Do you sell fish? What are the largest ichthyanders live in freshwater reservoirs (11 photos)

Suppose almost everyone knows that there are huge waterfowl. As as a rule, when mentioning the largest fish, the first thing that comes to mind is a whale (even though it's a mammal) or a shark.





Here are just the first live only in the oceans, and the second - most often in seas, although there are their freshwater relatives. But the truth is that in rivers there are still giants. Let's talk about them.

catfish



Let's start, perhaps, with the most famous for a Russian person freshwater giant. He often appears in fairy tales and there he is mentioned almost as a hefty monster, on the back of which can fit the city. True, the reality is somewhat sobering, although still very, very impressive. Catfish lives, by the way, up to a hundred years.

Catfish can reach a length of up to five meters, and at the same time reach a weight of 400 kg. Although this is only in words, but in fact officially registered fish reached a mass of 306 kg, and the body length of this the giant was more than 3 m. Note that even larger catfish are described. And also sometimes the remains of people were found in these giants in the body - there is an opinion that feed on carrion, but this is not true. Catfish are omnivorous fish that live in Europe.

white sturgeon





Let's move from Russian fairy tales to North America. Dwells there a huge white sturgeon, which, however, remained in the wild not enough. This is the largest "fish" in North America, which the largest among sturgeons is second only to beluga and kaluga.

The length of this monster is up to 7 m, and the maximum body weight the caught animal (you can’t call it in another way) 816 kg. And this - registered catch. The fish itself does not look fat at all, however, it is interesting that she does not have scales. Like all sturgeons. Yet again, the animal is omnivorous, feeds on worms, and lives up to 60 years in the wild. You can’t catch it, except perhaps for the sake of spectacular photos.

Carp



And again we return to the well-known fish in our area - carp, they are carp. Healthy (but not evil) and very tasty (but if cook properly). They live everywhere, but they like where it is warmer. It is considered a dangerous invasive species (occupies all living things and evicts them in case of other fish), so catch and do not release where horrible.

Carp is omnivorous, and sometimes there are fish weighing up to 40 kg (and sometimes up to hundreds of kg!) And over a meter long. By the way, if you ever they will say that the girl has lips like a fish - she most likely will looks like a carp. So don't get confused. She doesn't have a mustache though. however, the picture appears bright. Carp live up to 30 years.

Taimen



This animal is ours. Unlike any catfish, Europe is not swims, but loves where it is colder. Lives in rivers and lakes from the Urals to Far East. He himself is a salmon predator, loves fast currents (and, possibly venison).

The fish is really beautiful and big, reaches a length of 2 m and 80 kg weight, which is the best result among salmon. Sometimes it can devour smaller fish, chicks, frogs and even birds. So don't get in his way.

Kaluga



Terrible, like a nuclear war, big, like a mushroom from a nuclear explosion. Lives deep, so don't catch it. Here I would like finish, but still I want to say: it reaches a length of up to 5.6 m (and sometime maybe more), weighs up to a ton. Delicious or not - the author does not knows, and is afraid to try such a monster.

This monster is found in the Amur River basin, sometimes found in China. Lives suspiciously long - up to 55 years, and is quite rare. Everybody because of the Chinese businessmen, who don’t put your finger in their mouth, but give something eat. Listed in the international Red Book, fishing is prohibited, but in extreme cases it can be found in Kamchatka. It feeds on everyone.

Beluga



No, not vodka, yes, fish. Another sturgeon representative, included in the Red Book. Basically, however, lives in the seas, and in rivers come to spawn. Lives in the Caspian, Black and Azov seas, for Spawning enters the Volga. The Caspian resident sometimes rises up to Tver and the upper reaches of the Kama, but only recently because of the hydroelectric power station therenot poking around.

It is noteworthy that the Volzhskaya HPP even had a special fish elevator, only it worked so-so, and in 89 it was taken out of operation. The fish reaches up to one and a half tons in weight and length up to 4.2 m. Sometimes they even caught beluga weighing two tons and 9 m long, but data is not confirmed. She lives up to a hundred years, and according to the type of food - predator.

Nile perch



A big fish that lives in, you guessed it, the Nile. But not only, in principle, lives in Africa. Maximum length - up to two meters, and the mass reaches "some" 200 kg. It is a predator, it feeds on others fish and because of this, when they inhabited Lake Victoria, destroyed up to 200 types of cichlids. So it goes.

Not particularly guarded, so you can catch. It is reported that tasty, but you can’t catch fry - they live in females in the oral cavity. Therefore, always protected.

paddlefish



A huge fish, the snout of which can reach up to a third of the entire body length. Usually she is up to 5-7 m, lives in China and North America, very sensitive to any changes in the environment, therefore die like flies if there is garbage in the water or a dam is built.

Body weight - up to 90 kg, lives up to 55 years. Specially protected.

stingray



Is it a disk? Is this a plate? Is it a reflection of the moon? No, it's a stingray. Ordinary. Flat. Healthy as hell. Has placoid scales, spike, which can sting painfully if the fish is offended. Usually not for people. attacks.

The largest rays can reach a body weight of 600 kg. It's not worth stepping on them.

Alligator Gar



We conclude our review with the most unusual fish. Yes, the fish is true unusual, it is called Mississippian shell or alligator pike. Lives in America, inhabits stagnant or sluggish water bodies.

Despite its unusual appearance, not the largest fish from today's review - reaches "only" 3 m in length and weighs a little more 130 kg. But the most aggressive - can easily attack a person, and feeds on other fish.

Of course, there are other giants, but they should be discussed next time. For now, wow.