Description
Small gregarious cyprinid of streams and clear lakes, Elritze or Pfrille in German. In Austrian waters it is a typical inhabitant of the trout and grayling zones and serves as prey for trout and other predators. The name covers a complex of very similar species.
How to identify it
Almost round torpedo-shaped body, small terminal mouth, flanks with dark transverse bars, incomplete lateral line and no adipose fin. It is told apart from small salmonids and gudgeons by its tapered shape and dark bars; it has no barbels.
Appearance
Tapered, almost cylindrical body, yellowish-brown with dark spots and bars on the flanks and a white or reddish belly. At spawning the males take on bright colours, with a red underside, and both sexes develop breeding tubercles. It grows slowly.
Habitat and habits
Clean, clear, well-oxygenated waters, flowing or still, from the valley floor to above 2,000 m altitude. It lives in shoals, usually near the surface and the bank. Juveniles along the shore tolerate waters up to about 30 °C.
Where it lives
Present across much of Europe and northern Asia as far as the Amur; absent from central-southern Italy and southern Greece. In Austria it is native and widespread up to alpine altitudes.
Conservation status
IUCN: least concern (LC). Austrian Red List: near threatened (NT). Fish of the Year in Austria in 2016.
Can be confused with
Bleak and other small cyprinids: the minnow has dark bars on the flanks, a small terminal mouth and an incomplete lateral line.
There's more in the app
This species' bite index, recommended baits and methods, and the rules of the day for every water. Offline too.
Soon on Android and iPhone
