White-eye bream (Ballerus sapa)

Scientific name: Ballerus sapa Pallas, 1814

The White-eye bream (Ballerus sapa) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 10–25°C (50–77°F).

White-eye bream care at a glance

Differs from Ballerus ballerus by having small and inferior mouth, 47-54 scales on lateral line, and large eye, about equal to snout length.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Ballerus sapa
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 35.0
Common length: 15.0
Environment: Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Europe and Asia: large rivers draining to Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral Seas. Introduced or native to Northern Dvina drainage (White Sea basin) where it is presently spreading from warmer upper reaches (Vychegda system) northward. Introduced in River Volkhov (a tributary of Lake Ladoga), in Rhine in 1995 and invasive in Vistula drainage, coming from Black Sea basin through Prypet-Bug canal (connecting Dniepr and Vistula drainages).
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=4)

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

Last updated 27 September 2026