Marble trout facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marble trout |
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| Conservation status | |
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Salmo
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| Species: |
marmoratus
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The marble trout (scientific name: Salmo marmoratus) is a type of freshwater fish. It belongs to the Salmonidae family, which also includes salmon. This fish is special because of its unique marbled pattern. It can also grow to be quite large.
You can find marble trout in only a few rivers. These rivers flow into the Adriatic Sea. They are located in countries like Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Sadly, this fish is probably no longer found in Albania.
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Where Do Marble Trout Live?
Marble trout live in specific river systems. In Italy, they are found in rivers that flow into the upper Po River. They also live in rivers in northeastern Italy that go directly to the Adriatic Sea. These include the Adige, Brenta, Piave, Tagliamento, and Livenza rivers.
They also live in the Soča river, which is shared by Slovenia and Italy. Other homes include the Neretva river in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The Morača and Zeta rivers in Montenegro also have them. The Cem river, a tributary, is another home.
Sadly, marble trout are almost certainly gone from other areas. This includes the Drin river basin. This basin covers parts of Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. They are also likely gone from the Aoos river basin in Albania and Greece.
What Do Marble Trout Look Like?
Marble trout have a long, rounded body. It is a bit flat on the sides. They also have a very large head. In Bosnian, they are sometimes called glavatica, which means "big head."
The most striking feature is their marble-like pattern. This pattern helps them blend in with their surroundings. The colors can change quite a lot depending on where the fish lives. Some marble trout also have red spots. These spots usually blend into the marbled pattern along their sides.
How Big Do They Get?
Marble trout usually grow to be 30 to 70 centimeters long. That's about 1 to 2.3 feet. However, they can get much bigger! The largest one found in Slovenia was 117 cm long and weighed 24 kg. That's almost 4 feet long and about 53 pounds!
Even larger fish have been reported. Some have weighed up to 30 kg (66 pounds). The biggest ones were found in the Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This river flows from Konjic to Čapljina. Large trout were especially common in the canyon section near Jablanica. After the Jablanica Dam was built, some large fish were found in Jablaničko Lake.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Marble trout become ready to have babies at different ages. Males are ready around 3 years old. Females are ready around 4 years old. They usually lay their eggs in November and December.
What Do Marble Trout Eat?
Marble trout are piscivorous. This means they mostly eat other fish. They also eat small creatures that live on the river bottom. These are called benthic invertebrates.
Their Habitat and Threats
Marble trout naturally live in rivers where the summer temperature is around 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit).
These fish face many dangers. One big problem is hybridization. This happens when marble trout breed with other types of trout. These other trout are often put into rivers for fishing. This mixing of species can make pure marble trout less common.
Other threats include taking too much water from rivers. Pollution also harms their homes. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, building large dams on the Neretva River has destroyed their habitat. There are also plans for more dams. Overfishing and poaching (illegal fishing) are also problems.
Luckily, there are efforts to help them. Eight groups of pure marble trout were found in small streams of the Soča river basin. The Tolmin Angler's Society started a program to reintroduce these pure fish. This helps to bring them back to their natural homes.
Images for kids
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A marble trout from the Adige River.
