Fishes of our reservoirs. The largest freshwater fish or river monsters Rare freshwater fish

Carp is the common name for freshwater fish of the carp family. They are widely distributed in various bodies of water around the world. They prefer quiet, stagnant or slow-flowing waters with a hard clayey and slightly silted bottom. Capable of growing up to 1.2 meters in length and weighing more than 100 kg. They feed on mollusks, crustaceans, worms and insect larvae. The largest carp caught by a British angler in 2013 weighed 45.59 kg.

The common taimen is a species of large freshwater fish, the largest representative of the salmon family. They live in fast-flowing, cold rivers of Siberia and in the Amur River basin. Common taimen can grow up to 1.5–2 m long and weigh 60–80 kg. However, most mature fish caught averaged between 70 and 120 cm in length and weighed between 15 and 30 kg. The largest specimen caught, recorded by the International Game Fish Association, weighed 41.95 kg with a length of 156 cm. The species is listed in the Red Book.

The common catfish is a large freshwater, scaleless, bottom-dwelling fish that lives in deep rivers, deep channels, lakes and reservoirs throughout Europe and Asia. The body length of catfish can reach 5 m, weight - 100 kg. There is a lot of information about giant catfish reaching 250–300 kg, but there is no documentary evidence of the existence of such catfish. It is a typical predator and feeds on fish, large benthic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, waterfowl, small mammals and even relatives. Like the pike, the catfish is an excellent orderly for reservoirs; it eats sick and weakened fish. Cases of attacks on people have also been described.

Nile perch is a type of large freshwater predatory fish that lives in the basins of the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger rivers, as well as in lakes Chad, Volta, Turkana and other reservoirs. Found in Lake Maryut in Egypt. They can grow up to 2 meters in length and weigh up to 200 kg. However, adults usually reach a length of 121–137 cm. The Nile perch is a predator that dominates in the reservoirs of residence. It feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans and insects. Where food resources are limited, they can also eat relatives.

Beluga is a species of fish from the sturgeon family. It lives in the White, Caspian, Azov, Black, and Adriatic seas, from where it enters rivers for spawning. Their body length can reach 5 m, weight - 1000 kg (usually individuals up to 2.5 m and weighing up to 200–300 kg are caught). As an exception, according to unconfirmed reports, there were individuals 9 m long and weighing up to 2 tons; if this information is correct, then the beluga can be considered the largest freshwater fish on the globe. It feeds mainly on fish, but does not neglect shellfish.

Fifth place in the list of the largest freshwater fish on the planet is occupied by the White sturgeon - a species of fish of the sturgeon family, the largest freshwater fish in North America. Inhabits the bottom of slow-moving rivers and bays along the west coast of North America. The white sturgeon can grow up to 6.1 m long and weigh 816 kg. It feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

The Chinese paddlefish or psefur is a freshwater fish that lives only in the Yangtze River, sometimes swims into large lakes and the Yellow Sea. Their body length can exceed 3 meters and weight 300 kilograms. There is information that in the 1950s, fishermen caught a paddlefish 7 meters long and weighing about 500 kg, although the veracity of this story is unconfirmed. It feeds on fish and crustaceans. Its meat and caviar are highly prized in China.

The giant freshwater stingray (Himantura polylepis) is a species of freshwater stingray that lives in the tropical waters of several large rivers in Indochina and Kalimantan. Capable of growing up to 1.9 m wide and weighing 600 kg. They feed mainly on crustaceans and mollusks, possibly earthworms. The giant freshwater stingray is not aggressive, although they must be handled with care as their poisonous long spine can easily penetrate human bone. This species is endangered.

Mississippi girt

The Mississippi shellfish or alligator pike is a species of large freshwater fish common in the lower Mississippi River valley and its tributaries in North and Central America. This is a very fast and strong, but shy fish. According to experts, the Mississippi shellfish can grow up to 3 m in length and weigh more than 130 kg. In 2011, the largest shellfish caught was officially registered, its length was 2.572 m, weight 148 kg. It feeds mainly on fish, small mammals, birds, turtles, etc. There are known cases of attacks on children, fortunately, they never ended fatally. Included in the list of prehistoric fish that were considered extinct.

