of these aquatic vertebrates hold the record for size. One of them is the beluga. Its weight reaches 1400 kg, and its length is about five meters. Beluga and pike keep up with the size. Its largest representatives are found in the northern rivers of Russia.
The European (common) catfish weighs about 350 kg and is up to 4.5 meters long. He lives in almost all big rivers both Russia and the CIS. The catfish is unusual in that its body consists of a huge head and a huge tail.
The most valuable freshwater fish
River fish of Russia have their most valuable specimens. The most expensive of them is the Russian beluga. For example, a female caught weighing 1227 kg yielded 240 kg of very high-quality caviar. Its value today is about two hundred thousand dollars.
The second most expensive is carp. It belongs to the category of especially valuable ones. For example, in the seventies in the Volga River delta, the catch of carp was at least ten thousand tons per year.
Fishes of the rivers of Primorye
Russia has a huge territory, in the reservoirs of which there are many various types fish Thus, considering the inhabitants of fresh water bodies of the Primorsky Territory, one can count about one hundred and fifty of their varieties. Some, such as Sakhalin taimen, are even listed in the Red Book. Other river fish of Primorye can boast of the most unusual names - for example, snake-catcher, horse-guar, yellow-cheeked and topgazer. In addition to the fish mentioned above, the local fish include Amur pike, catfish, crucian carp, carp, salmon, lenok, counj and grayling. One of the most unpretentious and widespread fish of the Primorsky Territory is the rudd. And although many locals consider it too bony, its taste is excellent. There are two types of rudd: small-scaled and large-scaled. Typically this fish grows up to half a meter in length and weighs up to one and a half kilograms.
Fishing in the Moscow region
For those who like to fish, the Moscow region has remained a favorite place for a relaxing holiday for many years. Amazing nature, quiet evenings, clean air and plenty of fish in the reservoirs - everything you need for Russian fishing. Severka, Ruza, Istra, Nerskaya, Protva, Nara, Besputa, Dubna, Sestra and others hide various popular and tasty fish in their waters. This includes perch, and carp, and crucian carp, and roach, and pike, and gudgeon, and bream, and chub, and bream, and asp, and bleak. River fish in the Moscow region are caught using fishing rods, spinning rods, fly fishing rods, boats and bales.
Pike - the queen of Russian rivers
Speaking about the fish that are found in Russia, one cannot fail to mention the heroine of Russian fairy tales - the pike. It lives not only in the reservoirs of our country, but also in the rivers of European countries, as well as Asia and the United States of America. The size of pikes is determined by the food supply: the larger the average size of fish in the river, the larger the pike can grow. It is rightfully considered one of the most predatory freshwater fish. Her appearance fully demonstrates this: a long flattened head with a huge mouth and a large number of sharp teeth looks terrifying. Many river fish have become prey for this agile predator. The color of pikes is mainly gray-green, with speckles. Thanks to their slippery cylindrical body, they move quickly and swiftly. Pike feed mainly on smaller perch and others), but there are often cases of eating individuals of their own species. In addition, the diet of these predators includes amphibians, reptiles, large insects, various garbage, small mammals, and even waterfowl chicks.
Rare and endangered fish
Today, on the territory of Russia, many river fish need human participation and care, the list of which is growing every year. These include Azov beluga, sterlet, Volga herring, Volkhov whitefish, black carp, Baikal white grayling, Baikal sturgeon, common sculpin, Kamchatka salmon and others. All these fish are on the verge of extinction. Take the Volkhov whitefish, which previously, before its construction (1925), played a big role in the fishery and was found in huge quantities in the Volkhov, Syaz, and Svir rivers.
The catch of Baikal sturgeon in the nineteenth century reached three thousand centners, and in the nineties of the twentieth century it decreased to two hundred centners. Today, most often these river fish are found in Lake Baikal and the rivers flowing into it - Angara, Kitoye, Belaya, Selenga, Barguzin and Khamar-Daban. A similar fate befell the Baikal white grayling, which was also previously widespread in these waters.
Another endangered species is black carp. Due to a sharp decrease in the number of this fish in the seventies of the last century, a ban on its fishing was established. Today it is found in and also in Ussuri.
