List of river fish. What freshwater fish is found in the reservoirs of Russia? Fish similar to a bush

In this article we will consider the question of what kind of fish is. It should be clarified right away that the word "fish" in the meaning of "dish" will not be discussed here. Only living fish, that is, a creature that lives in the aquatic environment, is of interest to us in this case. This is a superclass of aquatic vertebrates, in the bulk of which gill respiration predominates and there is no feeding of offspring with milk by special glands.

Separation of fish by habitat

These creatures in this vein should be considered according to the main feature - whether they belong to freshwater, brackish water, or they require salt water for life. As you can see, the question of what kind of fish happens can be answered in detail. In the first case, it is one that lives exclusively in salty - sea or ocean water. There are also breeds that survive well in both fresh and salty environments. This happens because a brackish liquid is considered optimal for them, that is, one in which the ratio of fresh water and salt is in a ratio of approximately 1000: 1.

and oceans

If the reader is interested in what kind of fish happens in the seas and oceans, then this far from complete list will be the answer:

Already by the names it can be determined that how different are the ocean and Photos of some species will only confirm this fact.

Freshwater fish habitat

When asked about what kind of fish happens, they answered you: “Freshwater”? What is fresh water?

It should immediately be answered that the aquatic environment, which practically does not contain salts, can be called fresh. Usually this is considered running water, that is, rivers. But many lakes are included in this category. It is no secret that some freshwater fish are bred artificially for commercial purposes in man-made ponds and ditches. By the way, looking at photos of river fish living in natural conditions and comparing them with pictures of those that were born and raised in man-made reservoirs, it is almost impossible to notice the difference.

And, what is quite interesting, even swamps can serve as a habitat for some types of freshwater fish.

river dwellers

Many of the superclass of aquatic vertebrates that do not feed offspring with milk (belong to freshwater) live in rivers. The list is also quite large. In Russia, the most common are the following:

The photos are incredibly beautiful. Anglers often take pictures of their trophies and are extremely proud of them. Unfortunately, live river fish in their natural habitat is poorly represented in the photographs.

Who lives in swamps?

Carp is interesting in this regard. Although he can live comfortably in rivers and lakes, ichthyologists still believe that it is extremely difficult to meet him in clean mountain waters. But in low-lying swampy lakes and directly in the swamps, he feels just fine.

Many anglers claim that they often come across carp, carp, gobies, tench and eels on a hook in overgrown muddy reservoirs. Catfish, too, although occasionally, is found here.

Separation of fish species according to the method of feeding

All river and sea fish, as well as aquarium decorative ones, are classified based on how they feed. Some of these animals should be classified as predators, since their main diet is smaller fish, often even fry of the same species. Many predators do not disdain shellfish, caviar, carrion.

To date, tragic cases of attacks on humans by the largest bloodthirsty fish - sharks - are known. There are legends among the people about how dangerous catfish and big pikes are for people. Allegedly, some large individuals of these species can drag a child or a thin woman deep into the reservoir, where they deal with their victims. Or, they say, they mercilessly bite off the limbs of the unfortunate while bathing. However, there was no reliable evidence of this.

But the sea "sisters" of river pikes - barracudas - are capable of terrible crimes. Merciless moray eels are also a match for them, about which they say that in ancient times among the Greeks they were widespread aquarium fish, which their owners used as a tool for executing objectionable and guilty people.

Stories about piranhas, chimeras, tiger fish and giant goopers freeze the heart - these are also sea fish. Photos of the above killer fish look pretty intimidating. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that most predators among fish pose a danger only to smaller inhabitants of reservoirs. These include burbot, catfish, trout, pike, eel, whitefish, asp, bersh, perch, pike perch, grayling, which live in large numbers in Russian rivers.

Gobies, loaches, dace, carps, tenches, roaches, fish, blueberries, barbels, ides, spikes, bleaks, carps, rotans, minnows, breams, crucian carp, silver breams, tops, white-eyes, cupids, chubs, ruffs, rudd, peled, vendace and some other freshwater fish.