The giant catfish is the largest freshwater fish and is endangered. It is found only in the lower Mekong River, as well as in the Tonle Sap River and Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Fish of this species can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh 150–200 kg. They are herbivores - they feed mainly on algae and phytoplankton. The largest specimen caught in 2005 reached a length of 2.7 m and weighed 293 kg, and it was recognized as the largest freshwater fish caught by humans.

List of fish that live in freshwater bodies. These are predatory fish and peaceful fish species, primarily river fish and lake fish. The list contains names, descriptions, and photos of fish in their habitat. The fish in the list is characterized from several points of view:

• Ichthyological: features of fish as a species, habitat, fish nutrition, spawning;
• Culinary: nutritional value of fish, taste, properties of meat, fat content, bone content;
• Fishing: fish as an object of amateur and sport fishing.

The habits of fish, fishing methods, tackle and bait are described. Examples of culinary uses and dishes for which fish is most suitable are given.

River fish

River fish cannot exist in salty sea water, and sea fish cannot exist in fresh water. With some exceptions: migratory fish can live in both fresh and salt water.

Some marine fish migrate to rivers for spawning - salmon, brown trout, and herring. These types of fish are called anadromous. Salmon go upstream in rivers hundreds of kilometers from where they flow into the sea, spawn there, roll back, and die. Migratory fish have great commercial value.

Freshwater river fish are also not always sedentary, and can migrate to salty waters. Some species of freshwater fish (catadromes) swim into the sea to spawn (freshwater eels).

The typical river fish is underrated. No sea fish can compare in taste to properly cooked pike perch, fried carp or crucian carp. Real fish soup is made only from river fish, and the most delicious fish cutlets are made from pike meat. Pike caviar is also prized. And in general, among the river fish, there are really valuable fish!

Names and photos of river fish

Considering that the freshwater bodies of our country are home to more than 400 different species of fish, not including anadromous ones, only the most valuable, famous and popular representatives of them are included in the list. We tried to select photos of river fish that most accurately convey the idea of ​​them and their appearance.

Let's move on to our list of fish (the order of fish names is derived by weighted average popularity - the number of mentions in fishing, cooking, literature). Each page displays 5 fish. Use the arrows at the bottom of the list to navigate.

#1 Perch

River perch is a small predator, a typical inhabitant of most freshwater bodies of water - rivers, reservoirs, ponds and lakes. Sea bass and yellow perch are representatives of other fish species. In reservoirs with representatives of valuable fish, perch is considered a trash fish, in the rest - a cleaner. A perch weighing more than 300 grams is considered large. During its life, a perch can grow up to half a meter in size and weigh 2 kg.

Perch feeds on young fish, insects and larvae; during the spawning of other fish, it eats their eggs. The striped robber is what characterizes the bass best.

How to catch perch

Perch can be caught using various tackles throughout the year. The largest numbers of perch are caught after high water, in early autumn and on the first ice in winter. They catch perch using spinning rods in the open water season, and using spoons and jigs in winter.

How to cook

Despite the fact that perch is not of particular commercial value, it is widely used in home cooking. This is not to say that this is a fish without bones, but there are very few of them. Large perch is smoked and fried, sometimes salted and dried, and perch fish soup is made from various varieties. Perch meat is tasty and lean. Those who do not like to deal with perch because of its scales are missing out on a lot.

#2 Pike

Pike is a freshwater predatory fish, inhabitant of rivers and lakes. The sea pike is called a barracuda. Depending on the body of water in which it lives, pike can have different colors - lake pikes are brighter and darker than river fish. Being a predator, the spotted predator acts as a “orderly” of reservoirs - it hunts and eats, first of all, weakened and sick fish.

Occurs in early spring after the water warms up to three to six degrees. Previously, only burbot spawned pike.

