Species · GBIF taxon 4409641
Common Dace
Leuciscus leuciscusAlso known as Dace, Dart
Common dace are slender, energetic river fish that thrive in the clear, fast-flowing currents of clean streams and lowland rivers across Europe. They form lively surface schools that rise eagerly to pluck drifting mayflies and midges from the current. During early spring, these shoals migrate upstream into shallow riffles to scatter adhesive eggs across clean, well-oxygenated gravel beds.
FreshwaterSchoolingRiver Dweller
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mayfly nymphs
- Caddisfly larvae
- Chironomid midges
Predators
- Northern pike
- Eurasian otter
- Grey heron
ThreatsSiltation of gravel spawning beds, agricultural runoff, barrier dams, and river channelization.
HabitatsFast-flowing rivers and streams with gravel beds, clear lakes, and occasionally brackish estuaries.
Life span10–16 years
Classification
- FamilyCyprinidae
- SpeciesLeuciscus leuciscus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Scan fast-flowing gravel runs on warm afternoons to spot schools rising to take insects.
- Catch and Release: Handle fish with wet hands and return them swiftly to the current to protect delicate scales.
Look-alike (c) Emőke Dénes, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Predator (c) Patrick Jackson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Jackson · cc-by
Close Relative (c) viridiflavus, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Same Family Scardinius_erythropthalmus1_resize.jpg: Original uploader was Algirdas at lt.wikipedia derivative work: George Chernilevsky talk / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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