Differences in the method of reproduction

Most living creatures of the considered superclass of vertebrates are spawners. And here there is a division, because some species use external fertilization. This happens in those cases when the female throws unfertilized eggs into the water, and males belonging to the same species of fish secrete a white liquid with spermatozoa - milk into a fertile environment.

There are fish that are ovoviviparous. That is, fertilization occurs inside the body of the female. It turns out that an already almost formed fry is born. These include some stingrays, sharks, eagles, eelpouts, carps and some others.

Some aquarium fish are also viviparous, photos of which are presented in the article. These are, for example, guppies and swordtails.

Reproduction of salmon and sturgeon

Spawners include salmon and sturgeon (the so-called red fish). A photo of a male salmon before spawning clearly demonstrates how much its appearance changes before this important period in life. Appearing peculiar hump on the back gave the name to one of the types of salmon - pink salmon. The jaws of the fish are bent in a hook-like manner, their body acquires a bright, even defiant color.

Interestingly, most species of red pink salmon, chum salmon and others) are brackish. They are born in fresh rivers, then swim across to the marine environment. For spawning, males and females move against the current back to the places of their appearance. A very large number of representatives of salmon die during this period, without reaching the goal: some due to natural factors, and others due to poaching. After spawning, almost all individuals of both sexes die. Although ichthyologists found several exceptions to this rule, that is, they managed to register several females that came to spawn five or even seven times.

The names of some species of this most valuable commercial breed are also known to almost everyone. These are stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, spike, beluga, sterlet and some others.

aquarium fish

Photos of these vertebrates attract the attention of even those people who are absolutely indifferent to ichthyology and have no desire to have such peculiar pets. The brightness of color, the unusualness of their appearance play a major role in this.

However, for those who are interested in the underwater world and its inhabitants, aquarium fish can be a real practical tool. Observing them, studying their habits, one can distinguish all the main gradations of this natural superclass of vertebrates.

Just like all fish, these pets kept in aquariums are divided into freshwater, brackish and marine.

There are notorious predators here, attacking other inhabitants not at all from hunger, but because such is their natural essence. Such examples are piranhas and ornamental sharks. Along with them, there are insectivorous fish, as well as those that prefer worms, bloodworms, algae, etc.

Aquarium fish are divided into spawning and viviparous. Most, of course, are those that throw caviar and milk into the water.

Briefly about the main ...

Observing the life of fish, a person draws important conclusions for himself: in nature everything is interconnected, everything is dependent on one another. And a person is one of the links in the chain, for the integrity of which he is responsible.

Asking the question, what is the largest fish in the world, you can not find an exact answer to it. After all, sometimes they diverge from the information that fishermen own. If we take into account the overall statistics, we can confidently identify the main contenders for this position. Perhaps it would be wrong to classify all the inhabitants of the underwater bottom according to the same characteristics, so you should also decide which is the largest freshwater fish that lives in the world.

The biggest fish in the ocean

According to official data, the whale shark is the largest fish living in the ocean depths.

Appearance

What does the biggest fish in the world look like? The average size of a whale shark is 9.7 meters. The weight of individuals is 9 tons. There are also larger individuals, in particular, a case of catching a whale shark weighing 22 tons and measuring 12.6 meters was recorded.

Outwardly, the whale shark is very different from representatives of this species. The thick skin in placoid scales on the back has a dark gray-brown color, and on the belly it is gray-white. Her back is painted with a pattern of light stripes and spots, which create a unique individual pattern that does not change throughout life, like human fingerprints.

The huge mouth of the whale shark is 1.5 meters wide. There are 300-350 small teeth in the mouth.

Habitat

This large fish lives throughout the oceans, but its population is not the same in different areas. Individuals prefer warm temperate and tropical waters. You can meet representatives of the species in Florida, California. It lives in the Indian Ocean and swims to the coast of Africa. Not found in Japan, south of Brazil and northern Australia, does not swim in the Mediterranean.

