Pacific Herring
ExploreFish
Pacific Herring
Clupea harengus pallasi
The Pacific Herring is a small fish with a shiny body that swims in the Pacific Ocean. They are known for their tasty flavor!
Habitat: Pacific Ocean
Appearance
The Pacific Herring has a slender, torpedo-shaped body with a dark blue-green back and brilliant silvery sides. It lacks scales on its head and has a deeply forked tail, making it appear sleek and quick underwater.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderClupeiformesFamilyClupeidaeGenusClupea
Category
FishRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Herring eggs are incredibly sticky and can coat entire seabeds during spawning!
Pacific Herring communicate by releasing gas from their anuses – essentially, they 'fart'!
Their tiny scales were once collected and used to make artificial pearls sparkle.
They are sometimes called 'silver of the sea' due to their shiny scales and abundance.
Special abilities
Ability
Mega Schooler
Pacific Herring can gather in massive schools because of their strong social bonds that helps them confuse predators.
Ability
Super Sonar Ears
Pacific Herring has excellent hearing that helps them detect approaching predators and communicate with their schoolmates.
Ability
Quick Egg Layer
Pacific Herring can lay tens of thousands of sticky eggs quickly that helps them ensure many survive and attach to surfaces.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 15-30 cm
- Weight
- 0.1-0.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 5-15 years
- Swim Speed
- 25 km/h
- Maximum Depth
- 200 m
- Water Type
- Saltwater
Diet & Feeding
Pacific Herring are filter-feeders, mostly eating tiny ocean critters and plants.
Age differences: Young herring eat smaller zooplankton; adults consume a wider range of larger plankton.
Primary Foods
- copepods
- euphausiids (krill)
- amphipods
- diatoms
- larval fish
Foraging Method
- Filter Feeding
Ecological connections
eats
Orca
Orcinus orca
Orcas hunt herring schools for energy.
eats
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Harbor seals are common predators of Pacific Herring.
eats
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Terns dive into schools to catch these silvery fish.
eats
Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Many salmon species rely on herring for food.
eaten by
Pacific Krill
Euphausia pacifica
Herring filter-feed on krill and other tiny ocean critters.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Piscivorous
Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
HerringPacific Sardine
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Pacific Herring?
15-30 cm
How much does Pacific Herring weigh?
0.1-0.5 kg
How long does Pacific Herring live?
5-15 years
What does Pacific Herring eat?
Pacific Herring are filter-feeders, mostly eating tiny ocean critters and plants.
How fast can Pacific Herring swim?
25 km/h
Where is Pacific Herring usually found?
Pacific Ocean
How does Pacific Herring hunt?
Filter Feeding
How deep can Pacific Herring go?
200 m
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