Rudd is a freshwater fish that belongs to the Carp family. It mainly lives in rivers and lakes that flow into the Black and Baltic seas. The name of this fish is due to the presence of bright red fins. Thanks to this, it is very noticeable and recognizable. The rudd mainly lives in closed reservoirs - mainly in the wild.
Description of the fish
The rudd fish is considered freshwater. It has a wide distribution and is found in rivers and lakes throughout the world.The characteristic features of this individual include dense scales with a golden sheen, red fins and orange eyes. Thanks to this, the fish looks very impressive.
Appearance
Rudds are considered slow-growing individuals. At 1 year, the body length of the fish does not exceed 4-6 centimeters. Therefore, optimal sizes are typical only for old individuals 15-20 years old. On average, adult rudd reach a length of 15-30 centimeters. At the same time, they have a relatively small weight - 100-500 grams. In warm waters, provided there is sufficient nutrition, fish can reach 2 kilograms with a body length of 50 centimeters.
The rudd is characterized by a body flattened on both sides and a small head. It has a semi-upper mouth and sawtooth teeth, which are arranged in 2 rows. The fish also has large eyes with amber or reddish irises. The body is covered with large dense scales, which have rounded edges. Depending on the variety and age, there are 37-44 scales on the sides.
The color is influenced by the place of residence and the age of the individual. In muddy and warm water, rudd has a less pronounced dull tint, and in cool and clean water it has a bright and rich hue. Young fish less than 2-3 years old are lighter in color. With age, the shade changes, becoming richer.
The back of the fish has a dark brown tint with a green tint. Some species are characterized by a brown-green tint. The scales on the abdomen are silvery, and the sides are golden in color. The color of the fins varies from orange-yellow to bright red.
Habitats
Representatives of the Karpov family are widespread throughout Eurasia. They live in the fresh waters of France, Finland, Greece, England and other countries.Fish with red fins mainly settle in warm, standing waters, ponds, and reservoirs. They also live in areas with weak currents. However, rudds cannot live in fast-moving rivers.
In Russia, these individuals are found in areas with a warm and temperate climate. They live in the basins of various seas - the Azov, Caspian, Black, Aral. Fish are also found in the southern regions of Siberia and the Baltic states. The Far Eastern variety lives in coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean.
Rudds do not settle in bodies of water that have fast currents. They mainly live in stagnant lakes, small bays, and overgrown ponds. These fish are also found in old reservoirs. Representatives of this species choose to live in overgrown areas of water bodies, in which a lot of reeds, reeds, and sedges grow. At the same time, rudds love the bottom covered with an impressive layer of silt. Here they can hunt small fish and collect insects. In addition, in such an area it is easier for rudds to hide from predators.
Small individuals form flocks and are constantly located near natural shelters. They love to hide in thickets, driftwood and snags. Large individuals approach the shore in search of food. However, after eating, they swim away from shallow water and stay in elevated places, which are abundantly covered with grass and algae.
It is noteworthy that large individuals do not hide under snags or floating islands even in the heat. As temperatures increase, they move to greater depths, but do not retreat into secluded places.
Lifestyle
The rudd prefers to lead a calm and measured lifestyle. Fish do not move long distances in search of food, but mainly live in one place.Having found a secluded corner, the rudd constantly stays within its boundaries. She can only hide under cover for a short time to rest. At the same time, weather conditions or the approach of danger forces the fish to leave their favorite place. However, this approach does not indicate that the rudd is sluggish.
These individuals are considered fast and playful. They are distinguished by energetic and maneuverable movement. However, sometimes such individuals lack vitality and endurance. Once a rudd is caught, it cannot live in captivity for too long. It makes good baitfish, but it stays afloat for a limited period of time.
Like many other fish, rudd feeds in the morning and evening. During the day, she moves away from the shore to rest. At night, the rudd also has to move away from the coastal zone for several hours, as it becomes cold and dangerous. However, when it starts to get light, the fish swim back. The rudd uses coastal thickets of grass, reeds, cattails and other aquatic vegetation as shelter.
Diet
The rudd feeds on plants and living organisms. Her diet includes the following:
- larvae;
- seaweed;
- crustaceans;
- shoots of aquatic crops;
- caviar of fish, shellfish and snails;
- zooplankton;
- worms;
- leeches;
- fry.
