and this is...?

[Kappa]

Is it what I think (hope) it is?

 

 

Edited March 8, 2014 by Kappa

[Poleaxe]

That to me is a crucian. Not going by any lateral line counts or anything scientific. Just by looks and colour. Looks like many crucians I have caught from one of the lakes I fish. I catch them on another lake and they are all very deeply bodied but that other lake they are all more sleek like the one pictured above.

 

I could very well be wrong but that's the vibe I get from the picture. Someone with more knowledge will be able to guarantee either way, I'm sure.

 

Now I've just got to hope I answered the right question haha.

[Chris Plumb]

Can't see enough of the fish to confidently make a positive ID!

 

I look at the following to make a Crucian Identification...

 

Lateral line count 33 (32 or 34 MAY be OK if everything else is) slotting often interrupted or incomplete.

Dorsal fin large and ALWAYS convex.

Caudal fin - paint brush or only slightly forked.

Absolutely NO hint of any barbules around the mouth.

 

There are others - but those are my 'bankside' clues.

 

I'd like to see a clearer pic of the dorsal in your photo...

 

 

C.

[Kappa]

Thanks Chris,

 

It's the crucianeyest "crucian" I've caught in ages but I wouldn't like to bet a lot on it be a pure breed!

 

Rich

[Barry C]

If I had caught it I would call it a Crucian.

[arbocop]

Can't see enough of the fish to confidently make a positive ID!

 

Lateral line count 33 (32 or 34 MAY be OK if everything else is) slotting often interrupted or incomplete.

 

C.

Slotting of the lateral line? What is that? Is it an interruption in the lines 'completeness' for want of a better word.

Useful description Chris, I'll try and remember that.

 

Mike

[BoldBear]

Like Chris, I would have liked to see the dorsal fin before I could hazard a guess although it looks suspiciously like an 'f1' to me, going on the tail fin, head and body shape and its colouring, however I may be mistaken.

 

Here's a picture of a true Crucian with its distinctive head tail, body and fin shapes and its distinctive 'bar of gold' colouring; although as they get much larger a little of the colouring fades a bit.

 

 

Keith (BoldBear)

[Chris Plumb]

Body shape in it's self is not a good indicator. Crucians can pull a neat trick called phenotypic plasticity whereby they can change shape in response to the presence of predators - growing deeper - what's called a gape defence. So crucians from a water with no preds can look like Kappa's where as one's caught where there are predators can look like this!

A crucian I caught a couple of summers ago.

Take crucians from a non pred water and put them in a water with preds and they can grow deeper in a matter of months!! Those that don't get eaten.

 

C

[wunnus]

I think that I would also have called it a crucian, but it was great to get the extra info. However I expect that this will go out the window when I catch my next crucian, so keep it coming folks.