Whale sharks move in a small group, rarely individuals stay alone. If the habitat is rich in food, then they can form colonies of hundreds of representatives.

Nutrition

Despite the status of the largest fish in the world, the whale shark is not a hunter of large prey. Her diet is:

• krill;
• shrimps;
• small fish;
• jellyfish;
• plankton, etc.

In general, she eats everything that she can suck into her huge mouth.

While feeding, the shark moves very slowly, often positioning itself almost vertically to the surface of the water. After taking a sip, the fish closes its mouth and passes water through the gill slits. Filtered food enters the stomach, and water exits through the gills. The shark takes about 10-16 sips per minute. It takes quite a long time to get enough - about 7 hours a day.

reproduction

Whale sharks reach sexual maturity at 30 years of age. Moreover, females become ready for breeding earlier than males.

This large fish is ovoviviparous. Fry about half a meter in size hatch immediately from the shell. The number of babies can reach up to 300 individuals. For the first couple of weeks, they feed on the internal reserves of their body.

The whale shark is long-lived - its average age is about 80 years.

The ocean is not the only habitat for huge fish. Now we will try to find out what the world's largest fish that lives in fresh water looks like. Based on statistics, this is the beluga.

Appearance

This fish belongs to the sturgeon family and is listed in the Red Book. Beluga is considered an endangered species, as it is hunted for its meat and caviar.

Outwardly, it differs from other sturgeons in its large mouth. Flattened antennae grow on the face of the fish. Her body is thick, cylindrical, with growths on the back, which are called bugs. Like most freshwater fish, the color of the beluga on the back is dark gray, while the belly is much lighter.

The weight of an adult individual reaches 1500 kg or more, with a total length of about 6 meters.

Habitat

Beluga is not only a freshwater fish, as adults also live in sea water. Only there can a large beluga find enough food. Anadromous fish for spawning goes to fresh water bodies of rivers, where they get from the sea depths of the Caspian, Black and Azov seas. It also lives in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. Fish from the Caspian Sea most often breed in the Volga, Azov returns to spawn in the Don River, and Black Sea individuals visit the Dnieper, Danube, and Dniester.

Nutrition

Due to its large size, the beluga consumes a lot of food. It is for this that adults go to sea. There, her diet is animal food - the beluga is a predator. Most often, she eats herring, sprat, goby and juveniles. In addition to fish, the beluga can catch ducklings and seal pups (white seals).

reproduction

Like other long-lived fish, beluga become sexually mature at a fairly adult age - at 12-14 years old males, and at 16-18 years old females. The fish, ready for breeding, returns from the sea to the river. Migration takes place upstream. One individual can spawn once every few years. For spawning, the beluga chooses a rocky bottom at a depth. Caviar glued to stones and pebbles is fertilized by males swimming nearby. If, for some reason, the female failed to lay eggs, then it resolves inside her.

About 90% of the eggs die, the rest hatch into fry in a week, which behave like predators from birth. Gradually they descend downstream to the sea.

The nature of the beluga is intended for a long life - up to 100 years or more. But rare individuals survive to this age, since the beluga, listed in the Red Book, is constantly hunted.

So, the answer to the question, what is the largest fish in the world, will be the whale shark. Beluga is rightfully the first among freshwater fish.

Carp is the common name for freshwater fish of the carp family. They are widely distributed in various water bodies around the world. They prefer quiet, stagnant or slow-flowing waters with a hard clay and slightly silty bottom. Able to grow up to 1.2 meters in length and weigh more than 100 kg. They feed on mollusks, crustaceans, worms and insect larvae. The largest carp caught by a British angler in 2013 weighed 45.59 kg.

Common taimen is a species of large freshwater fish, the largest representative of the salmon family. They live in the fast-flowing coldish rivers of Siberia and in the Amur River basin. Common taimen can grow up to 1.5–2 m long and weigh 60–80 kg. However, most of the mature fish caught averaged 70 to 120 cm in length and weighed 15 to 30 kg. The largest specimen caught, recorded by the International Game Fish Association, weighed 41.95 kg and was 156 cm long. The species is listed in the Red Book.

