Freshwater fish closely related to salmon. Most spend their whole lives in lakes and rivers, migrating upstream to spawn in gravel beds of small headwater streams. A few, like the steelhead, go to sea.
Quick answers
What is it?Fish
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
A popular food fish, somewhat bonier than other salmonids.
At a glance
Found inRivers
HabitatRivers & lakes, Mountains
ColoursBrown, Silver, Pink
SizeMedium
LegsNone
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for4–11 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Rivers and lakes; brown trout prefer strong currents.
- What it eats
- Aquatic invertebrates and other small animals.
Did you know
Most trout live their whole lives in fresh water, swimming upstream to spawn.
Young trout are called alevin, then parr.
Often confused with
- Salmon
Trout and salmon are close relatives in the same family, with similar migrations; most trout stay in fresh water.
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