Ziege facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ziege |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pelecus
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| Species: |
cultratus
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The Pelecus cultratus, often called the ziege (pronounced ZEE-guh), is a cool fish found in parts of Europe and Asia. It's also known as the sabre carp or sabrefish because of its unique shape. This fish belongs to the cyprinid family, which includes carps and minnows.
The ziege is the only species in its group, or genus. It lives in the lower parts of rivers and in brackish water. Brackish water is a mix of fresh water and salty sea water. You can find ziege in areas like the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea. Scientists say the ziege is doing well and is not in danger.
What Does a Ziege Look Like?
The ziege looks a bit like a big Baltic herring. It usually grows to be about 25 to 40 centimeters (10 to 16 inches) long. It has a special shape with a curved "keel" on its belly. A keel is like the bottom part of a boat, making its underside look rounded.
Its back, however, is almost straight. The ziege has a snout that points upwards. Its lower jaw also slopes steeply up. A cool feature is its lateral line, which is a wavy line along its side. This line is very low on its body. The ziege has long, pointed fins near its head called pectoral fins. It is a pale, shiny silver fish with fins that are almost clear.
Where Do Ziege Fish Live?
Ziege fish live in the waters of many countries. You can find them in the Baltic states and across Eastern Europe. They also live in other parts of Europe and Asia. Some of these countries include Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
These fish often swim close to the surface. They like to live in estuaries, which are places where rivers meet the sea. They also live in lakes. Some groups of ziege fish stay in rivers and streams all the time.
Ziege Fish Life Cycle and Diet
The ziege fish eats tiny living things. Its diet includes zooplankton, which are very small animals that float in water. It also eats swimming invertebrates like crustaceans (think tiny shrimp or crabs). Small fish and insects that float on the water are also part of its meals.
Ziege fish start their reproduction process in May and June. They swim up rivers to find good spots in open water to lay their eggs. Sometimes, they even lay eggs in brackish water, like in the Gulf of Finland. The eggs float in the water. In rivers, the eggs drift along with the current. After about three to four days, the eggs hatch.
Once the fish have laid their eggs (this is called spawning), the adult fish swim back to the estuaries. They return to these areas to find food and grow stronger.