The common catfish is a large freshwater scaleless bottom fish that lives in deep sections of rivers, deep channels, lakes and reservoirs throughout Europe and Asia. The body length of catfish can reach 5 m, weight - 100 kg. There is a lot of information about giant catfish, reaching 250–300 kg, but there is no documentary evidence of the existence of such catfish. It is a typical predator and feeds on fish, large benthic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, waterfowl, small mammals and even relatives. Like pike, catfish is an excellent orderly of reservoirs; it eats sick and weakened fish. Cases of attacks on people are also described.

The Nile perch is a species of large freshwater predatory fish that lives in the basins of the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger rivers, as well as in the lakes of Chad, Volta, Turkana and other reservoirs. Found in Lake Maryut in Egypt. Able to grow up to 2 meters in length, and weigh up to 200 kg. However, adults usually reach a length of 121-137 cm. The Nile perch is a predator that dominates in the waters of residence. It feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans and insects. Where food resources are limited, relatives can also be eaten.

Beluga is a species of fish from the sturgeon family. It lives in the White, Caspian, Azov, Black, Adriatic seas, from where it enters the rivers for spawning. Their body length can reach 5 m, weight - 1000 kg (usually they catch individuals up to 2.5 m and weighing up to 200–300 kg). As an exception, according to unconfirmed reports, there were individuals 9 m long and weighing up to 2 tons, if this information is correct, then the beluga can be considered the largest freshwater fish in the world. It feeds mainly on fish, but does not neglect shellfish.

The fifth place in the list of the largest freshwater fish on the planet is occupied by the White sturgeon - a species of fish of the sturgeon family, the largest freshwater fish in North America. It lives at the bottom of slow-moving rivers and bays along the western coast of North America. White sturgeon can grow up to 6.1 m long and weigh 816 kg. It feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

The Chinese paddlefish or psephur is a freshwater fish that lives only in the Yangtze River, sometimes swims in large lakes and the Yellow Sea. Their body length can exceed 3 meters, weight 300 kilograms. There is information that in the 1950s, fishermen caught a paddlefish 7 meters long and weighing about 500 kg, although the reliability of this story is unconfirmed. Feeds on fish and crustaceans. Its meat and caviar are highly valued in China.

The giant freshwater stingray (Himantura polylepis) is a species of freshwater stingray that lives in the tropical waters of several large rivers in Indochina and Kalimantan. Able to grow up to 1.9 m wide and weigh 600 kg. They feed mainly on crustaceans and mollusks, possibly earthworms. The giant freshwater stingray is not aggressive, although they must be handled with care as their venomous long spike can easily pierce human bone. This species is endangered.

Mississippi cuirass

The Mississippi shell or alligator pike is a species of large freshwater fish found in the lower Mississippi River valley and its tributaries in North and Central America. This is a very fast and strong, but shy fish. According to experts, the Mississippian shell can grow up to 3 m in length and weigh more than 130 kg. In 2011, the largest carapace caught was officially registered, its length was 2.572 m, weight 148 kg. It feeds mainly on fish, small mammals, birds, turtles, etc. There are known cases of attacks on children, fortunately, they never ended fatally. Included in the list of prehistoric fish that were considered extinct.

The giant shilb catfish is the largest endangered freshwater fish. It is found only in the lower reaches of the Mekong River, as well as in the Tonle Sap River and Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Fish of this species can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh 150–200 kg. They are herbivores - they feed mainly on algae and phytoplankton. The largest specimen caught in 2005 reached a length of 2.7 m and weighed 293 kg, it was he who was recognized as the largest freshwater fish caught by man.