During its life, a pike can reach one and a half meters in length and weigh more than 30 kg. Pike over 9 kg are called “crocodiles” by fishermen. In warm weather, pike are caught using spinning rods, and in winter - using jigs, spoons and balancers.

How to cook pike

Pike meat is “dry”, not fatty - dietary. Due to its bonyness and unique taste, pike meat is rarely used for cooking in its pure form. But it is well suited for making cutlets and is used in fish soup along with other types of fish. Salted and lightly salted pike caviar is highly prized.

#3 Pike perch

Pike perch is a predatory river fish of the perch family, but there is also sea pike perch. This is a large and strong fish weighing up to 18 kg and more than a meter in length. A close relative of pike perch is bersh. Bersh is called the Volga pike perch, but it is not a pike perch - it does not weigh more than one and a half kilograms and it does not have the fang-like teeth that real pike perch have.

Pike perch hunts in a flock, going out in an organized manner to a place where many young fish gather or schools of small fish - sprat and sprat - pass by. Pike perch spawn in the spring, when the water warms up to 12 degrees. After spawning, pike perch does not leave the spawning area, protecting the eggs from “pirates” - perches and other fish that love to feast on other people’s eggs.

Pike perch is always a desired trophy in the catch of any fisherman. In open water, pike perch are caught using a spinning rod, using a wide variety of baits. In winter, pike perch is caught using spoons and balancers, rattlins, amphipods, and jigs for pike perch.

How to cook pike perch

Pike perch is a valuable fish species. It has high nutritional value, very tasty dietary meat with a high content of easily digestible protein. In addition, pike perch meat contains many useful microelements and amino acids, some of which are essential.

Objectively, pike perch is one of the most delicious freshwater fish. Pike perch is a “fish without bones.” One of the advantages of pike perch meat is the complete absence of small bones. The most correct use is fried or baked pike perch.

#4 Burbot

Burbot is a river fish of the burbot genus, the only representative of cod-like fish that lives exclusively in fresh water. Burbot does not tolerate warm water, so it is more common in water bodies of the temperate climate zone and to the north.

Externally, burbot looks a little like catfish. It has a spotted color, and the color of burbot depends on the transparency, depth, illumination and color of the soil of the water in which it lives. Burbot spawning occurs in winter, from December to February, depending on the geographical location of the reservoir. In summer, especially in the heat, burbot is little active.

How to catch

Fishing for burbot in winter is carried out using winter baits, a burbot jig or a spinner. Ruffe, the most favorite prey of burbot, is used as live bait on the girders. When fishing with a jig, regularly tap the bottom; the sound attracts burbot from afar. The burbot bite is more active at night. In open water it is caught during cold spells using bottom tackle with a large worm, fry or pieces of fish as bait.

Carp is a fish of the carp family. Carp is a domesticated, cultivated form of carp. Artificially grown carp, entering a wild reservoir, can exist and reproduce there normally, but it does not become a carp. Carp is an exclusively wild carp.

Carp, an omnivorous fish, feeds on both plant and animal foods. Compared to carp, the body of the carp is more elongated, the carp has a higher side. Several types of carp have been bred from carp - mirror carp or king carp - with rows of large scales that partially cover the body, and scaleless carp - completely bare-skinned.

Carp and carp are large and strong fish. The carp grows more than a meter in length and can weigh over 20 kg. Prefers bodies of water with calm water. River carp adheres to places with weak currents, silty or clay bottom with shell rock.

Spawning of carp and carp

Preparation for spawning of carp begins in the spring, when the water warms up to 10 degrees. It comes closer to the shores, to spawning grounds - to places rich in aquatic vegetation. Spawning itself (spawning) begins at a water temperature of 18 degrees. Spawning of carp can continue until mid-summer.

For millions of years, our planet has been inhabited by a large variety of fish. Their habitat became numerous lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. Since ancient times, both river and sea inhabitants of the underwater kingdom have served as a source of food for people, rich in a huge amount of useful substances, such as various amino acids, protein and various vitamins. Fish farming products are widely used in the production of medicines and nutritional fertilizers for agriculture, as well as raw materials in light industry.

