Predatory fish: main types, names, descriptions and features, interesting facts, photos

Review author: “ZooVita”

In nature you can find predators, herbivores and representatives that feed on remains. Carnivorous fish often attract the interest of not only students and ichthyologists

Wide attention of researchers has been attracted by the peculiarities of life and metabolism of most representatives. Photos of predatory fish with a detailed description of each representative can be found on the pages of encyclopedias and collections of fauna.

General characteristics of predators

All predator fish have a number of distinctive features: a powerful body (but not necessarily large size), fairly developed jaws and dense teeth. The metabolic features of predators provide them with special endurance and strength to move at high speed.

The diet of such representatives of the underwater world includes small plankton (daphnia crustaceans, arthropods), small herbivorous fish, as well as birds and even small animals on land.

Many predator fish, in the process of their development, acquired additional methods of attracting and capturing prey:

• Bright color that attracts the attention of plankton representatives. Some species of fish, on the contrary, do not have bright colors or significant details, which allows them to hide unhindered among stones, grass, silt and algae.
• Venom glands.
• Sharp needles and thorns, sometimes with poison.
• The flattened or pointed shape of the head, which reduces the resistance of the underwater current, allowing predators to develop greater speed of movement.

The shape of the teeth deserves special attention. Many representatives of carnivorous fish have rather crooked teeth, and therefore the victims of the predator cannot escape.

Piranha is one of the most dangerous predatory fish

An omnivore, ready to tear to shreds in a matter of minutes everything that comes into its habitat. This is how we imagine a piranha.

What is this predatory river fish really like? Piranhas live in the stormy waters of the Amazon River. This is a small fish, only 20 cm long. Piranha has a keen sense of smell, as well as a large mouth dotted with a row of scary flat teeth. Individuals keep in a flock and are very voracious. They prefer to hunt in large groups. They often hide in cover, waiting for an unsuspecting victim. They attack quickly, with lightning speed. The prey is eaten in a matter of seconds. The predator's usual diet is fish, birds and mammals that come close to the water. This extremely aggressive river resident has long attracted people's attention. Several species of aquarium piranhas have now been bred. The most popular of them are: slender piranha, red pacu, common and lunar metinnis and others.

Habitats of predatory fish

All fish are cold-blooded animals, that is, they have a body temperature equal to the temperature of the surrounding water. In order to hunt, maintain a sufficient speed of movement, and carry out maneuvers, it is important for predators to maintain body temperature and metabolism at the proper level.

It is for this reason that the habitat of predatory fish in the wild is predominantly warm water bodies, for example, the waters of the subtropics and tropics. Only a few representatives of carnivorous fish can live in water bodies of the temperate climate zone.

Freshwater predators

Pike

In the reservoirs of Russia and Belarus, pike is widespread. But not everyone knows what size it can reach. Pike are sometimes taller than human height and weigh up to 60 kg. The maximum size of pike is 1.5 m, weight is 30-35 kg. She reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2-4 years. The lifespan of this fish is interpreted in different ways. The age limit for pike is 33. It is so predatory that it attacks everything, even its relatives. Pike is very strong, agile and tireless. There are cases when a pike attacked another pike, almost the same size as itself. Sometimes you can observe how a female pike in an artificial pond (spawning pond), after the completion of the “marriage ceremony” (spawning) and the birth of offspring, immediately “deals” with her “beloved”, especially since the males planted for spawning can be significantly smaller in size than females. However, for all its greed, the pike shows a certain pickiness. She prefers carp fish, bleak, roach, rudd, and crucian carp. He is very wary of spiny fish; ruff and perch. If a pike catches such a fish, it does not swallow it immediately, but holds it in its teeth until it stops moving.

