What types of predatory fish are there? Predatory fish. Types and diversity of predatory fish. Catching predatory fish

Quote:“He who wants to live must fight. And whoever does not want to resist in this world of eternal struggle has no right to life.”

Dear reader, this article is about predators in a freshwater aquarium. There are a lot of fables floating around on the Internet regarding this issue, even to the point that angelfish are fierce predators of the aquarium.

Therefore, before posting our selection predatory fish ok, let's define the concepts.

All animals can be divided into predators and herbivores:

PREDATORY- these are those who eat exclusively meat.

HERBIVORES- these are those who feed exclusively on plants.

Now it is worth noting the fact that in nature it is very rare to find a predatory animal that feeds exclusively on meat. For example, cats! Cats are predators, but all happy owners of Barsiks and Murzikovs know that their pets love to chew grass and house plants. And some even enjoy eating bread and boiled vegetables.

The same situation is with fish. In the huge aquarium kingdom it is very difficult to find a “meat-eating fish”. Perhaps there is no such thing. We don’t promise, but the diet of all aquarium fish includes both plant and animal food.

From the above we can conclude - predatory aquarium fish in the true sense of the word does not exist. When talking about fish predation, the word aggression is most likely appropriate. But there is also a problem with aggression - after all, even guppies show intraspecific aggression, although they are not at all like predators.

Thus, we can derive a certain vector of understanding of the phrase: “PREDATORY AQUARIUM FISH” - these are overly aggressive, large, territorial aquarium fish, whose diet mainly includes meat food.

SELECTION OF PREDATORY AQUARIUM FISH

Many people know that the cichlid family of fish are mostly aggressive, territorial fish, this statement especially applies to African cichlids. In some species of cichlids, there is even the most severe intraspecific aggression, which manifests itself not only in males towards each other, but even between male and female, for example, as in l abeotropheus trevavas. Sometimes it comes to the point that keeping a female and a male together becomes simply impossible, since the latter kills an individual of the opposite sex to death.

Astronotus is the most popular and widespread cichlid with a predatory disposition. A large, aggressive fish, which is best kept in a species aquarium and in pairs. Astronotuses perceive all small neighbors as food. And with large species, clashes constantly occur. It’s almost impossible to hook someone up with an adult couple.

Fish can reach 35 cm. Astorontus is native to the Amazon basin, the Parana, Paraguay, Rio Negro river system. The volume of the aquarium for such cichlins is from 300 to 500 liters.

Water parameters: pH 6.0-8.0, temperature 22-28°C. Of course, aeration, filtration, and regular water changes (weekly 30%) are necessary. Particular attention should be paid to filtration - it must be powerful (a second filter will not be superfluous). The aquarium can be decorated with large stones and driftwood; the decor should not be sharp.

She has a territorial character and is jealous of those who “enter” her territory. Longsnout cichla rushes at various shiny objects. In skirmishes with other fish it catches the eye, for which it has received the nickname “eye eater” . These fish are fierce killers in nature.

Comfortable water parameters: temperature 25-27°C, dH 8-20°, pH 7.5-8.5. aeration, filtration, weekly replacement? parts of fresh water with the same parameters.

Piranha predators are literally armed to the teeth. The teeth are plate-like and razor-sharp. Piranhas have powerful jaws; an adult can bite through a wooden stick as thick as a human finger.

It is worth noting that aquarium piranhas lose their natural aggressiveness, while maintaining their menacing appearance. But for some reason people’s fear does not disappear because of this.

Piranhas are a schooling aquarium fish, so it is best to keep them in a school of 5-8 fish of the same size and age.

These catfish are not just predators, but “fierce killers.” In their homeland, in Asia, they destroy all the fish that are in their reservoir, and when there is no one left, they crawl onto land and crawl to the nearest new reservoir for a “new victim”, while simultaneously, on land, eating those that come to hand » insects and small frogs. We must pay tribute - in the aquarium these catfish behave much calmer.

The fish has an uncooperative, grumpy character and shows aggression. Tetradon can be kept with large, active fish. Some authors recommend keeping this fish only in a species aquarium.

For a flock of tetradons, you need a large aquarium volume of 150 liters. The fish leads a twilight lifestyle and is afraid of bright light. Therefore, the aquarium is equipped with many stones, caves, driftwood and floating plants.

To close the article, I will give an example that clearly shows the rapacity of any living creature, even the most harmless.

Acantophthalmus is a small loach-like worm-like fish. A peaceful, harmless inhabitant of the aquarium bottom. But…. in nature, if acanthophthalmus is grabbed by a medium-sized predator, then a sharp thorn will force it to immediately spit out and remember this striped fish. Large birds or catfish often swallow acanthophthalmus whole. What they really regret later!!! A small fish breaks through the walls of the animal’s stomach, and sometimes comes out. The gluttonous predator dies.

The struggle for life, alas, forces many to become predators and cold-blooded killers. And the world of aquarium fish is only a small springboard for fighting for life and procreation.

"Popular types of aquarium fish"

This brochure contains all the popular species of fish, with a description of their keeping conditions, compatibility, feeding + photos.

Video about predatory aquarium fish

The list of predatory fish includes many species. They feed on other species of fish, sometimes even birds and some other animals. All specimens - from small aquarium fish to huge sea monsters - are distinguished by their bloodthirstiness and excessive gluttony. Most often they have quite sharp teeth and large mouths. Predators have good ingenuity and intelligence.

There are many predator fish

Marine species

This is the environment where most of the killers live. These include the following types:

• moray eels;
• barracudas;
• garfish;
• tuna;
• bonito;
• bluefish;
• croakers;
• laurels;
• rock perches;
• galleys;
• different types of cod;
• catfish;
• pink salmon;
• eelpout;
• brown greenlings;
• glosses;
• sturgeon;
• sturgeon;
• flounder;
• Lichia;
• whiting;
• whips.

Pike grows up to 1.5 m.

