Bony fish · Perciformes · Percidae

Perch

Perca fluviatilis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It lays its eggs in striking white gelatinous ribbons up to a metre long that cling to water plants and submerged objects.

Weight

up to 3 kg

Size

up to 60 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

School

Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal In schools Fish Freshwater

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Fun facts

It eats planktonic invertebrates as a juvenile and small fish as an adult.
It lives in lakes, slow-flowing rivers and estuaries across Eurasia.
It is considered invasive in Australia and other regions where it has been introduced.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - bony skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Lakes, slow-flowing rivers and estuaries of Eurasia, from northern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean
Birth weight: ~5 mm long at hatching
Size at birth: 5 mm long at hatching
Sexual maturity: Male: 1-3 years | Female: 2-4 years
Gestation / incubation: 8-16 days of egg development
Litter / clutch size: 1,000 to 900,000 eggs per female, laid in long jelly ribbons up to a metre long

Sources consulted: FishBase; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (risk screening); Brickfields Park; Nattour; Wikipedia (European perch); Animalia.bio; All About Fishing; Springer (global review study)