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Victoria robber (Brycinus jacksonii) — Alestidae

Victoria robber

Brycinus jacksonii
Family: Alestidae
LC · Least Concern

The Victoria robber (Brycinus jacksonii) is a freshwater fish of the family Alestidae that grows up to 27 cm.

Length
27 cm
Water
Freshwater
Depth
0.0–20.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Jackson's tetra is an African characin of the family Alestidae from Lake Victoria and surrounding waters in East Africa. The species grows to about 27 cm and has a streamlined, silvery body with large scales, characteristic of the African tetras. In Lake Victoria it is confined to shallow coastal zones. As an omnivore it feeds on insects, small invertebrates, seeds and plant matter. It is an active schooling fish of open water. The species is eaten locally and is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Victoria robber?

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

Where does the Victoria robber live?

The Victoria robber lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Victoria robber get?

The Victoria robber grows to a maximum of about 27 cm. On average the species is around 23 cm.

Is the Victoria robber dangerous to humans?

No, the Victoria robber is harmless to humans.

Is the Victoria robber edible?

The Victoria robber is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Jacksons tetra sourced
English name
Victoria robber verified
Scientific name
Brycinus jacksonii
Family
Alestidae
Other names
Victoria robber verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Sportvissen met kunstaas of (dood/levend) aasvis door te trollen, te werpen of drijvend te vissen in open water. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Brycinus

More from the family Alestidae

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