Features of river inhabitants

We all know that fishing on rivers is an exciting and varied activity. Therefore, any fisherman, before starting to equip fishing gear, must accurately answer the question of what kind of fish are found in the river. And, of course, every amateur fisherman should know the physiological characteristics of the object of hunting:

Depending on the nature of the food taken, river fish can be classified as:

• predatory;
• herbivores;
• omnivores.

River predators

Predatory individuals feed on other fish, some can eat animals or birds. Largemouth species swallow so much prey at one time that it is enough for several days of active life, but smallmouth fish need to hunt constantly, since their prey is small.

The most common predatory river fish in Russian waters. The maximum dimensions of pike reach up to 1.5 m with a weight of up to 30-35 kg, but specimens are known weighing up to 60 kg and longer than human height. The average life expectancy is up to 25 years, although there are individuals with a maximum age of 35 years.

The fish is very strong, tireless and agile thanks to its slippery cylindrical body. It is shaped like an underwater torpedo with a long, flattened head and a huge mouth filled with many sharp teeth.

Pike is so predatory that sometimes it even attacks its own relatives. True, it prefers carp fish for food: crucian carp, bleak, roach, rudd. But he treats spiny species (perch, ruff) with great caution; even if he catches such a fish, he does not immediately swallow it, but holds it in his mouth until it stops moving. During the hunt, it misses very rarely, but if attempts are unsuccessful, it returns to ambush and awaits other prey.

The spotted body color of the pike allows it to camouflage perfectly among the vegetation of the reservoir. In rivers it lives in places that are not very deep, with weak currents and grassy banks.

Pike meat contains little fat and is therefore considered dietary. It contains a lot of protein, which is easily absorbed by the human body.

spiny perch

This predatory fish, like pike, is widespread in the waters of Russia and almost all European countries. It has a laterally compressed body, which has a peculiar hump with dark stripes. The tail fin and eyes are highlighted with an orange tint. The color of the perch depends entirely on the transparency of the water. Individuals living in a dark environment with a muddy bottom have a more saturated color than fish living in light water.

The fish is quite large in size; there is evidence that perch can reach a weight of up to five kilograms and a length of up to half a meter. The average life expectancy is about 17 years.

In terms of extraordinary gluttony and predatory greed, it is not inferior to the pike. Having swallowed one fish, it can immediately continue hunting for another. There are cases when a caught perch had several fry in its stomach. It feeds on any fish of suitable size, and is active both in summer and winter.

Prefers to stay at depth, but not at the very bottom. During a hunt, it easily lunges at prey located in the upper layers of the reservoir.

The largest predator is catfish

This is the largest fish living in rivers. Its body length can reach five meters, and its weight can be over 300 kg. According to scientists, such specimens are 80-100 years old. In most cases, the color is brown with a brownish-green tint, and the belly is white. The color change can be almost light yellow depending on where it lives.

Catfish are considered an active nocturnal predator, which during the day prefers to lie down in snags or holes.

The diet of this large predator is very varied. Easily eats frogs, shellfish or large fish. Sometimes geese, ducks, water rats and other animals and birds can end up in the mouth of a catfish.

The meat of this inhabitant of the river depths contains some bones and fat. It is very nutritious and beneficial for the human body.

A predator reaching a length of up to one meter and a weight of up to 10 kg. Pike perch can be found in the clear water of large rivers and lakes. Life expectancy is up to 15 years. It is a relative of the perch and has the same vertical stripes on both sides.

An adult tries to stay near stones at depth or in holes, but young animals, on the contrary, prefer shallow sections of rivers. At the beginning of life, the fry primarily feed on zooplankton, insect larvae and small fish from other fish.

Pike perch actively hunts for prey, while trying to avoid areas with thickets where it itself can become food for pike. However, his location is very unstable. Where pike perch was caught well the day before, you may not find it the next day.

