Difference between rudd and roach.

Some species of fish are so similar that, in the absence of specific experience, it is not clear which specimen was caught. Such controversial inhabitants of reservoirs include rudd and roach. Indeed, there is considerable similarity between the two fish. But there are also signs inherent in each of them separately.

What fish look like

That rudd and roach are similar, not surprising. After all, they have one family - carp. However, it is worth taking a close look at each of the fish. The rudd looks like this:

The rudd

And this is the roach:

Roach

Now let's talk in more detail about how to recognize these aquatic inhabitants. I must say, there are plenty of differences between them.

Comparison

The first thing that catches your eye is the color of the fish. The rudd looks pretty impressive. Her conspicuous "outfit" consists of golden scales and bright red fins. The color of large fish of this species is especially rich. Young rudd is somewhat lighter, and their fins are paler.

The most common roach scales are silvery. The fins of this fish can be different: both red and completely gray. Their color is largely due to the habitat of a particular individual. It is the roach, in the color of which there are bright pigments, that is often mistaken for a rudd. However, to dispel all doubts, you can count the ribs on the dorsal fin of the fish caught. If there are 8-9 of them, then this is a rudd, and a larger number of rays - 10-12 - indicates that we have a roach in front of us.

An important difference between rudd and roach is the location of the fins relative to each other. If you look at the rudd from the side, you will notice that its dorsal fin is somewhat displaced relative to the ventral fin towards the tail. And in roach, both of these fins originate on the same line.

The body of the rudd is taller, so it looks more rounded. Plus, this fish is a little fatter. Roach has an elongated body shape. Rudd is the owner of pale yellow or orange eyes, often with red blotches in the upper half. Roach have red eyes.

Individuals of the discussed species also differ in the structure of the mouth. At the rudd, the mouth is curved so that it is convenient for it to grab food close to the surface of the reservoir. Roach, which prefers to seek food in the bottom layers, has a straight mouth. By the way, the rudd can also be recognized by the yellow border on the lips.

In addition, the genus of a caught individual can be determined by touch. What is the difference between rudd and roach? The fact that the rudd is not such a slippery fish. But holding the roach in your hands is more difficult, since the surface of its body is abundantly covered with mucus.

Table

Rudd Roach
GoldSilver
Red finsFins can be gray
Beams in the structure of the dorsal fin - 8-9Rays in the fin more - 10-12
The dorsal fin is displacedThe dorsal and pelvic fins originate on the same lines
Body taller and thickerElongated body
Pale yellow or orange eyesRed eyes
The mouth is curved upward, with a light border visible on the lipsStraight mouth
Less slipperyCovered in slime
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