Fishes common in all types of water bodies, from marine water spaces to the smallest ponds, eriks and rivers. The tropics and eternal ice are also rich in unusual varieties of fish. In the reservoirs of Russia, aquatic inhabitants are very diverse and distinguished by their beauty. On the territory of the Russian Federation there are more than 120 thousand rivers, about 2,000,000 lakes, 12 seas, 3 oceans, and all of them are habitats fish. Even in fresh Russian reservoirs, more than 450 fish species, and many live permanently, and some arrive temporarily until a certain period.

general information

According to the presence and nature of the rays in the fins of most bony fish, a fin formula is compiled, which is widely used in their description and definition. In this formula, the abbreviated designation of the fin is given in Latin letters: A - anal fin (from Latin pinna analis), P - pectoral fin (pinna pectoralis), V - ventral fin (pinna ventralis) and D1, D2 - dorsal fins (pinna dorsalis). Roman numerals give the numbers of prickly, and Arabic - soft rays.

Gills absorb oxygen from the water and release carbon dioxide, ammonia, urea and other waste products into the water. Teleost fish have four gill arches on each side.

Gill rakers are the thinnest, longest, and most numerous in plankton-feeding fish. In predators, gill rakers are rare and sharp. The number of stamens is counted on the first arch, located immediately under the gill cover.

The pharyngeal teeth are located on the pharyngeal bones, behind the fourth branchial arch.

Fish, as an equal participant in the Earth's ecological system, plays an important role in human life. Sea and river fish are an inexhaustible source that supplies a person 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 reservoirs

The gastronomic value of Russian freshwater fish 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 river fish names 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 the correct identification of each individual caught can hardly be overestimated. It depends on many factors that affect the result of fishing. These are the features of the behavior of the object of hunting, and preferences in food.

Popular objects of fishing

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 eat plant foods and plankton. The best-known carnivorous fish are, without a doubt, zander, perch and catfish. But the absolute leadership of this conditional rating belongs to the pike.

Common pike

The body of the predator has the shape of a torpedo, which allows him to make sharp throws, because his favorite pike hunting option - ambush. Color camouflage type, a fairly wide range of colors, from gray to almost black or dark green. Brownish hues may be present depending on habitat. The white color of the belly provides predator camouflage against the sky. Fins yellowish-red.

The basis of the diet is small fish, but large individuals are able to attack waterfowl, amphibians and small animals leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle: muskrats, beaver cubs and otters. Typically, the weight of a pike rarely exceeds 15-18 kg, but in large and densely populated water bodies, some specimens can reach 40 kg in weight.

river perch

Another characteristic representative of predatory fish that live in inland waters of Russia. It lives in flocks at shallow depths, preferring quiet, clear waters. It has a greenish-yellow or gray-green color with characteristic gray, sometimes reaching black, transverse stripes.

The characteristic feature of the species is the dorsal fin. divided into two parts. The anterior is rather rigid, with sharp needles. The back of the fin is soft. The color of the pelvic and anal fins varies from pale orange to bright red.

The perch's diet is quite diverse and consists of small fish, including its own species, insects and crustaceans that live in the water and near it.

The most popular baits are small-sized spinners and animal baits: worm, bloodworm and small live bait.

The size of river perch rarely exceeds 40–45 cm and weighs 1.0–1.5 kg.

Golden crucian (silver)

This species, which is perhaps the most famous representative of the carp family, lives in almost all water bodies of Russia. Large and small rivers and lakes, reservoirs and ponds, reclamation canals and water-filled quarries - all these are places where crucian carp can be found. He is absolutely indifferent to the quality of water and even to its short-term absence.

It leads a benthic lifestyle, feeding on zooplankton, insect larvae, worms and aquatic plants. The body is rounded, slightly compressed on both sides, covered with smooth scales. There are two species forms of this fish: gold and silver. According to belonging to one of the forms color varies from silver to golden hues.

It reaches 50-60 cm in size and weighs 2.5-3.0 kg. The most common fishing tool is a fly rod, but it is also successfully caught on bottom gear. In winter, it is inactive, so the summer months are considered the most favorable fishing time.