The 11-meter-long white shark is the most dangerous carnivorous sea creature for humans. Among 250 varieties, 29 representatives are officially recognized as aggressive. Tiger, hammerhead, mako, katran, gray and spotted scyllium - with sizes of about two meters, they are no less dangerous. All representatives of sharks have not only sharp teeth, but also prickly spines on their hard skin. Because of them, blows are just as dangerous as bites. Although the whale shark is much larger than others (body length is up to 15 meters), it is quite safe for humans, because it feeds on plankton.

The abilities of these fish are unique. Thanks to the inner ear, which “hears” low-frequency sounds, they can detect water vibrations at a distance of up to 200 meters - within this range, a shark will easily detect a swimming person. The sense of smell is even better developed. This predator can sense a drop of blood at a distance of up to four kilometers. Vision is ten times better than human vision. During a hunt, fish accelerates to 50 km per hour.

Moray eels prefer coral reefs, underwater caves and algae. Large individuals grow 3 meters in length and 30 centimeters in thickness. Due to its lightning speed and strong grip, scuba divers compare it to a bulldog. The body, somewhat reminiscent of a snake, is an excellent advantage in camouflage. Moray eels prefer victims that are larger than themselves. It uses its tail to hold its prey and tear it to pieces. Many divers die from this. Poor eyesight is compensated by excellent sense of smell.

Barracudas (sphyrenes) in their shape resemble huge three-meter pikes. The mouth looks terrifying due to the protruding lower jaw. Thanks to good vision, the fish quickly reacts to any bright objects and water fluctuations. Large individuals prefer to hunt alone, while small ones gather in schools. Barracuda is not selective in food, it easily feeds on poisonous fish - because of this, its meat is toxic and is not used in cooking. The greatest danger for a diver is the possibility of losing a leg or receiving intractable wounds. Sometimes the attacks of the sephirens are attributed to sharks.

A three-meter swordfish weighs approximately 400-450 kg. On the upper jaw there is a growth of one and a half meters, strongly reminiscent of the bladed weapon of the same name. The shape of a fish is associated with a torpedo. The impact force of this bone (4 tons) is amazing - it is enough to pierce 40 cm of oak or 2.5 cm of metal. Due to the lack of scales and streamlined shape, it accelerates to 130 kilometers per hour. It even feeds on sharks.

The white shark is the most dangerous to humans

The monkfish was so named because of its terrifying appearance. The two-meter body weighs approximately 20 kg. The mouth is wide and resembles a crescent, while the eyes are set close. It lures prey with the help of a long outgrowth of the dorsal fin, reminiscent of a fishing rod. This explains the origin of the second name - European anglerfish.

Tuna is a schooling predator of Atlantic waters. Although the carcass does not exceed 4 meters, it weighs almost half a ton. It accelerates to 90 km/h and can maintain this speed for a long time thanks to its spindle-shaped body. Loves mackerel and sardines. Red tuna meat is widely used in gastronomy. The French call it sea veal.

Freshwater predators

There are no fewer predatory freshwater fish. They live in rivers and lakes and actively eat sick individuals. Fishermen know river fish well, because they are often used in cooking. Winter and summer fishing on lakes is more common among amateurs.

River inhabitants

The following species live in rivers:

• chubs;
• asps;
• catfish;
• pike;
• burbot;
• sterlet;
• grayling;
• bershi;
• acne;
• Arctic omuls;
• lumpfish.

The chub is beautiful with its dark green back, orange fins, slightly golden sides and a dark border along the scales. It prefers small crayfish, young of other species and larvae.

A number of predators live in rivers

The asp loves to quickly jump out of the water and quickly fall on its prey. Often the prey is simply petrified by a blow from the tail and body. He usually catches bleak, since it lives almost at the surface of the water. Asp varieties are found in large reservoirs and rivers.

Catfish is the largest predator, which has no scales. With a length of five meters, its weight reaches almost half a ton. The fish spends the day in the pits of reservoirs in the European part of Russia, and at night it goes out hunting. It catches not only mollusks and other small freshwater inhabitants, but also birds. Catching a catfish is quite difficult due to its strength and intelligence.

The pike is so bloodthirsty that it even preys on its relatives. Loves rudd, roach and crucian carp, tries to avoid ruffs and perches because of their spines. Before swallowing, it waits for the moment when the caught victim stops moving. Can eat mice, frogs and birds.

Pike perch lives only in clean rivers; it can live in sea ​​waters. Due to its small throat, it feeds only on small fish. Avoids vegetation because it is afraid of being caught by pike.

Walleyes can weigh up to 15 kg.

The body of the burbot is compressed and somewhat resembles the body of a catfish; there are antennae on the chin. The belly is whitish, the rest of the body is grayish-green with spots. Does not disdain ruffs and perches, which are more voracious than pike.

Lake waters

Many river species also live in lakes. These include the following names of predatory fish:

• trout;
• whitefish;
• Baikal omuls;
• perch;
• rotans;
• alpine char;
• ruffs;
• sculpins;
• lines;
• amii.

Most of the trout are on Lakes Onega and Lake Ladoga. These elongated and slightly flattened schooling fish grow up to a meter in length. The color varies depending on the habitat, usually the body is covered with dark spots, and the mouth has an orange stripe. Fishermen call it a pestle. The rainbow variety is actively bred in fish farms for commercial purposes. In the wild, the predator prefers depth and feels comfortable 100 meters from the surface. Always tries to hide between rocks or occupy other uneven terrain. It eats beetles, invertebrates, small fish and insect larvae.

Whitefish live in the cool water of deep lakes in Siberia and Karelia. Even the weight of a large individual does not exceed one and a half kilograms: the body is elongated and compressed, the scales and eyes are large, and the mouth and head are small. The diet includes mollusks, larvae, and crustaceans.

