European perch

The European perch (Perca fluviatilis), also known as the common perch, redfin perch, big-scaled redfin, English perch, Eurasian perch, Eurasian river perch, Hatch or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the perch, is a kind of predatory freshwater fish. It belongs in the genus Perca and lives in Europe and Siberia. It is typically less than 25 cm long. It has greenish basic colour with 5-9 black bands, and red fins.

Illustration of a European perch

European perch lives in water which contains no salt or very little salt. It can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds and areas where sea water mixes with river water such as the Baltic Sea.

European perch eats small animals in the water, such as insects, worms and small fish. It is most hungry early in the morning and late in the evening. European perch tastes good and fishermen like to catch it.

Description

European perch are greenish with red pelvic, anal and caudal fins. They have five to eight dark vertical bars on their sides. When the perch grows larger, a hump grows between its head and dorsal fin.

Distribution and habitat

The European perch lives in slow-flowing rivers, deep lakes and ponds. It tends to avoid cold or fast-flowing waters but some specimens penetrate waters of these type, although they do not breed in this habitat.

Outside Europe

European perch has been widely introduced, with reported adverse ecological impact after introduction. In Australia, the species is implicated in the decline of the now-endangered native fish, the Macquarie perch.

Related pages

• List of fish common names