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Yellow perch,
Perca flavescens. |
Class: Bony fish
Order: Perch, darters, sunfishes and bass
Family: Perch and darters
Species found in the Rideau River:
Tessellated darter, yellow perch, logperch, walleye
Characteristics of the family:
The dorsal fins of perch are clearly divided into two parts, the first
part spiny, the second part soft-rayed. The species does not have an adipose
fin and the anal fins have two or fewer anal fin spines.
| Description |
These
fish have a green back with yellow sides with about 7 vertical,
dark green stripes along the body. The tail fin is slightly
forked. |
| Size |
15
cm to 25 cm |
| Distribution |
Range
throughout Canada and the U.S.A., but they are rare in the western
states. They are found along the Rideau River. |
| Habitat |
Yellow
perch like vegetated areas in warmer water, with slow to moderately
fast current. |
| Food |
Invertebrates,
small fish. |
| Life
cycle |
Spawns
in spring in lake shallows or in tributary streams over submerged
beds of aquatic plants or brush, or over sand, gravel, or rubble.
The parents do not care for the eggs or young. |
| Interesting
facts |
Yellow
perch eggs are unique in that they are laid in long gelatinous
strings that would reach 2 m long if stretched out in a line.
They weigh up to 0.9 kg! These egg masses are semi-buoyant and
float along with the water currents until they get caught on
vegetation or the bottom, where the eggs will hatch. |
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Yellow perch,
Perca flavescens. |
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