Among freshwater fish, burbot is the only representative of the cod family. It is sharply distinguished from other fish by its unique body shape. The body is strongly elongated and compressed on the sides, especially in the tail. The head is flattened, similar to a catfish. The back is grayish-green in color and has dark stripes and spots, but the belly is whitish.

Burbot is an insatiable and extremely greedy predator whose diet includes insect larvae, frogs, mollusks and small fish. Sometimes, when an adult is opened, a large number of small perches, minnows or ruffs are found in the stomach. Despite its sluggish and lazy appearance, it swims deftly and quickly. At the same time, it is especially active in winter, when other fish are more sleepy and motionless.

Burbot can reach a length of up to one meter and a weight of up to five kilograms, although there are also specimens weighing up to 24 kg. Life expectancy is quite high - up to 22 years.

There are also smaller predatory fish, such as:

1. Bersh is very similar to pike perch, however, it reaches a size of up to 50 cm.
2. Chop - found less frequently, in the Danube or Dnieper rivers.
3. Ruff is a widespread fish, often called thorn by fishermen, because it has sharp, spiny fins.

Herbivorous fish

This type includes fish that spend most of their time searching for plant food and various river plankton. Various types of algae grow in reservoirs and rivers, especially in warm summers, which are an excellent haven for various mollusks and crustaceans. They are the perfect treat for herbivorous fish.

Common fish - crucian carp

It is the most common fish in almost all reservoirs and rivers of Russia. The fish is quite unpretentious; it prefers shallow sections of the river, warmed by the rays of the sun and overgrown with vegetation of all kinds. Weakly responds to lack of oxygen and water quality in its habitat. In the winter season, crucian carp is capable of freezing into ice and not even dying.

It belongs to the family of carp fish, in appearance it is very similar to carp, but does not have antennae. Weighs approximately 0.5 kg. It feeds mainly on zooplankton, various aquatic plants, worms and larvae.

There are silver and gold carp. It is most active in the warm season.

Carp and its species

It belongs to the family of carp fish and is the most desired prey for fishermen in central Russia. There are individuals of quite large size, weighing up to 10 kg. According to scientists, life expectancy can reach 100 years.

There are the following types of carp:

1. mirror;
2. scaly;
3. naked;
4. frame carp and others.

All these representatives differ from each other in the shape of the body, the type of scales and habits. It can feed on bread crumbs, undercooked potatoes or cake.

The fish is very strong, so experienced fishermen often fish for it, using reliable and powerful gear.

Main types of carp

Bream and its use in cooking

This schooling, inconspicuous fish often lives in places with calm currents and muddy bottoms. Life expectancy is up to 20 years, but bream growth is very slow. Only by the age of ten is he able to gain weight up to 4 kg.

It feeds mainly on crustaceans, mollusks, insect larvae, worms and algae. The coloring of bream is predominantly dark silver. Spawns at water temperatures of 13 degrees.

The meat of this fish is characterized by excellent taste. It is used boiled, salted, fried, dried or smoked.

Small representative - roach

This fish is found in almost all rivers and lakes. It leads a gregarious lifestyle and prefers to hide from predators in quiet sections of rivers overgrown with grass and algae.

In appearance it is very similar to the rudd. The color of the body depends on the composition of the water in its habitat. The fish is small in size (15-20 cm), but there were also specimens up to half a meter in length and weighing up to two kilograms.

Roach spawns at a temperature of plus ten degrees, and after this period it is particularly active. The best time to catch this fish is considered to be early morning or late evening.

Of course, within the framework of one article, it is very difficult to describe all representatives of the aquatic world. There are also a huge number of species of river fish:

1. The rudd is a beautiful fish that looks like a roach.
2. The silver bream is a distant relative of the bream, silver in color with reddish fins.
3. Carp is considered a freshwater fish, but is also found in the Caspian Sea basin.
4. Tench is a royal fish with excellent taste characteristics.
5. Chub is a freshwater fish that is found exclusively in rivers with fast currents.
6. Bleak is a ubiquitous fish, known to almost every angler.

