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Silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) — Cyprinidae

Silver bream

Blicca bjoerkna
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern

The Silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 46 cm.

Length
45.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Depth
0.0–? m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Crepuscular
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The silver bream is a deep, silvery cyprinid of the family Cyprinidae reaching about 45 cm but usually smaller. The species closely resembles the young common bream but can be told apart by its larger eyes, larger scales and the reddish base of the pectoral and pelvic fins. It lives in schools in lakes, canals and slow-flowing rivers of Europe, including slightly brackish water. On the bottom it searches as an omnivore for midge larvae, snails, worms, zooplankton and plant matter. In late spring it spawns in shallow, vegetation-rich water. The silver bream is a common fish in inland waters and a much-caught species for coarse angling.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Silver bream?

The Silver bream has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Silver bream live?

The Silver bream lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Silver bream get?

The Silver bream grows to a maximum of about 46 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Silver bream dangerous to humans?

No, the Silver bream is harmless to humans.

Is the Silver bream edible?

The Silver bream is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Blei sourced
English name
Silver bream verified
Scientific name
Blicca bjoerkna
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Silver bream; White bream verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
45.5 verified
Average length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater verified
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore verified
Social behaviour
Schooling verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Crepuscular inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten verified
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met fijne montage en aas zoals maden, brood of een wormpje in stilstaand of traag stromend water sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Cyprinidae

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