# Brown Trout (*Salmo trutta*) The Brown Trout is a common fish with beautiful brown spots on its body! They are great swimmers and can be found in many rivers. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 13 - **Habitat:** Cold freshwater rivers and lakes - **Also known as:** Sea Trout ![Brown Trout](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426880/objects/4657.jpg) ## Appearance The Brown Trout has a torpedo-shaped body with a mix of brown, gold, and green on its back, fading to creamy yellow underneath. Its sides are speckled with distinctive dark spots, often ringed with pale halos, and a few red or orange spots. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Salmoniformes - **Family:** Salmonidae - **Genus:** Salmo ## Interesting facts - A Brown Trout can leap over 6 feet high to jump up waterfalls! - Brown Trout love cold, clear water and need it to survive. - Some Brown Trout migrate to the sea, becoming 'sea trout,' then return to rivers! - They lay thousands of eggs in nests called "redds" on riverbeds. ## Special abilities - **Master Camouflage:** Brown Trout can change their skin patterns and colors to blend perfectly with their riverbed or lake surroundings, helping them hide from predators and ambush prey. - **Leaping Acrobat:** Brown Trout can leap impressively high out of the water to overcome obstacles like small waterfalls, helping them reach important spawning grounds upstream. - **Keen Sense of Smell:** Brown Trout has a powerful sense of smell that helps them detect prey and find their way back to their home streams, even in murky water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-70 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-5 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-10 years - **Swim Speed:** 15 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 50 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding Brown Trout are hungry hunters who eat lots of different creatures, from insects to smaller fish! - **Age differences:** Young trout mostly eat insects, while older, larger trout prey on small fish and crustaceans. - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic insects, Terrestrial insects, Small fish, Crayfish, Worms - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey) (*Pandion haliaetus*) — Ospreys dive from the sky to catch trout. - **Eaten by:** European Otter (*Lutra lutra*) — Otters are skilled hunters that prey on fish like trout. - **Eats:** Olive Upright Mayfly (*Baetis rhodani*) — Young trout eat the larvae of these common river insects. - **Hunts:** Three-spined Stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — Larger trout actively hunt and eat smaller fish like sticklebacks. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Brown Trout? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Brown Trout? 30-70 cm ### How much does Brown Trout weigh? 0.5-5 kg ### How long does Brown Trout live? 4-10 years ### What does Brown Trout eat? Brown Trout are hungry hunters who eat lots of different creatures, from insects to smaller fish! ### How fast can Brown Trout swim? 15 km/h ### Where is Brown Trout usually found? Cold freshwater rivers and lakes ### How does Brown Trout hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-tahoe-basin-management-unit) — Nevada, US · Forest - [Riverton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/riverton-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Zoo de Cerza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-cerza) — Normandy, FR · Zoo - [Central Troy Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-troy-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Coulsontown Cottages Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coulsontown-cottages-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District [View all places to see Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/brown-trout) ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) - [Atlantic Salmon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-salmon) (*Salmo salar*) --- Source: [Brown Trout: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout)