European Perch

Also known as Common Perch, Redfin Perch, Eurasian Perch, English Perch

European perch are striking freshwater hunters recognizable by five to nine dark vertical bars across their greenish-yellow flanks and bright orange-red pelvic and anal fins. Younger fish form tight-knit schools in vegetated margins, while older individuals become solitary predators lurking near submerged roots and drop-offs. Females lay long, gelatinous ribbons containing thousands of eggs across aquatic weeds each spring, securing their offspring against shifting currents.