The color of this fish depends on its habitat

The Baikal omul loves junctions with large rivers due to the fact that their water is rich in oxygen. The fish is schooling and small, an elongated body with small silver scales does not weigh more than 800 grams, the back is brownish-green. Record large individuals can be twice the size of normal ones.

The body of the perch is oval, the sides are compressed. It feeds on small relatives and some larger fish, preferring caviar and juveniles. Insatiable, never stops hunting.

Ruffs live almost everywhere. They are very unpretentious and live in flocks. Painted dark green.

Aquarium fish

Not all types of predatory fish living in an aquarium behave aggressively. They can coexist peacefully with others, which is why they do not seem dangerous to their neighbors. However, when buying a fish for an aquarium, you need to know exactly its species. The need for live feeding, the amount of organic waste and the maximum heat difference depend on it. This is the only way to properly feed the fish, install the necessary cleaning systems and water temperature. After all, any violation will lead to aggressive behavior. It is better for aquarium lovers not to know what fish are like at this moment - smaller or sick individuals will quickly suffer.

The most popular aquarium predator fish include:

• red-bellied piranhas;
• polypterus;
• whitenesox;
• tiger perches;
• Livingston cichlids;
• toad fish;
• biars;
• leaf fish;
• Aravans;
• trachirs;
• frog catfish;
• Dimidochromis.

You can keep the predators described above in an aquarium

The convex jaw and row of sharp teeth scare off some, but attract other aquarium fish lovers. Thanks to its large tail, the red-bellied piranha accelerates quickly and can use it when fighting prey or relatives. The fish is beautiful with its steel-gray body with a granular structure, as well as a bright red belly. It is recommended to keep a flock of 10-20 individuals in an aquarium. So the stronger will receive the best pieces, and the sick will be eaten by their relatives. This strict hierarchy avoids the death of the population as a whole. You can feed them insects, mussels, worms, live fish and shrimp.

Polypterus looks dangerous and somewhat resembles a small crocodile. The acne-like body, no more than 50 centimeters long, is painted pale green. It urgently needs access to air, but is unpretentious in maintenance. Eats pieces of meat, worms and shellfish.

Belonesox is not afraid of even large fish, which is why it is sometimes called a miniature pike. There are small black spots on its gray-brown sides. You need to feed live small fish. A well-fed whitefish does not kill prey until the next meal.

The golden tiger perch with black stripes grows up to half a meter and is shaped like an arrowhead. The long dorsal fin together with the tail provide good speed for hunting. The diet should include worms, bloodworms and shrimp.

The Livingston Cichlid is a master of ambush hunting. She knows how to pretend to be dead and can wait for prey for a very long time. Despite the bright color of the predator with yellow, blue and silver spots and a body length of 25 centimeters, the prey does not expect an attack. In the aquarium it feeds on pieces of shrimp, worms and fish. Overfeeding is strictly prohibited.

This fish pretends to be dead while hunting

The toadfish has a very large head and large growths on its body. Due to its shape and camouflage color, it resembles a stone and easily hides at the bottom of a reservoir. In an aquarium it prefers to be kept alone and loves pollock and shrimp.

The leaf fish is another genius at camouflage. Its body is no longer than 10 centimeters, its scales are yellowish-brown. Can simulate the drift of a leaf in water. Eats up to two fish daily.

Biara is a serious predator, which can only be kept in large aquariums. An individual can grow up to 80 centimeters in length. Wing-like pelvic fins and a large mouth with sharp teeth are excellent hunting aids. You can only feed live fish.

The vampire tetra reaches a length of 45 cm in the wild, and 30 cm when kept by humans. The fins on the belly look like wings and allow them to rapidly accelerate. They swim with their heads slightly down. They can eat pieces of meat.

Each fish has its own peculiarity

Aravana is one of the oldest species. The fins on the elongated body (80 cm) resemble a fan and provide good acceleration for hunting and the ability to jump. The mouth is directed upward, which helps to capture prey from the surface. Eats shrimp and worms in the aquarium.

Tetra wolf, or trachira, is an Amazon legend. The body is powerful, the mouth and teeth are large. When a specialist leaves, it can grow up to half a meter. It is not necessary to feed live food. Usually inaccessible to amateurs.

The frog catfish has a massive head and a wide mouth. Distinctive external features: dark body with a white belly, a pair of short antennae above and below the mouth. It can grow up to 25 centimeters and happily eats white fish.

Dimidochromis is colored predominantly in shades of blue, but has orange stripes on its fins. Prefers small prey. Live food can be combined with shellfish.

Any body of water needs predators. They play the role of an orderly, eliminating excess trash fish.

In this video you will learn about the most predatory fish:

There are over 20 thousand species of fish in the world. They differ in different characteristics and, accordingly, the food they eat also differs.

All fish are divided according to the nature of their diet:

1. predatory;
2. animal-eaters;
3. herbivores.

But it should be noted that this division is not always correct, since most fish can eat mixed food or periodically change preferences - from predatory they become animal-eating and vice versa. Changes in the nature of nutrition are also explained by their development, as a result of which the structure of fish changes.

This is how fish find food for themselves with their senses, and if they have changed in their structure, then a change in the nature of their diet is possible.

Eating your own kind

Predatory fish or ichthyophages, which translated from Greek means “fish-eating”. Predatory fish eat their own kind, and some types of fish (shark, pike, beluga, etc.) can feast on some animal or game. Therefore, this type of fish can be called omnivorous - in the absence of prey, they can also feast on plant foods.

The feeding pattern of predatory fish is determined by their structure: they have a large mouth with a strong jaw and sharp teeth and a large stomach. So often, a whole seal carcass is found in the stomach of a beluga.

Predatory fish are divided into:

• ambush predators;
• active predators.

Ambush predators include fish such as catfish and pike. They basically always “sit in ambush.” The fish lies at the bottom and waits for prey. When prey appears, it grabs the object of the hunt with a sharp jerk and swallows it.