Pike grows very quickly. In pond farms, pike fry, planted in ponds for joint cultivation with carp, in the presence of a sufficient amount of food in the form of trash fish, reach a weight of 350-400 g and 30-40 cm in length in one summer. In terms of growth rate, it occupies one of the first places among lake fish species spawning in spring. However, pike is not limited to just fish. It eats frogs and attacks ducks and other waterfowl. Pike does not disdain water rats, mice, shrews, squirrels and other small animals that swim across the pond. No wonder it is called the “thunderstorm” of the reservoir. Sometimes there is an opinion that pike, as a predator, causes great harm to fish stocks. This view is based on an incorrect assessment of the importance of any predator in nature in general and pike in particular, on exaggerated concepts of the number of fish it destroys. Pike is a regulator of the fish population: by eating small things of little value, sick and weak fish, it thereby enables larger and healthier fish to grow faster and produce healthier offspring. Pike is not a schooling fish. Both in rivers and lakes it stays in places with a moderate current, not very deep, grassy, ​​snags near the banks. Pike is a completely sedentary fish and only in the spring, before spawning, does it rise up the river, and by winter it goes into the pools. She eats a lot, but digests food very slowly.

The body color of the pike camouflages it well among overgrown vegetation. The pike usually attacks its prey from an ambush with a swift but short throw. However, she very rarely misses. Having missed, it usually does not repeat the attack, but returns to ambush to wait for another victim. The pike most often grabs its prey crosswise, but always swallows it from the head, unfolding it in its mouth with the movement of its jaws. Moreover, he does this on the move, without stopping in place after the throw. Catching it with self-catching gear is based on this habit.

Zander

Pike perch is a large predatory fish, reaching a length of up to 1 m or more, weighing up to 10, and some specimens up to 20 kg. It is found mainly in large rivers and lakes connected to them. Pike perch lives up to 15 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 years. Pike-perch fish can be called both sea and freshwater fish, since it is seen in large quantities both in the Azov, Aral, Black and Caspian seas, as well as in large lakes and rivers. Closer to the northern regions of Russia, as well as in the west and southwest of Europe, pike perch is rarely found or not found at all. This fish is found in reservoirs with clean water. Every year a certain group of lakes is stocked with young pike perch. Pike perch is a warm water fish. It grows best at a temperature of 15-18°. Does not tolerate lack of oxygen well. Under favorable conditions, its young grow quickly.

Within 2 years, pike perch can reach a weight of 1 kg or more. By nature of feeding, pike perch is a carnivorous fish. During the first period, its juveniles feed mainly on zooplankton and partly on insect larvae and fish fry; later they switch to feeding on small fish, and in our conditions - bleak, verkhovka, small roach, etc. The pike perch is not able to capture large fish due to small the size of the mouth and pharynx. Pike perch lives at different depths, depending on the location of its main food and temperature conditions during certain periods of the year. Unlike pike, it actively hunts for its prey and avoids areas with thickets, since here it itself can become food for the pike. It spawns at a temperature of about 15° in April - June, depending on the climatic conditions of the area. Pike perch is a schooling fish. It lives in deep snags, littered holes, quarries, ditches, old river beds, etc. However, the habitat of pike perch is not permanent. Where it was caught well the day before, it may not be there the next day. The catch of pike perch in reservoirs sometimes exceeds 400 c per year.

Burbot

Burbot is the only representative of the cod family that lives in fresh water. Burbot has a peculiar body shape, sharply different from other fish. It has a flattened head, the body towards the tail part on the sides is strongly compressed and elongated. The skin is dense, protected by delicate, small scales. It has two dorsal fins: the first is short, the second is long, the anal fin is the same length. Burbot has a grayish-green back color with dark spots and stripes. The belly is sharply defined and has a whitish tint. The body is slippery; the burbot has one barbel on its chin. The way of life of burbot is also peculiar. He does not like sunlight, dozes during the day, and goes hunting at night. Burbot is an extremely greedy and insatiable predator. It eats other fish more than pike. Has a circumpolar distribution. Typically found in rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean. On the territory of Russia, burbot is distributed everywhere in reservoirs of the Arctic and temperate zones, in the basins of the Baltic, White, Black and Caspian seas and in the basins of all Siberian rivers from the Ob to Anadyr along their entire length. Burbot reaches a length of 1 m and a weight of up to 5 kg, although there are individual individuals weighing up to 24 kg. In our reservoirs, the weight of burbot reaches from 1 to 2 kg. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. Very prolific. There are females that lay up to 3 million eggs. Spawns in January, when reservoirs are covered with a thick layer of ice. Burbot lives up to 22 years. Loves cold, clean water and is extremely susceptible to its pollution. In the summer months, when the water gets very hot, it goes into deep pools, dark places, and hides in holes, under snags, and stones. Becomes inactive. In hot weather, burbot does not feed. If a parking spot is discovered at this time, it can easily be caught with your hands. Burbot is a bottom-dwelling fish and, despite its lazy and sluggish appearance, swims very quickly and deftly. Adult burbot feeds on fish: most of all minnows, ruffes and small perches, and does not neglect its own young. Sometimes, during autopsy, over 40 perch weighing 3-5 g were found in the stomach of a burbot weighing up to 1.2 kg. Burbot produces especially severe devastation in winter, when its appetite increases, and other fish are more sleepy and lethargic than in summer, in recent years. years is less common in catches.