Fish always includes aquatic vegetation in its menu. Rudd loves duckweed, algae, sedge and reed shoots. The fry of these individuals eat plankton. This fish also happily eats worms, insects, and crustaceans. She often eats the eggs of hydras, snails and mollusks from the leaves of aquatic plants. Adults eat juveniles of various fish.
Are there any enemies?
Small fish are often hunted by any predators that live in fresh water bodies. These include catfish, ruffe, perch, and pike. The fry and eggs of such individuals can be eaten even by omnivorous or conditionally herbivorous individuals - in particular, crucian carp, tench, and chebak.
Other individuals - frogs, newts, snails - can also attack the egg clutches of rudds. However, only pike can catch and catch an adult rudd. The rest of the fish simply cannot keep up with the fast fish.
In addition to underwater predators, rudds are preyed upon by various animals and birds. Their natural enemies are otters, beavers, and muskrats. These individuals are also eaten by geese, ducks, seagulls, and herons. In areas where there are few predators and a lot of food, rudd are considered trash fish, as their population is constantly increasing.
However, the most important enemy of these individuals is, of course, humans. Their population is negatively affected by factors such as poaching, artificial release of predatory fish, and pollution of water bodies. The work of large industrial enterprises, which is accompanied by dangerous emissions, also leads to negative consequences.
Reproduction and spawning
Rudd reproduces at the same time as many other fish. However, there are a number of features here. With the onset of spring, the fish begin to actively feed and fill with energy before spawning begins. Predominantly those individuals whose age exceeds 4-5 years reproduce. The process starts when the water warms up to +15-20 degrees.
Females lay eggs in batches. She spawns already formed eggs twice. In this case, the last third portion begins to form when the first and second ones have already been deposited. After this, the males inseminate the eggs.
Rudd is characterized by quiet spawning, which is difficult to see from the outside. As a rule, these fish lay their eggs in quiet coastal areas where they live during the warm season. To ensure the safety of the fry, the females lay their eggs near the algae so that they will not be carried away by the current. In addition, this helps protect the young from other fish. On average, one female is capable of laying 90-250 thousand eggs.
Fishing for rudd
This fish is considered to be heat-loving, therefore its maximum activity is observed in late spring, summer and early autumn. In early spring and late autumn, rudd is not active. At this time, it adapts to temperature changes. At the same time, in winter, fish happily swallow empty or filled with bait jigs and small balancers.
Although this fish is considered predatory, it perfectly accepts plant baits. The best options include the following:
- Dough rich in sweet aromas. These individuals love the smell of anise, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and honey.
- Crumpled crumb of bread. It is permissible to use a bun or loaf as bait.
- Peas, pearl barley, oats. First, the cereals need to be steamed well.
- Larvae and insects. Suitable baits include bloodworms, sculpins, and caddis flies. Colorado beetle larvae are also an excellent option.
- Small fry.
- Worms and maggots.
- Hominy.
- Canned peas and corn.
- Imitation caviar.
- Jigs.
- Small spoons, balancers, wobblers.
As for gear, suitable options include hooks and classic float rods. It is also permissible to use light spinning rods for fishing.
If after catching several fish the bites stop, you should not immediately change the place.Sometimes a few minutes are enough for the fish to calm down and approach again. It's much worse if she snapped. In this case, the rudd immediately makes a noise, after which all its brothers immediately hide.
Interesting Facts
The rudd is a rather unusual fish, with many interesting facts associated with it:
- The high population of these individuals is due to the fact that they are difficult to catch. Rudd is considered a very cautious fish that rarely goes into open places. In case of danger, it hides in thickets of reeds or algae.
- Rudd has no commercial significance. This is due to its bitter taste.
- Experienced fishermen catch this fish only with bright yellow baits. She simply ignores other colors.
- Due to its wide habitat, rudd is considered a subject of interest for sport fishermen.
- In Canada and New Zealand, the rudd is considered a real pest. It is characterized by aggressive behavior and displaces rare varieties of fish from water bodies.
- Swedish fisherman Louis Rasmussen managed to catch the largest rudd. In 1988, he caught an individual from the Yungang River, whose weight was 1 kilogram 580 grams. Surprisingly, the man used ordinary corn as bait.
- In Russia, the record holder was the fisherman Neelov. He was able to catch a fish weighing 1 kilogram 300 grams. However, the place and date of the capture of the trophy remained unknown.
The rudd is a fairly common fish that is found in many countries around the world. Its characteristic feature is its red fins. The name of the individual is associated with this. At the same time, the fish has no commercial value, since its meat is bitter.
