Asp (Aspius aspius)

Scientific name: Aspius aspius Linnaeus, 1758

The Asp (Aspius aspius) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 4–20°C (39–68°F).

Asp care at a glance

Temperature
4–20°C (39–68°F)

Biology

Occur in open water of large and medium-sized lowland rivers and large lakes. Adults inhabit lower reaches of rivers and estuaries. Prefer to stay near bridge pillars, near tributaries, under weirs, in deep currents and overgrown parts of river and in quiet bays of river bends. One of the rare cyprinids which is piscivore; also prey on small aquatic birds. Juveniles are gregarious predators while adults hunt in small groups or are solitary. Juveniles and adults feed mainly on fish, especially on Alburnus alburnus or Osmerus eperlanus. Migrate upstream in tributaries for spawning in April-June. Spawn in fast-flowing water on gravel or submerged vegetation. Lake populations migrate to tributaries; semi-anadromous populations or individuals (Terek) forage mainly in estuaries and freshened p

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Aspius aspius
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
100.0
Common length
55.0
Depth range
10 m (33 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; potamodromous; depth range 10 - ? m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Europe and Asia: large rivers draining to North Sea (Weser, Elbe), Baltic Sea (southern tributaries, Norway east of Oslo, southern Sweden, Kokem?ren drainage in southern Finland), Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea; Aegean Sea basin, from Maritza to Lake Volvi drainages. Absent in Black Sea basin south of Danube and Rioni (Georgia) drainages, but present in Turkey west of Ankara. Introduced in Rhine, Northern Dvina and Lake Balkhash (Asia). Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna). Subspecies Aspius aspius iblioides recognized by authors for the Aral Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=3-4; tmax=11; K=0.10-0.33; Fec = 50,000-1 million)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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