Perch

Perch is a typical representative of lakes and rivers. Like pike, it is most widely distributed in the waters of Russia and Belarus. The average lifespan of a perch is 17 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 years. There is evidence that perch reaches a size of up to half a meter and a weight of 2 to 5 kg. In its predatory greed, perch is not inferior to pike. Unusually gluttonous. If there is a rich prey in front of him, he, having barely swallowed one fish, immediately after it swallows the second, etc., so that often the caught fry, not fitting in his stomach, stick out of his mouth. The perch sits in ambush for a long time, from where it rushes at prey or chases small fish. Perch will eat any fish, as long as it is the right size. Perches do not give mercy to their own offspring. They do not stop feeding either in autumn or winter. The favorite food of perch is the caviar of valuable fish species. In winter, when reservoirs are covered with a thick layer of ice, perch does not stop its predatory lifestyle, destroying baby fish. It is especially voracious after spawning. Spawns shortly after pike. At this time, a good time begins for fishing enthusiasts. Perch prefers cool water and does not like to swim near the surface of the water, but when schools of small fish appear there, which it hunts, it immediately rises from the depths. However, he does not live at the very bottom, but stays not far from it. The perch swims actively during the day, and after sunset it stops moving and seems to doze off. Doesn't handle heat very well. At this time, he hides in shady places or plants, and then continues hunting.

Som

Catfish is one of the largest freshwater predatory fish. Reaches sizes up to 5 m in length, and sometimes weighs over 300 kg. Such giants, scientists believe, are usually 80-100 years old. Catfish does not disdain anything when it comes to nutrition. Eats mollusks, frogs, even large fish. Ducks, geese, water rats and other birds and animals that swim in the catfish’s habitat often end up in the catfish’s mouth. Catfish spawn in spring or early summer, in clean and quiet water on “nests”. The female uses her pectoral fins to dig a nest in the ground in the form of a hole, into which she lays eggs. The number of eggs reaches 130 thousand. Females lay eggs at the age of 4-5 years at a water temperature of 18-20°. Catfish are among the caring parents. After spawning, the fertilized eggs are protected in “nests”. In the fall, catfish go to winter, often lying down in pits in quite large groups, burying their heads in the silt. Catfish are caught with hooks, cast nets, and fishing traps. Catfish is a strong fish. Experienced fishermen say: if you catch a catfish on a fishing rod, it’s not so easy to pull it out. Fighting him at the very beginning promises many surprises. It happens that it is not the fisherman who catches the catfish, but the catfish that leads the fisherman along with the boat. Feeling the resistance of the tackle, he tries to overcome it with a rapid movement in a straight line. There is no point in holding him back at this moment. You should release 20-30 cm of line, sometimes more, avoiding fighting at a short distance. The further the predator goes from the shore, the more tired it becomes and the more realistic the angler’s chances of winning. In the process of fishing, the catfish gets tired and lies on the bottom. Then it's easy to take.

Catfish meat is tasty, contains a lot of fat and few bones. Catfish can be bred in special ponds where there is a lot of low-value fish. By eating it, it grows relatively quickly. Catfish live in deep-sea reservoirs, whirlpools, near dams near old mills, and in snags.

