ExploreFish

Roach

Rutilus rutilus

Roaches are shiny, silver-colored fish that love to swim in rivers and lakes. They are very social and often swim in groups with their friends.

Habitat: Freshwater rivers and lakes

Appearance

The Roach is a sleek, silvery-scaled fish with a streamlined body and a slightly olive-green back. Its most distinguishing features are its bright red eyes and vibrant red-orange pelvic and anal fins.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderCypriniformesFamilyCyprinidaeGenusRutilus

Roach

Interesting facts

A large group of roach swimming together is called a 'shoal'!

Roach eggs are super sticky and can travel on bird feathers to new ponds!

Roach fish change their body color slightly to blend in with their surroundings!

These fish can survive in water with surprisingly low oxygen levels!

Special abilities

Roach can thrive in many water conditions because of their robust physiology that helps them survive pollution and varying temperatures.

Roach can group into large schools because of their social instinct that helps them confuse predators and find food more efficiently.

Roach has a keen sense of taste with taste buds all over its body that helps them detect tiny food particles even in murky water.

Young Roach can grow quickly because of their efficient feeding that helps them reach a size to avoid many predators faster.

Measurements & details

Length: 20-50 cm
Weight: 0.1-2 kg
Lifespan: 5-20 years
Swim Speed: 8 km/h
Max Depth: 15 m
Water Type: Freshwater

Diet & Feeding

Roach are omnivores, munching on tiny plants, insects, and even other small critters they find.

Age differences: Young roach eat more plankton; adults broaden their diet to include larger insects and plants.

Primary Foods

aquatic plants
insect larvae
small crustaceans
algae
detritus
fish eggs

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Pike hunt Roach as a primary food source.

eaten by

European Perch

Perca fluviatilis

Young Roach are common prey for larger Perch.

eats

Lake Midge

Chironomus plumosus

Roach consume midge larvae from lake sediment.

eats

Common Water Flea

Daphnia pulex

Roach filter-feed on microscopic water fleas.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Social

Discover creatures that love to live and work together! These animals form groups, helping each other find food, stay safe, and raise their young.

Omnivorous

Meet versatile eaters who enjoy a wide variety of foods, from plants to other animals, allowing them to adapt to many different environments. They're nature's flexible diners!