Active predators never stand still; they are in motion. They chase their prey until they catch it. Active predators include fish such as salmon, perch, asp, etc.

Plant and animal organisms as food for fish

Most fish feed on both plant foods and animal organisms. There are very few fish that eat only plant foods. These include silver carp, grass carp, rudd, etc. These fish feed on aquatic plants and phytoplankton (algae).

Fish that feed only on food of plant origin are also called underwater ameliorators, because. They eat algae in large quantities and thereby clean the pond.

Food for carnivorous fish are:

• small fish,
• planktonic crustaceans,
• insects and their larvae,
• fry,
• tadpoles,
• snails,
• worms,
• Daphnia, etc.

And it's not full list species of animal organisms that fish feed on.

Fish, which are characterized by food of animal origin, can be divided into two groups:

1. Planktivores. Or planktivorous fish that feed on plankton, both as fry and during the period of full development. They also eat airborne food that falls into the water.
2. Benthophages. Fish transition to benthos as adults. Benthos are bottom animals (worms, larvae insects, mollusks).

Stern

There is a wide variety of food for feeding aquarium fish and fish grown in artificial ponds.

Here are the main types of feed:

• live and animal origin,
• dry,
• frozen,
• vegetable,
• artificial feed.

Food of live and animal origin, dry and frozen, most often includes daphnia, ciliates, rotifers, moina, artemia and oligochaetes. All these organisms are widely used for industrial breeding as fish food. They are bred in specialized factories in swimming pools.

Breeding ciliates and rotifers

The slipper ciliate is a single-celled organism with many hairs that serve as a means of transportation. It reaches 0.2 mm in diameter.

Ciliates are found in any fresh water body, even in puddles. For breeding, it is better to take it from a cleaner reservoir. To do this, you need to take water into any container; ciliates will definitely get there. You can remove the ciliates yourself.

To do this, you need to take some settled water and throw in some old dry leaves, and after a week you can be sure that there are ciliates there.

Next, for propagation, the water with the slipper ciliates must be poured into a glass container, closed and placed in the sun. A prerequisite is temperature and nutrition. The temperature should be maintained between 22C and 24C.

To feed the ciliates, periodically add peels of fruits, vegetables, leaves into the container, and 3-4 drops of milk several times a week. In a week you will be able to see the ciliates even with the naked eye; white bodies will be moving in the water.

Now they can be caught and sent to feed fish. It is better to catch them with a hose or using a filter.

The rotifer is a multicellular animal that reproduces sexually. Size 0.1-0.3mm.

Rotifers have great nutritional value because, despite their small size, they are often grown for food. They are unpretentious and do not require special conditions. You need to add pharmaceutical sea salt to the water with rotifers.

Nutrition: hydrolytic or baker's yeast. When yeast is added to the water, it becomes cloudy; if the water becomes clear, then you need to add the next portion of food.

The female rotifer begins to lay eggs within 24 hours, every twelve hours. Life expectancy is about 3 weeks.

Before rotifers are placed in the aquarium, they must be washed in fresh water. And don’t forget that their lifespan in fresh water is several hours, so pour only the required portion into the aquarium (at a time)

Breeding Daphnia

Daphnia are planktonic crustaceans, also called water fleas. There are more than 50 species of daphnia. The adult size reaches 6 mm. Daphnia breeding is possible both industrially and at home.

Daphnia are bred in water at room temperature - from 22C to 24C. The main food is unicellular organisms and algae. In industrial breeding, fertilizers - ammonium nitrate - are added to pools with daphnia. Fertilizers are necessary for algae cultivation.

At home, the diet consists of baker's yeast diluted in water.

It is necessary to monitor the color of the water in the container with daphnia. The color of the water should be slightly greenish. If it turns brown, then you need to temporarily stop feeding (until it clears).

When breeding daphnia, you need to make sure that Cyclops does not get into them, he eats them. Co-breeding with moina is possible.

Moin breeding

Moina are lower planktonic crustaceans, red crustaceans. Size - 0.6-1.35mm. They reproduce sexually and asexually. The reproduction rate is three times higher than that of daphnia. The average duration is 22 days, in rare cases up to 2 months.

Moina can withstand temperatures of 5-31C, but the optimal option is a temperature of 22-28C. The moina feeds on unicellular algae, ciliates and yeast. This crustacean is tolerant of polluted water, and due to lack of oxygen it turns red, which explains its name - red crustacean.

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:

1. . 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.
2. More sensitive gear. Reviews and instructions for other types of gear can be found on the pages of my website.
3. Lures using pheromones.

You can get the rest of the secrets of successful fishing for free by reading my other materials on the site.

Artemia breeding

Artemia belongs to the genus of crustaceans and lives in bodies of salt water, so their eggs can be found on the shores of such bodies of water. They are washed ashore by water. When breeding, it is necessary that the water be salted. Also it is necessary to ensure the required oxygen content in the water.

These are mandatory conditions for the productive reproduction of arteries. They feed on algae and nutritional yeast.

Once ripe, it can be caught with a net from the surface with sufficient aeration.

Development of Oligochaetes

Oligochaetes are oligochaete worms, a class of annelids. Widely used in breeding salmon and sturgeon species. Industrial breeding of oligochaetes began to be used back in Soviet times, according to a method developed by Soviet scientists.

Oligochaete worms are bred in wooden boxes with soil. Their habitat is fertile soil. After placing the Oligochaete eggs in boxes, they are placed on shelves in the room. The egg ripening period is on average 7-8 days. After hatching, the young individual begins to actively consume food.

Food for worms is:

• vegetables - potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beets, etc.;
• tops – leaves of garden crops, nettles;
• rye bran, etc.

Artificial feeds and their usefulness

There are different types of artificial fish food. There are different artificial foods for fish bred in ponds and aquariums.

For fish bred in ponds, there is a large number of types of feed:

• cake,
• meal,
• compound feed,
• food industry and agricultural waste,
• pulp,
• fruit,
• cereals,
• waste and residues of various factories, enterprises, etc.