Chub

Chub, one of the most beautiful fish in our reservoirs. When we say “ours,” we mean the reservoirs of the Lipetsk region, although this is probably true for the entire central zone of Russia. Here is what, for example, Leonid Pavlovich Sabaneev writes about him - a description of the chub: “...The chub is very beautiful. Its back is dark green, almost black, its sides are silver with a yellowish tint, the edges of individual scales are shaded by a shiny dark border consisting of black dots; the pectoral fins are orange, the pelvic and anal fins have a reddish tint, and the dorsal and especially the tail feathers are dark blue, sometimes somewhat sparkling; the eyes are comparatively very large, shiny, with a brownish-green spot on top. In general, a large chub comes closest to an ide, but is much longer, thicker and broad-browed than the latter...”

Chubs have dark dorsal and caudal fins with black edging along the edges. Most likely this is due to the characteristics of the habitat, so in some other rivers the colors and appearance may differ slightly from the above. “In rivers”, because it is in small rivers and in the upper reaches of large rivers, where there is an abundance of rifts and springs with cold water, that it is most numerous: here it is easier for it to withstand food competition with other predators, there is an abundance of food both from the sky and from bottom in the form of all kinds of larvae, crustaceans and grass, and in addition there is also a huge amount of juvenile fish, which he eats with pleasure.

Moray

The most famous predator, distinguished by its long body (sometimes the distance from the head to the tip of the tail reaches 4 meters) and powerful muscles. It is the muscular frame that gives the moray eel flexibility, the ability to hide between stones, in narrow crevices, waiting for its prey.

In the process of species development, fish of this family acquired an excellent sense of smell, but at the same time a poorly developed visual apparatus. The skin is not covered with scales, however, a thick layer of mucus plays the role of a protective factor.

Shark

Today, the world knows many types of sharks: white, tiger, whale, giant, largemouth shark. Representatives of the family, like most predatory fish, received their names due to the peculiarities of their external structure and sometimes behavior.

Sharks can live at almost any depth, although they prefer to stay exclusively near the surface. A special feature of the predator's structure is its powerful jaws with sharp, triangular-shaped teeth. These teeth grow throughout life, replacing damaged and broken elements.

Aquarium fish

Not all types of predatory fish living in an aquarium behave aggressively. They can coexist peacefully with others, which is why they do not seem dangerous to their neighbors. However, when buying a fish for an aquarium, you need to know exactly its species. The need for live feeding, the amount of organic waste and the maximum heat difference depend on it. This is the only way to properly feed the fish, install the necessary cleaning systems and water temperature. After all, any violation will lead to aggressive behavior. It is better for aquarium lovers not to know what kind of fish they are at this moment - smaller or sick individuals will quickly suffer.

The most popular aquarium predator fish include:

• red-bellied piranhas;
• polypterus;
• whitenesox;
• tiger perches;
• Livingston cichlids;
• toad fish;
• biars;
• leaf fish;
• tetra vampires;
• Aravans;
• trachirs;
• frog catfish;
• Dimidochromis.

In an aquarium you can keep the predators described above.
The convex jaw and a row of sharp teeth scare off some, but attract other aquarium fish lovers. Thanks to its large tail, the red-bellied piranha accelerates quickly and can use it when fighting prey or relatives. The fish is beautiful with its steel-gray body with a granular structure, as well as a bright red belly. It is recommended to keep a flock of 10-20 individuals in an aquarium. So the stronger will receive the best pieces, and the sick will be eaten by their relatives. This strict hierarchy avoids the death of the population as a whole. You can feed them insects, mussels, worms, live fish and shrimp.

Polypterus looks dangerous and somewhat resembles a small crocodile. The acne-like body, no more than 50 centimeters long, is painted pale green. It urgently needs access to air, but is unpretentious in maintenance. Eats pieces of meat, worms and shellfish.

Belonesox is not afraid of even large fish, which is why it is sometimes called a miniature pike. There are small black spots on its gray-brown sides. You need to feed live small fish. A well-fed whitefish does not kill prey until the next meal.

The golden tiger perch with black stripes grows up to half a meter and is shaped like an arrowhead. The long dorsal fin together with the tail provide good speed for hunting. The diet should include worms, bloodworms and shrimp.

