Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)

Scientific name: Scardinius erythrophthalmus Linnaeus, 1758

The Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 2–22°C (36–72°F).

Rudd care at a glance

Temperature: 2–22°C (36–72°F)

Biology

Occurs mainly in nutrient-rich, well vegetated lowland rivers, backwaters, oxbows, ponds and lakes. Feeds mainly on plankton, terrestrial insects and plant material. Breeds on roots or submerged plants. Can adapt to unfavorable environmental condition. Colorless or pale yellow eggs are found attached to vegetation in shallow water. Consumed fresh. Threatened due to the introduction of other species.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 51.0
Common length: 20.0
Environment: Freshwater; brackish;; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 10 - 15 benthopelagic; potamodromous; depth range 0 - ? m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Eurasia: Most European rivers north of Pyrenees and Alps, eastward to Ural and Eya drainages, Aral and White Sea basins; Black Sea basin in Europe and northern Asia Minor. Naturally absent from Iberian Peninsula, Adriatic basin, Italy, Greece south of Pinios drainage, Great Britain north of 54 N, Ireland and Scandinavia north of 62? N. Definitely absent in Siberia. Reports from this area arose from the confusion between the rudd and the roach. Introduced to several countries. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Potential pest
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial; bait: usually
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.18; tm=3-4; tmax=19)