trout
- A rainbow trout is, technically, a salmon. It has the scientific name Oncorhynchus mykiss.
- It’s thought that the average rainbow trout will live for up to six years in the wild, though captivity lifespans may vary.
- You’ll find that a rainbow trout can grow up to 90cm in length and can weigh up to 9kg at heftiest. It’s a fairly bulky fish on the whole!
- In fact, the heaviest rainbow trout ever recorded weighed a whopping 25.8kg!
- Rainbow trout can generally be found in streams, rivers and other bodies of water; however, you can also find some that live in the ocean. Therefore, they are fairly flexible in terms of where they habituate!
- Their diets can vary, too. A rainbow trout is likely to consume the eggs of other fish, as well as larvae, insects and other small creatures.
- However, they do also need to be on the lookout for predators. It’s likely that fishing birds such as herons and even raccoons are known to go dipping in for a rainbow trout or two.
- There are around 15 different species of rainbow trout in total which are common to North American waterways.
- They are commonly fished for by humans, too, as they are a fantastic source of various nutrients – particularly omega-3.
- A rainbow trout is, as stated, not multicolour, however, it is notable for a thin red stripe which runs along its body. Otherwise, you can normally spot this type of fish thanks to its white belly and its array of black dots and spots.
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