Cake is pressed waste from oil mills. Sunflower, peanut and cottonseed cakes are best consumed.

Meal is also a waste product from the oil-processing industry, in the form of a crumbly, fat-free mass. Widely used in carp breeding. Cotton waste is preferable.

There are also various artificial foods available for fish bred in aquariums. These are flakes, chips, tablets and granules. All these foods contain all the nutrients necessary for the development of fish. They also contain macro- and microelements vitamins.

The flakes are suitable for all types of small and medium sized fish. Convenient because they do not pollute water.

With long-term use, it reduces the nitrate content in water.

Food in tablet form is intended only for bottom-dwelling fish. The tablet sinks to the bottom, thereby providing food for shy fish that like to be in the shade.

Pellet food is most often used for larger fish. The granules come in different sizes to feed fish of different sizes.

Fish that eat insects

In nature, there are fish that feed only on insects. Such fish include: spray fish, top gazer, pentadon, jumping fish, etc.

All these fish, as a result of evolution, acquired the skills to provide themselves with food, in this case insects:

• Verkhoglyad. It got its name due to the unusual location of the eyes. Large black eyes are directed upward - they look at the surface of the water surface, waiting for the insect to fall into the water. Lives in the Amur River.
• Pentadon. Habitat: African rivers. The pectoral fins of this fish look like wings. Swimming at the surface of the water, most often at night, it can jump 20-30 cm using its fins. With this skill, the pentadon provides itself with food.
• Jumping fish. This fish lives in the coastal zone of the sea in western Africa. It cannot live in water - it dies. The jumper has pectoral fins in the form of legs, with which it pushes off and jumps into the air and catches insects.
• Splash fish. Unique fish. Releasing a stream of water from its mouth, it knocks down insects located on the vegetation along the shore of the reservoir. “Shoots” at a distance of up to 5 meters in length and at the same time they are very accurate. This “shooter” is found in India, Australia and the islands of Indonesia.

For millions of years, our planet has been inhabited by a large variety of fish. Their habitat became numerous lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. Since ancient times, both river and sea inhabitants of the underwater kingdom have served as a source of food for people, rich in a huge amount of useful substances, such as various amino acids, protein and various vitamins. Fish farming products are widely used in the manufacture of medicines and nutritional fertilizers for Agriculture, and also as raw materials in light industry.

Features of river inhabitants

We all know that fishing on rivers is an exciting and varied activity. Therefore, any fisherman, before starting to equip fishing gear, must accurately answer the question of what kind of fish are found in the river. And, of course, every amateur fisherman should know the physiological characteristics of the object of hunting:

Depending on the nature of the food taken, river fish can be classified as:

• predatory;
• herbivores;
• omnivores.

River predators

Predatory individuals feed on other fish, some can eat animals or birds. Largemouth species swallow so much prey at one time that it is enough for several days of active life, but smallmouth fish need to hunt constantly, since their prey is small.

The most common predatory river fish in Russian waters. The maximum dimensions of pike reach up to 1.5 m with a weight of up to 30-35 kg, but specimens are known weighing up to 60 kg and longer than human height. The average life expectancy is up to 25 years, although there are individuals with a maximum age of 35 years.

The fish is very strong, tireless and agile thanks to its slippery cylindrical body. It is shaped like an underwater torpedo with a long, flattened head and a huge mouth filled with many sharp teeth.

Pike is so predatory that sometimes it even attacks its own relatives. True, it prefers carp fish for food: crucian carp, bleak, roach, rudd. But he treats spiny species (perch, ruff) with great caution; even if he catches such a fish, he does not immediately swallow it, but holds it in his mouth until it stops moving. During the hunt, it misses very rarely, but if attempts are unsuccessful, it returns to ambush and awaits other prey.

The spotted body color of the pike allows it to camouflage perfectly among the vegetation of the reservoir. In rivers it lives in places that are not very deep, with weak currents and grassy banks.

Pike meat contains little fat and is therefore considered dietary. It contains a lot of protein, which is easily absorbed by the human body.

spiny perch

This predatory fish, like pike, is widespread in the waters of Russia and almost all European countries. It has a laterally compressed body, which has a peculiar hump with dark stripes. The tail fin and eyes are highlighted with an orange tint. The color of the perch depends entirely on the transparency of the water. Individuals living in a dark environment with a muddy bottom have a more saturated color than fish living in light water.

The fish is quite large in size; there is evidence that perch can reach a weight of up to five kilograms and a length of up to half a meter. The average life expectancy is about 17 years.

In terms of extraordinary gluttony and predatory greed, it is not inferior to the pike. Having swallowed one fish, it can immediately continue hunting for another. There are cases when a caught perch had several fry in its stomach. It feeds on any fish of suitable size, and is active both in summer and winter.

Prefers to stay at depth, but not at the very bottom. During a hunt, it easily lunges at prey located in the upper layers of the reservoir.

The largest predator is catfish

This is the largest fish living in rivers. Its body length can reach five meters, and its weight can be over 300 kg. According to scientists, such specimens are 80-100 years old. In most cases, the color is brown with a brownish-green tint, and the belly is white. The color change can be almost light yellow depending on where it lives.

Catfish are considered an active nocturnal predator, which during the day prefers to lie down in snags or holes.

The diet of this large predator is very varied. Easily eats frogs, shellfish or large fish. Sometimes geese, ducks, water rats and other animals and birds can end up in the mouth of a catfish.

The meat of this inhabitant of the river depths contains some bones and fat. It is very nutritious and beneficial for the human body.

A predator reaching a length of up to one meter and a weight of up to 10 kg. Pike perch can be found in clean water large rivers and lakes. Life expectancy is up to 15 years. It is a relative of the perch and has the same vertical stripes on both sides.