Other types of river fish

Unfortunately, many river systems are negatively affected by the unfavorable environmental situation, which is caused by various emissions from industrial enterprises and factories. The inhabitants of many rivers and reservoirs become victims of this human attitude towards the environment.

Fish a little more than half a meter long, living in fresh water, look very large, but among freshwater fish there are a variety of species that are so large in length and weight that it is difficult to imagine.

Of course, the inhabitants of the deep sea have a wider variety of shapes and sizes, but some rivers and lakes are home to unique species of the largest freshwater fish in the world.

Fishing enthusiasts should always exercise great caution, especially when fishing in unfamiliar water bodies. It is unknown to what size a catfish or perch could grow in the deep waters of an unvisited lake. So it won’t be long before you yourself become the prey of some two-meter pike. 🙂

10. Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Carp (carp)- a large omnivorous fish that lives in fresh water bodies with stagnant water and a muddy bottom. The body is covered with large scales and has a golden hue. A very voracious fish, capable of eating almost the whole day. Carp eat young shoots of reeds and other aquatic plants, as well as mollusks, aquatic insects and even the eggs of other fish and frogs. Since the average size of this fish is small, it ranks last among the ten largest freshwater fish in the world. The largest carp was caught in 2015 in Hungary. His weight was 48 kg.

9.

paddlefish is a large freshwater fish that inhabits bodies of water in the eastern United States, particularly the rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Most common in Mississippi and its associated lakes. On average, adults reach a size of 221 cm and a weight of 90.7 kg. They live long, up to 55 years. These freshwater fish are the only sturgeon species that feed on zooplankton, phytoplankton, as well as the remains (detritus) and secretions of invertebrate animals.

8.

Siberian taimen (Russian salmon)- a species of predatory freshwater fish belonging to the salmon family. These fish inhabit the fast and cold waters of Siberia, Altai and the Far East. It is not in vain that it is considered the largest salmon in the world: such a fish can be 1 m in length and weigh 50-60 kg. The taimen is not whimsical in its choice of food; it preys on all types of fish that are smaller in size. It has different colors, but you can recognize it by its olive-green head, reddish-brown tail and 8-10 transverse stripes on the sides. The lifespan of taimen is significantly longer than that of other salmon. Thanks to this, fish can grow to above average sizes.

The largest taimen in the world was caught in the Krasnoyarsk Territory on the Kotui River in 1943. The weight of this fish was 105 kg and the length was 210 cm.

7.

Shelled pike- ray-finned fish of the armored family. Swims in fresh and brackish waters of Central and North America. This is not only one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet, but also one of the most ancient - the ancestors of this species lived on Earth more than 100 million years ago. It got its name for its truly terrifying appearance: its long body is covered with thick, shell-like scales, and its sharp muzzle has powerful jaws with four rows of teeth. Armored freshwater pikes can reach 3 m in length and weigh up to 136 kg. It mainly eats small fish, but can also attack humans.

6. Nile perch (Lates niloticus)

Nile perch- the largest freshwater fish in the world from the genus Perciformes. Found in water bodies of Africa (Nile, Senegal, Congo, etc.). We are used to catching perches “on the palm” and larger, but this species grows up to 2 m in length and weighs up to 200 kg. The average length of the African freshwater perch will be 120-140 cm. The fish has a silver color with a blue tint. It feeds on smaller fish, insects, crayfish, and also does not disdain its relatives.

5.

Brazilian arapaima is a tropical freshwater fish from the Aravan family. Distributed in lakes and rivers of South America. The body of this fish has a greenish color in the front, with a smooth transition to red in the tail, and incredibly durable scales. Thanks to its reliable protection, the arapaima coexists with such ferocious predators as piranhas. It mainly feeds on fish, and on occasion birds and small animals. The average length is 2 meters, but there are individuals up to 3 meters and weighing 200 kg.

The Brazilian arapaima has a unique feature - it is able to breathe atmospheric air.

4.

