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Tench
Tiny scales, short mouth-corner barbels and a bottom-feeding habit.
- Adult length
- Up to 70 cm (standard length, without the tail fin)
- Lifespan
- Up to 7 years
A bottom feeder still needs deliberate feeding; make sure sinking food reaches it.
Appearance and identification
Olive colouring, fine embedded scales, orange-red eyes and rounded fins distinguish tench from large-scaled pond swimmers. Golden tench is a colour form of this species. Adult males have larger pelvic fins; this illustration depicts a female.
Same-species behaviour
A relatively secretive bottom forager; group number and sex ratio remain unverified.
Space requirements
Plan a pond with bottom foraging space and plant cover; no verified minimum volume has been adopted.
Diet and feeding
Use suitable sinking pellets and varied foods; natural prey includes aquatic insect larvae and molluscs.
Compatibility limits
Check feeding access alongside faster surface feeders; reports of low-oxygen tolerance are not a husbandry target.
Aquarium environment
Planted ponds can provide shelter; leave accessible feeding areas and do not treat bottom foraging as maintenance.
Similar and related fish