The Livingston Cichlid is a master of ambush hunting. She knows how to pretend to be dead and can wait for prey for a very long time. Despite the bright color of the predator with yellow, blue and silver spots and a body length of 25 centimeters, the prey does not expect an attack. In the aquarium it feeds on pieces of shrimp, worms and fish. Overfeeding is strictly prohibited.

This fish pretends to be dead while hunting

The toadfish has a very large head and large growths on its body. Due to its shape and camouflage color, it resembles a stone and easily hides at the bottom of a reservoir. In an aquarium it prefers to be kept alone and loves pollock and shrimp.

The leaf fish is another genius at camouflage. Its body is no longer than 10 centimeters, its scales are yellowish-brown. Can simulate the drift of a leaf in water. Eats up to two fish daily.

Biara is a serious predator that can only be kept in large aquariums. An individual can grow up to 80 centimeters in length. Wing-like pelvic fins and a large mouth with sharp teeth are excellent hunting aids. You can only feed live fish.

The vampire tetra reaches a length of 45 cm in the wild, and 30 cm when kept by humans. The fins on the belly look like wings and allow them to rapidly accelerate. They swim with their heads slightly down. They can eat pieces of meat.

Each fish has its own peculiarity

Aravana is one of the oldest species. The fins on the elongated body (80 cm) resemble a fan and provide good acceleration for hunting and the ability to jump. The mouth is directed upward, which helps to capture prey from the surface. Eats shrimp and worms in the aquarium.

The tetra wolf, or trachira, is an Amazon legend. The body is powerful, the mouth and teeth are large. When a specialist leaves, it can grow up to half a meter. It is not necessary to feed live food. Usually inaccessible to amateurs.

The frog catfish has a massive head and a wide mouth. Distinctive external features: dark body with a white belly, a pair of short antennae above and below the mouth. It can grow up to 25 centimeters and happily eats white fish.

Dimidochromis is colored predominantly in shades of blue, but has orange stripes on its fins. Prefers small prey. Live food can be combined with shellfish.

Any body of water needs predators. They play the role of an orderly, eliminating excess trash fish.

In this video you will learn about the most predatory fish:

Barracuda

This representative of predatory marine fish is significantly smaller than other fish in size, but the streamlined, arrow-shaped body shape allows it to develop enormous speed when moving. The image of a typical predator is complemented by sharp fangs, concentrated mainly on the lower jaw.

The teeth allow the barracuda to firmly hold its prey in its mouth. Another advantage that the representative of the family acquired is a well-developed organ of vision, which allows the fish to perfectly navigate even in troubled water.

Of particular interest is the toad fish, whose body is covered with continuous horny growths. The predator feeds mainly on crayfish and oysters (powerful jaws are capable of biting through the dense chitinous shell).

A successful hunt is facilitated by sharp spines covered with a poisonous secretion, as well as a disproportionately large head with a huge mouth.

Common catfish

Quite a large inhabitant of freshwater bodies. Traditionally, the prey of catfish are insects, young herbivorous fish, and small crustaceans. The catfish is a typical nocturnal predator that prefers to live in the bottom layer of silt, between stones, in algae and river duckweed.

Sailfish - the fastest fish in the world

Which sea predator moves the fastest? Of course, sailfish. It belongs to the order Perciformes. As a rule, it lives in warm seas. But some species can live in temperate latitudes. Its main distinguishing feature is the presence of a high and long fin on its back, reminiscent of a sail. This is a very active predator. In pursuit of prey, it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h. These fish feed mainly on sardines, mackerel, mackerel, anchovies and so on. Catching predatory fish is a very interesting activity for anglers. Often bait is used for this. Many anglers prefer to catch sailfish using spinning rods.

Pike

Another representative of fish that feed on small inhabitants of river water. The fish can be recognized by its bright, specific color and linear, streamlined shape. A distinctive feature is the movable lower jaw, the teeth of which can move forward to capture and hold prey.

There is a huge group of predator fish, whose habitat is represented mainly by cold waters (Irtysh, Ob, Yenisei, Lena and their branches).