Mekong catfish (shilbo catfish)- ray-finned fish of the pangasian catfish family. Inhabits the rivers of Thailand: Mekong and Tonle Sap. The largest specimen was 2.7 m in length and weighed 293 kg. These freshwater fish eat phytoplankton and algae and also prey on fish and small animals. Due to excessive fishing, there is a possibility of complete extinction of this species. According to some data, over the past 14 years, its population in the world has decreased by 80%. Therefore, the Shilbo catfish is included in the International Red Book.

3.

Common catfish- a large bottom-dwelling fish without scales, living in deep fresh waters of lakes and rivers in Europe, Asia and parts of Russia. This fish is a real giant among aquatic creatures. Therefore, it is included in the same list with the largest freshwater fish in the world. With great depth and sufficient food, it can grow up to 5 m long and weigh up to 400 kg. There is no official confirmation of the second figure, but there are many eyewitness accounts. For such sizes, you need a lot of food. Some sources say that catfish feed exclusively on carrion. In fact, these fish prefer to hunt small fish, crustaceans, waterfowl, aquatic insects, small mammals and even their relatives.

Catfish are very large predatory fish with an aggressive character, living in fresh water, including in places where people bathe. In this regard, they pose a danger to humans, because may cause quite serious injuries. There is official evidence of attacks by two-meter catfish on people.

2.

White sturgeon is the third largest in the sturgeon family. Inhabits the fresh waters of North America and is considered the largest cultural heritage of British Columbia. The sturgeon loves to live in the calm waters of the west coast and is large in size: up to 6 m long and weighing up to 816 kg. The fish is very aggressive, has a characteristic gray color with white spots and diamonds on the sides and back. Sturgeons live for a very long time, longer than humans, up to 100-110 years, and can reproduce only from the age of 14 (males) and 18 (females). The predator eats mollusks, crustaceans, worms and fish.

1. Beluga (Huso huso)

Beluga- a large freshwater fish from the sturgeon family, living in the Caspian, Black and Azov seas. This fish grows to enormous sizes: 4-5 meters in length and weighs up to one and a half tons. According to unconfirmed reports, there were individuals 9 m long and weighing up to 2 tons. That is why the beluga is the largest freshwater fish in the world. It feeds on different types of fish and shellfish, but prefers sprat, gobies, and herring. Beluga is a valuable commercial fish because... it contains the most expensive caviar in the world – black. The cost of a kilogram of black caviar in Europe can exceed 7,000 euros. Beluga is listed in the Red Book.

Another large commercial fish also belongs to the beluga genus - kaluga (Huso dauricus). We did not include it in the ranking of the largest freshwater fish in the world to make our TOP 10 more diverse. Lives in the Amur River. Grown-up individuals feed on minnows and other small fish, and later they eat silver carp, carp, salmon, grass carp, and sometimes their relatives. It can grow up to 5-6 meters long, and the maximum recorded weight of the “Queen of Amur” is 600 kg. This giant was caught by a Chinese fisherman in 2012. There is an assumption that previously there were fish weighing up to a ton. Included in the international and Russian Red Book. Kaluga is a freshwater fish, but is able to adapt to life in salty sea water.

Gray bull shark (bluntnose) lives in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans. Belongs to the family of gray sharks, whose representatives can live in both salt and fresh water and is the largest of them. Among all species of living sharks, it has the greatest bite force - up to 6000 Newton. According to some data, it reaches a length of 3.5-4 m and a weight of up to 400 kg. Females are larger than males, aggressive and merciless. The bull shark hunts in the shallowest freshwater bodies near sandy beaches. Although this is a large fish, we did not include it in the rating, since freshwater rivers and lakes are not its main habitat.

• The smallest freshwater fish in the world is dwarf pandaka (Pandaka pygmaea). It has an almost transparent colorless body. Found in the lakes of the Philippine island of Luzon. It grows no more than 1 centimeter and weighs 4-5 mg.
• The largest fish in the world, among the inhabitants of both fresh and salt waters - whale shark (Rhincodon typus).

Interesting facts about the largest freshwater fish in the world.