Vairone (Telestes souffia)

Scientific name: Telestes souffia Risso, 1827

The Vairone (Telestes souffia) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 10–20°C (50–68°F).

Vairone care at a glance

Temperature: 10–20°C (50–68°F)

Biology

Dorsal spines: 2 - 3; Dorsal soft rays: 7-9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10; Vertebrae: 41 - 42. Diagnosed from its congeners by having the following characters: conspicuous black midlateral stripe and conspicuous black line along lateral line in preserved individuals; in life, broad gold-orange stripe; lateral line yellow, bordered on each side by a narrow black line; 44-57 + 2-3 scales along lateral line; 4?-5 scale rows between lateral line and pelvic fin origin; anal fin usually with 9? branched rays; snout tip rounded or blunt, snout projecting beyond tip of upper lip; and eye diameter 4.0-4.6 times in HL. Caudal fin with 17 to 21 rays.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Telestes souffia
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 25.0
Common length: 15.0
Environment: Freshwater; benthopelagic
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Europe: Mediterranean basin from Aude to Var drainages; literature records from Tarn system [Garonne drainage] in fact refers to H?rault [each has a tributary named Dourbie]; Soca drainage in Italy and Slovenia; uppermost Rhine drainage in Germany and Switzerland; Danube drainage in western tributaries of Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and upper Tisza system. Record from Aegean basin in Bulgaria based on misidentification of a possibly unnamed species. Introgression zone with Telestes muticellus in Var drainage and Soca drainage. Telestes souffia agassii is often applied to Danube and Rhine populations, but there is no published evidence that they differ from the Rh?ne populations. It justified, the correct name for a Danube-Rhine species would be Telestes rysela and not Telestes agassii. In Appendix III of the Bern Convention.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)