All representatives are not brightly colored, are medium in size, have a small mouth, but powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Typical predators include burbot, grayling, and muksun.

Due to the peculiarities of their metabolism, fish of this group are active mainly in the cold season. They live at the bottom of the river, in a layer of silt and bottom sediment.

Separately, predators living in lakes are distinguished. These include trout and lake perch, which prefer reservoirs with clean running water as their habitat.

Today, ichthyologists are conducting scientific debates about which fish is the most predatory, but there is no single point of view on this issue.

Marine species

This is the environment where most of the killers live. These include the following types:

• sharks;
• moray eels;
• barracudas;
• swordfish;
• sea ​​features;
• garfish;
• tuna;
• bonito;
• bluefish;
• croakers;
• laurels;
• rock perches;
• sea ​​ruffs;
• galleys;
• different types of cod;
• catfish;
• pink salmon;
• eelpout;
• brown greenlings;
• glosses;
• belugas;
• sturgeon;
• sturgeon;
• flounder;
• Lichia;
• whiting;
• whips.

Pike grows up to 1.5 m.
The 11-meter-long white shark is the most dangerous carnivorous sea creature for humans. Among 250 varieties, 29 representatives are officially recognized as aggressive. Tiger, hammerhead, mako, katran, gray and spotted scyllium - with sizes of about two meters, they are no less dangerous. All representatives of sharks have not only sharp teeth, but also prickly spines on their hard skin. Because of them, blows are just as dangerous as bites. Although the whale shark is much larger than others (body length is up to 15 meters), it is quite safe for humans, because it feeds on plankton.

The abilities of these fish are unique. Thanks to the inner ear, which “hears” low-frequency sounds, they can detect water vibrations at a distance of up to 200 meters - within this range, a shark can easily detect a swimming person. The sense of smell is even better developed. This predator can sense a drop of blood at a distance of up to four kilometers. Vision is ten times better than human vision. During a hunt, fish accelerates to 50 km per hour.

Moray eels prefer coral reefs, underwater caves and algae. Large individuals grow 3 meters in length and 30 centimeters in thickness. Due to its lightning speed and strong grip, scuba divers compare it to a bulldog. The body, somewhat reminiscent of a snake, is an excellent advantage in camouflage. Moray eels prefer victims that are larger than themselves. It uses its tail to hold its prey and tear it to pieces. Many divers die from this. Poor eyesight is compensated by excellent sense of smell.

Barracudas (sphyrenes) in their shape resemble huge three-meter pikes. The mouth looks terrifying due to the protruding lower jaw. Thanks to good vision, the fish quickly reacts to any bright objects and water fluctuations. Large individuals prefer to hunt alone, while small ones gather in schools. Barracuda is not selective in food, it easily feeds on poisonous fish - because of this, its meat is toxic and is not used in cooking. The greatest danger for a diver is the possibility of losing a leg or suffering wounds that are difficult to heal. Sometimes the attacks of the sephirens are attributed to sharks.

A three-meter swordfish weighs approximately 400-450 kg. On the upper jaw there is a growth of one and a half meters, strongly reminiscent of the bladed weapon of the same name. The shape of a fish is associated with a torpedo. The impact force of this bone (4 tons) is amazing - it is enough to pierce 40 cm of oak or 2.5 cm of metal. Due to the lack of scales and streamlined shape, it accelerates to 130 kilometers per hour. It even feeds on sharks.

The white shark is the most dangerous to humans

The monkfish was so named because of its terrifying appearance. The two-meter body weighs approximately 20 kg. The mouth is wide and resembles a crescent, while the eyes are set close. It lures prey with the help of a long outgrowth of the dorsal fin, reminiscent of a fishing rod. This explains the origin of the second name - European anglerfish.

Tuna is a schooling predator of Atlantic waters. Although the carcass does not exceed 4 meters, it weighs almost half a ton. It accelerates to 90 km/h and can maintain this speed for a long time thanks to its spindle-shaped body. Loves mackerel and sardines. Red tuna meat is widely used in gastronomy. The French call it sea veal.

Photos of predatory fish