Impact of the environmental situation
Unfortunately, today the environmental situation is affecting many river systems. Quite often there are cases of river pollution by emissions from factories and industrial enterprises, storm water, which contain various hazardous chemicals. Under such circumstances, river fish, crayfish, turtles and other inhabitants not only change their usual way of life, but also become victims of mutations or disappear altogether. And it’s no secret that insufficient attention from human society can lead to an irreparable environmental disaster.
Almost half of all fish species are freshwater. It is logical that they live in bodies of fresh water - lakes, rivers, artificial reservoirs. These fish are characterized by good vitality, so they can easily tolerate even bad conditions. In this article we will look at the most interesting views freshwater fish and their characteristics.
Life of freshwater fish: we can't survive without scales
In fact, it is not so easy for fish to live in fresh water. Initially they are adapted to salty sea water. Therefore, during evolution they experienced a number of physiological adaptations. Moreover, thanks to this, most of these fish can tolerate both salty sea water and significant fluctuations in salinity levels.
According to this criterion, all fish are classified into 2 types:
Euryhaline, which can withstand strong fluctuations (such as most gobies),
. stenohaline - these vibrations withstand, survive only when weak or do not survive at all (for example, coral reef fish).
Freshwater fish can exist in fresh water bodies with minimal mineralization (even less than a fifth of a hundredth of a percent). Speciation occurs quickly due to their isolated habitats.
The main physiological differences between freshwater fish and saltwater fish:
The ability of gills to diffuse dissolved gases, which contributes to the preservation of salts in body fluids;
. the tendency of scales to reduce the diffusion of water through the skin - this function is so important that fish with severely damaged scales simply die;
. developed kidneys that secrete large amounts of dilute urine.
Freshwater fish species are amazing record holders
It is commonly believed that the most beautiful, tasty and largest fish are found in the seas. But among freshwater fish there are also outstanding specimens! So, let's move on to the very, very freshwater fish!
Does size matter?
The most large views- beluga, arapaima, catfish. Moreover, the largest freshwater fish is found in Russia - this is the osteochondral beluga from the sturgeon family called “Huso huso”. Imagine, the weight of this giant significantly exceeds a ton - 1,400 kilograms, and its length reaches 5 meters.
The pike doesn’t graze the hind ones either!
These “fairy tale fish” can reach phenomenal sizes and live a very long time. The most big pike that humanity has seen was very unique. This beauty grew up in hothouse conditions and was the favorite of Emperor Frederick II Barbarossa, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.
One day he released her into free swimming - into a lake near Heilbronn, having previously ringed her. The ring was engraved with the inscription: “I am the same fish that Frederick II planted in this pond with his own hands on October 5, 1230.” According to legend, this fish was caught in 1497. It is written in the history books that she then weighed 8 pounds and 30 pounds (!) and lived no less than 267 years.
When this pike was caught, it was completely white with age. Today, the portrait of this record holder is kept in Lautern Castle, the ring and skeleton are in Mannheim. But modern researchers allowed themselves to doubt the reliability of such a strange story and came to the conclusion that it was a complex hoax. But things have been going on for a long time days gone by, deep legends of antiquity - it is no longer possible to prove anything for sure...
And if you come down from heaven to earth, then a freshwater fish more than 1 meter 80 centimeters long and weighing more than 90 kilograms is already considered very large.
Small and remote
Dwarf pandas are considered the smallest freshwater fish. They could be called invisible fish, because in addition to their tiny size (weight - 4-5 milligrams, and body length - about 8-10 millimeters), colorlessness is also added - it is almost transparent. Natural habitat - lakes in the Philippines. This fish breed is at the stage of extinction, therefore it is protected by law and is listed in the Red Book.
Special fish value
The most expensive freshwater fish lives in Russia - this is the same beluga Huso huso. For example, once fishermen were lucky to catch a female beluga weighing about 120 kilograms in the Tikhaya Sosna River. The main value, of course, is its caviar - 245 kilograms of delicacy top quality was sold for an amount of 200 thousand dollars.
Fish of unprecedented beauty
The rarest freshwater fish lives in the USA, in one of the ponds in Nevada. It is called very cutely - carpozubik. And today only about 500 copies of these individuals remain.