An adult tries to stay near stones at depth or in holes, but young animals, on the contrary, prefer shallow sections of rivers. At the beginning of life, the fry primarily feed on zooplankton, insect larvae and small fish from other fish.

Pike perch actively hunts for prey, while trying to avoid areas with thickets where it itself can become food for pike. However, his location is very unstable. Where pike perch was caught well the day before, you may not find it the next day.

Among freshwater fish, burbot is the only representative of the cod family. It is sharply distinguished from other fish by its unique body shape. The body is strongly elongated and compressed on the sides, especially in the tail. The head is flattened, similar to a catfish. The back is grayish-green in color and has dark stripes and spots, but the belly is whitish.

Burbot is an insatiable and extremely greedy predator whose diet includes insect larvae, frogs, mollusks and small fish. Sometimes, when an adult is opened, a large number of small perches, minnows or ruffs are found in the stomach. Despite its sluggish and lazy appearance, it swims deftly and quickly. At the same time, it is especially active in winter, when other fish are more sleepy and motionless.

Burbot can reach a length of up to one meter and a weight of up to five kilograms, although there are also specimens weighing up to 24 kg. Life expectancy is quite high - up to 22 years.

There are also smaller predatory fish, such as:

1. Bersh is very similar to pike perch, however, it reaches a size of up to 50 cm.
2. Chop - found less frequently, in the Danube or Dnieper rivers.
3. Ruff is a widespread fish, often called thorn by fishermen, because it has sharp, spiny fins.

Herbivorous fish

This type includes fish that spend most of their time searching for plant food and various river plankton. Various types of algae grow in reservoirs and rivers, especially in warm summers, which are an excellent haven for various mollusks and crustaceans. They are the perfect treat for herbivorous fish.

Common fish - crucian carp

It is the most common fish in almost all reservoirs and rivers of Russia. The fish is quite unpretentious; it prefers shallow sections of the river, warmed by the rays of the sun and overgrown with vegetation of all kinds. Weakly responds to lack of oxygen and water quality in its habitat. In the winter season, crucian carp is capable of freezing into ice and not even dying.

It belongs to the family of carp fish, appearance very similar to carp, but does not have antennae. Weighs approximately 0.5 kg. It feeds mainly on zooplankton, various aquatic plants, worms and larvae.

There are silver and gold carp. It is most active in the warm season.

Carp and its species

It belongs to the family of carp fish and is the most desired prey for fishermen in central Russia. There are individuals of quite large size, weighing up to 10 kg. According to scientists, life expectancy can reach 100 years.

There are the following types of carp:

1. mirror;
2. scaly;
3. naked;
4. frame carp and others.

All these representatives differ from each other in the shape of the body, the type of scales and habits. It can feed on bread crumbs, undercooked potatoes or cake.

The fish is very strong, so experienced fishermen often fish for it, using reliable and powerful gear.

Main types of carp

Bream and its use in cooking

This schooling, inconspicuous fish often lives in places with calm currents and muddy bottoms. Life expectancy is up to 20 years, but bream growth is very slow. Only by the age of ten is he able to gain weight up to 4 kg.

It feeds mainly on crustaceans, mollusks, insect larvae, worms and algae. The coloring of bream is predominantly dark silver. Spawns at water temperatures of 13 degrees.

The meat of this fish is characterized by excellent taste. It is used boiled, salted, fried, dried or smoked.

Small representative - roach

This fish is found in almost all rivers and lakes. It leads a gregarious lifestyle and prefers to hide from predators in quiet sections of rivers overgrown with grass and algae.

In appearance it is very similar to the rudd. The color of the body depends on the composition of the water in its habitat. The fish is small in size (15-20 cm), but there were also specimens up to half a meter in length and weighing up to two kilograms.

Roach spawns at a temperature of plus ten degrees, and after this period it is especially active. The best time to catch this fish is considered to be early morning or late evening.

Of course, within the framework of one article, it is very difficult to describe all representatives of the aquatic world. There are also a huge number of species of river fish:

1. The rudd is a beautiful fish that looks like a roach.
2. The silver bream is a distant relative of the bream, silver in color with reddish fins.
3. Carp is considered a freshwater fish, but is also found in the Caspian Sea basin.
4. Tench is a royal fish with excellent taste characteristics.
5. Chub is a freshwater fish that is found exclusively in rivers with fast currents.
6. Bleak is a ubiquitous fish, known to almost every angler.

Other types of river fish

Unfortunately, many river systems the unfavorable environmental situation, which is caused by various emissions from industrial enterprises and factories, has a negative impact. The inhabitants of many rivers and reservoirs become victims of this human attitude towards the environment.

Predatory fish They eat not only plant foods, but also animal foods. In other words, we are talking about omnivorous species. Some of them hunt not only underwater inhabitants.

Trivalli, otherwise called trevally, for example, jumps out of the sea, capturing birds flying over the surface. Sharks and catfish are known to attack people.

Predatory fresh water fish

Soma

These predatory fish of reservoirs represented by more than 10 species. Most of them are aquarium. They are small. But the common catfish is the largest predatory river fish. In the last century, 5-meter individuals weighing about 400 kilograms were caught. In the 21st century, the maximum weight of a caught catfish was 180 kilos.

Small predatory fish Among catfish there is a glass species. In the natural environment, its representatives are found in India. The glass catfish is transparent, only the head is not visible.

Pike-perch

There are 5 types. All have an elongated body with large scales. It covers all the fish. She has an elongated, pointed head. It is slightly flattened on top. All pike perch also have a sharp and high fin sticking out on their back. It, like the entire top of the fish, is gray-green. The animal's abdomen is gray and white.

Pike perch are large predators and can exceed a meter in length. The weight of the fish is approximately 20 kilograms.

Piranhas

There are 50 species of piranhas. All carnivores live in fresh water in the South Tropics. Piranhas do not exceed 50 centimeters in length. Externally, the fish are distinguished by their laterally flattened body and silver, gray or black scales. Yellow, scarlet or orange markings may be present on a dark background.