Russian sturgeon

This inhabitant of Russian rivers can, without exaggeration, be called one of the hallmarks of Russia. Sturgeon is a fairly large fish. The body length of individual specimens can reach six meters. The weight of commercial sturgeons varies in the range of 10-20 kg, however, there are known facts of catching specimens weighing 7-8 centners or more.

The fusiform elongated body of the fish, consisting of cartilaginous tissues, does not contain vertebrae. In it throughout the life of the sturgeon, the notochord is preserved. Scales missing, and on the body of the fish there are peculiar diamond-shaped bony scutes-bugs. The sturgeon has a color that is various variations of gray, turning on the belly into white or grayish-yellow. The fins of the fish are usually dark grey.

The Russian sturgeon, however, like its Siberian or Amur relatives, leads a benthic lifestyle, descending to depths of up to a hundred meters, where, in fact, it finds food for itself.

The diet of the sturgeon is varied and includes insect larvae, shrimps, worms and leeches; it does not disdain small fish. With a lack of protein food, the sturgeon successfully consumes algae.

The fact that the sturgeon belongs to long-lived fish cannot but be of interest. The average life expectancy of this amazing fish is 50-60 years, but history knows examples of catching century-old specimens.

river eel

This unique fish is extremely similar to a snake, as it has an elongated, rounded and slightly laterally compressed body. Layer of thick mucus covering an eel, makes it very slippery, which often helps him return to the water after meeting with the angler. The caudal, dorsal and anal fins form a kind of ribbon that borders a significant part of the fish's body.

The color of the eel entirely depends on the age and living conditions. A characteristic metallic luster is considered a feature of the color, which allows the fish to be called silver.

The habitats of the river eel are characterized by a clay bottom and a weak current. It is there that he finds his livelihood, which is served by worms and crustaceans. It is caught with the help of float and bottom rods, as a rule, at night. Live bait serves 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 to sea fish in terms of benefits for the human body, the content of mineral and vitamin substances in its meat is quite high. River fish fillet contains a lot of tocopherol, vitamins A and D. Therefore, regular consumption of river fish meat has an extremely positive effect on hair health, gives the skin a healthy glow and pleasant color, and maintains the stability of the organs of vision.

A person who systematically eats fish that lives in fresh water rarely has to be in a state of stress, since magnesium, which is part of fish meat, improves the functioning of the nervous system. And this, in turn, eliminates irritability, normalizes sleep.

How much fish do you need to 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 bone structure, and according to this indicator, river fish is significantly inferior to sea fish. Nevertheless, among the representatives of fresh water there are species whose meat is practically boneless. The fish of Russian rivers and haute cuisine did not bypass their attention. So, from pike, whose meat is considered by many to be low-grade, European chefs prepare a masterpiece dish - “Gefilte fish”.

Endangered and rare species

Today, many representatives of the ichthyofauna living in Russian water bodies need human help. And the most depressing fact is the constant expansion of this sad list:

All these and some other species of fish are balancing on the verge of extinction from the face of our planet. For example, the Volkhov whitefish until the mid-thirties of the last century was the main object of commercial fishing in the basins of the Svir, Volkhov, Syaz rivers. However, the commissioning of the Volkhovskaya HPP "sentenced" this valuable fish to extinction.

Red Book

The compilers of the Red Book classified endangered and rare fish species living in the reservoirs of the Russian Federation into five categories. The number indicator was chosen as the main selection criterion:

1. Species whose abundance is at a critical level and which are threatened with extinction.
2. Species with a rapidly declining population.
3. Rare, found in limited areas or in small quantities.
4. Little known and poorly studied species.
5. 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 could be in the Red Book unreasonably. The state of ecology of many river systems located on the territory of the Russian Federation is not conducive to optimism either.

Pollution of water bodies with wastewater containing high-risk chemicals and harmful emissions from industrial enterprises not only lead to a change in the habitual lifestyle of representatives of the ichthyofauna, but also threaten with mutations and the complete disappearance of the latter.

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