All piranhas have a forward lower jaw. Triangular teeth are visible. They are sharp and closely meet the upper ones. This adds destructive power to the fish's bite. An adult piranha easily crushes a stick with a diameter of about 2 centimeters.

Pike

There are about 10 species of them in fresh water bodies. The Aquitaine pike, which lives in the waters of France, was discovered only in 2014. The Italian species is isolated from others in 2011. The Amur pike differs from the usual small silvery scales and is smaller itself.

There are also fish with black stripes above their eyes. These live in America and do not gain weight more than 4 kilos.

The largest in the family is the masking. The sides of this pike are covered with vertical stripes. The Muskinong stretches up to 2 meters, weighing almost 40 kilos.

Pike is a predatory fish, playing the role of a water orderly. Weakened fish and amphibians are the first to fall into the predator's mouth. Cannibalism is developed in the family. Large pikes readily devour smaller ones.

Perches

There are more than 100 species in the family. About 40% of them are marine or semi-anadromous. Among freshwater perches, the most common is river perch. It is united with others by greenish transverse lines on the sides.

The pattern is weakly expressed if the bottom of the reservoir is light. If the bottom is dark, for example, muddy, the stripes on the sides of the perches are rich in color.

Perch - predatory freshwater fish, feeding on its own young. This is true in reservoirs where perch predominates among other species. In addition to juveniles, adult animals eat other fish.

Arapaima

This is a tropical predator that lives in the tributaries of the Amazon. There is a bony plate on the elongated and flattened head of the fish. At the same level with it is the wide mouth of the arapaima. Its body is thick, but flattened laterally, tapering towards the tail.

The fins, like those of eels, are fused together. However, the body of the fish itself is not so long. Arapaima looks like a chopped off, shortened and fattened eel.

Arapaima has prominent and large scales. It is tightly planted and strikes with elasticity. Its modulus is 10 times greater than that of bone.

Arapaima feeds on bottom-dwelling fish, as it stays near the bottom. If a predator floats to the surface, it can even swallow a bird flying over the water.

Burbot

It feeds on minnows, ruffs, and young fish of various types, including those of its own species. The moving whisker on the burbot's head lures prey. He himself hides in the silt or under a snag, in a depression in the bottom. U sticks out like a worm. they want to eat it, but in the end they themselves are eaten.

Burbot included in predatory fish of lakes and rec. Reservoirs with cool, clean water are selected. There, burbots reach a length of 1.2 meters. The weight of the fish can reach 30 kilos.

Ruffs

They are marine. In salty waters, fish of the family reach 30 centimeters in length. Four varieties of river ruffs extend to a maximum of 15 centimeters. This size is enough to feed on the larvae of aquatic insects and the eggs of other fish.

Ruffs find food in shaded, bottom areas of reservoirs. True, there are burbots waiting for hunters there, feeding on them. What a predatory fish will win the fight is a rhetorical question.

Gustera

It resembles a bream, but leads a gregarious lifestyle. In addition, the silver bream has silvery scales, but there are none on the keel behind the fins.

Young silver bream eat zooplankton. Growing up, fish switch to a diet of mollusks. They are supplemented by algae and underwater parts of terrestrial plants.

Predatory fish of salt waters

Moray eels

These predatory sea fish There are more than 200 species. The closest relatives are eels. However, they are also found in fresh water bodies. Externally, moray eels are snake-like. The fish of the family are elongated, slightly flattened on the sides.

The body tapers toward the tail, like a leech's. The fin on the back of the fish stretches from the head to the end of the body. There are no other fins. The minimum body length of a moray eel is 60 centimeters. Representatives of the giant species stretch almost 4 meters, while weighing about 40 kilograms.

The elongated head of the moray eel with an angry expression in the eyes and a slightly open mouth is equipped with rows of sharp teeth. The mouth is open for breathing. The moray eel's body is usually hidden in crevices between stones and corals. It is difficult to move the gills there, there is no flow of oxygen.

Acne

There are 180 species in the seas. Unlike moray eels, eels are monochromatic. The bodies of the relatives are dotted with patterns. Acne is also less aggressive. Moray eels sometimes even attack people. In ancient Rome, by the way, guilty slaves were sometimes thrown into pools with sea ​​fish.

Like moray eels, eels have fused tail, back and anal fins. At the same time, there are separate chests. They, like the entire body of the eel, are covered with mucus. The fish has no scales. However, moray eels also do not have body plates.

Barracuda

Represented by 27 species. They are called tigers of the ocean. The nickname refers to the ferocity of the fish. She, like a moray eel, even attacks people. Approximately 100 cases are recorded per year. Half of the victims die from their wounds. So, barracuda can be safely written down in the most predatory fish ocean.

Outwardly it resembles a pike, but is not related to it. The oceanic predator belongs to the perciform ray-finned fish. The length of a barracuda rarely exceeds a meter. The standard weight of an animal is 10 kilograms.

It seems that a predator of this size can hardly harm a person. However, barracudas are schooling fish and also attack together.

Toad fish

They belong to the batrach family. There are 5 species of toad fish that live in the oceans. The name was given to them for their large and wide head, as if flattened on top, a wide mouth, a protruding lower jaw, protruding round eyes, and wrinkled gray or brown-green skin.

The length of representatives of the genus does not exceed 35 centimeters. The skin of fish, like that of ordinary toads, is bare and devoid of scales.

The toad fish can change color, adapting to the colors of the environment and the bottom. It does species of predatory fish especially dangerous. You may not notice a toad in shallow water, step on it, or touch it. Meanwhile, there are poisonous outgrowths on the body of fish. For humans, the injection is fatal. However, irritation, pain and swelling at the site of the poison are pronounced.

Sharks

There are more than 400 species of them in the seas and oceans. Representatives of some do not exceed 20 centimeters in length, while others stretch up to 20 meters. Such, for example, is the whale shark.

In the generally accepted sense, it is not a predator, feeding on zooplankton. A typical predator is the white shark, reaching a length of 6 meters.

All have common features. These are: a cartilaginous skeleton, the absence of a swim bladder, an excellent sense of smell, which allows you to smell blood from 5-6 kilometers away. All sharks also have gill slits and breathe oxygen, and have a streamlined body shape. The latter is covered with scales and has raised projections.

Needlefish

It also has a freshwater variety. It lives in the reservoirs of India and Burma. Like most marine species, the freshwater pipefish is small, reaching a maximum length of 38 centimeters.

With such a length, the real body weight is several hundred grams. However, the body of the needle is so thin that it weighs several times less. Therefore, fish is rarely used as food - there is little “fat”.

The closest relatives of needle fish are seahorses. However, their spine is a normal color. The bones of the needles are greenish. This is not associated with toxicity. The green color comes from the harmless pigment biliverdin.

Arrowfish

From these distant relatives of needles you can get a substantial profit. Large representatives of the genus gain 6 kg mass. Arrows are systematically classified as garfish, that is, they are close in blood to flying fish.

If the needles can only encroach on crustaceans and newborn fry of other small fish, the arrows feed on sand lance, sprat, and juvenile mackerel. They eat garfish and gerbil. By the way, needles are also included in the diet of arrows.

Sea devils

Photos of predatory fish represents almost 10 types of devils. All of them seem to be pressed down from above, that is, low and wide. The body narrows sharply towards the tail. The first two-thirds of the length of the line is occupied by the head. Therefore, in general, the body of the fish is like a triangle spread out along the bottom.

Fish mouth with a snack. The protruding lower jaw is equipped with sharp teeth. They are bent inside the mouth. There are similar ones on the upper jaw. The mouth opens like a snake's. This allows the devils to swallow prey that is larger than them.

Representatives of large species of monkfish reach 2 meters in length. In this case, about half a meter is accounted for by the growth with a luminous capsule at the end. The flashlight is located on the devil's face and attracts prey. The devil himself camouflages himself at the bottom, burrowing into silt and sand.

All that remains is the lamp. As soon as the prey touches it, the devil swallows it. By the way, fluorescent bacteria glow.

Catfish

These are eel-like fish that live only in the seas. Systematically, catfish are classified as perciformes. Predatory fish biting- a rarity, since the animal is deep, descending to 400-1200 meters. This is partly due to the catfish's love of cold water. Its temperature should be below 5 degrees.

A catfish can only swim to the surface in pursuit of prey. However, its predator usually finds it at depth, feeding on jellyfish, crabs, starfish, and other fish.

The animal digs into them with sharp, knife-like teeth. Among them there are pronounced fangs. Therefore, catfish is also called sea wolf.

bluefish

Not divided into varieties. In the bluefish family there is one genus with a single species of perciform fish. They can exceed a meter in length. The maximum weight of a bluefish is 15 kilos.

On the back of the bluefish’s laterally flattened body there are fins with cartilaginous rays. The tail fin of the fish is shaped like a fork. The thoracic and abdominal outgrowths are also in place. They, like the entire body of the bluefish, are colored blue. It has a hint of green in it. The back is several times darker than the belly.

Eel-pout

Has several subspecies. The most common of them is regular or European. There are also American and eastern eelpouts. Catching predatory fish unpopular due to the animal's repulsive appearance.

The eel-like body is gray-green and covered with small scales. The eelpout's skin is thick and rough. The freshwater burbot has a similar appearance.

Like burbot, eelpout loves cool waters. At the same time, the fish stays in shallow water, off the coast of the seas. The water there warms up more than at depths. Therefore, the eelpout chooses cold seas, feeding on mollusks, crustaceans, caviar, and fry.

Migratory predatory fish

Sturgeons

Like all migratory fish, part of their lives swim in the sea, and part of their lives in rivers. The group includes about 20 species. Among them: Kaluga, Siberian and Russian sturgeon, shovelnose, beluga, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, thorn. All of them are cartilaginous and have no bones, which indicates an ancient origin.

Sturgeon skeletons are found in sediments of the Cretaceous period. Accordingly, fish lived 70 million years ago.

The largest sturgeon caught weighed about 800 kilograms. This is with a body length of 8 meters. The standard one is about 2 meters.

Salmon

The family is represented by salmon, pink salmon, whitefish, coho salmon, whitefish or, as it is also called, nelma. They resemble grayling fish, but have a shortened fin on the back. It has 10-16 rays. From whitefish, which salmon also resemble, the latter are distinguished by their brighter color.

Salmonids are widespread and variable. The latter term means different nuances in the appearance of the same species, but in different territories. Hence the confusion of classifications.

One name can different countries be given to 2-3 salmon. It also happens the other way around, when there are about 10 names for one species.

Gobies

They belong to the order Perciformes. It includes 1359 species of fish. About 30 of them live in Russian water bodies. All of them are bottom-dwelling and stay near the coast. There are freshwater, marine and anadromous gobies.

However, all representatives of the genus are tolerant of waters of different salinities. Gobies move from the shores of the seas to the rivers that flow into them and do not always return. Freshwater species can also move to the sea for permanent residence. That’s why bulls are called semi-nadromous.

The diet of gobies includes bottom worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish. The smallest predators do not exceed 2.5 centimeters in length. The largest bulls grow up to 40 centimeters.

Bream

His name is included in names of predatory fish, since a representative of cyprinids feeds on bloodworms, plankton and other crustaceans and invertebrates.

Interestingly, semi-anadromous breams live about 8 years less than freshwater ones. The last century is about 20 years. The same can be said about other semi-anadromous cyprinids, for example, carp or roach.

Most predatory fish are concentrated in the warm, marine waters of the tropics. Herbivorous species are more common in cool and fresh water bodies.