Rainbow trout
📖 Overview
Inhabit clear, cold headwaters, creeks, small to large rivers, lakes, and intertidal areas . Anadromous in coastal streams . Stocked in almost all water bodies as lakes, rivers and streams, usually not stocked in water reaching summer temperatures above 25°C or ponds with very low oxygen concentrations. Feed on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and small fishes. At the sea, they prey on fish and cephalopods. Mature individuals undertake short spawning migrations. Anadromous and lake forms may migrate long distances to spawning streams . Utilized fresh, smoked, canned, and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked . Cultured in many countries and is often hatched and stocked into rivers and lakes especially to attract recreational fishers .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 6 - 12; Vertebrae: 60 - 66. Diagnosis: Body elongate, somewhat compressed especially in larger fish. No nuptial tubercles but minor changes to head, mouth and color occur especially in spawning males. Colouration varies with habitat, size, and sexual condition; stream residents and spawners darker, colours more intense; lake residents lighter, brighter, and more silvery. Caudal fin with 19 rays . Differs from Oncorhynchus gorbuscha by having the following unique characters: anal fin with 6-9½ (usually 8½ ) branched rays; 115-130 scales in midlateral row; 16-17 gill rakers; breeding males lacking hump; juveniles lacking parr marks; wide pink to red stripe from head to caudal base, except in sea-run form; and juveniles with 5-10 parr marks .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Rainbow Trout are active, opportunistic predators that hold position in current breaks and feeding lanes, rising to take surface insects or drifting sub-surface prey. They are highly territorial as adults. Farmed and stocked fish are less wary than wild fish. Steelhead undertake extended oceanic migrations.
🦐 Diet
Rainbow Trout feed on aquatic invertebrates, terrestrial insects, small fish, eggs, and crustaceans. Their diet shifts from invertebrates as juveniles to include more fish as they grow. This dietary flexibility contributes to their invasive success in non-native habitats.
🥚 Reproduction
Reported not to establish breeding populations if the peak emergence of fry corresponds to flood season and cold summer temperatures and if temperature does not fall below 13° C . Males mature generally at 2 years and females at 3. Spawning happens from November until May in the Northern hemisphere and from August to November on the Southern hemisphere. The size of the eggs depends on the size of the female. In captivity spawning is fostered by abdominal massage. Egg size 3-6 mm, fry length after hatching 12-20 mm. Hatchlings are well developed and equipped with a large yolk sac. The female finds a spot and digs a pit. While digging, an attendant male courts her or is busy driving away other males. As soon as the pit is completed, the female drops into it and is immediately followed by the male. The pair is side by side, they open their mouth, quiver and release egg and sperm. Females produce from 700 to 4,000 eggs per spawning event . At this point, a subordinate male moves in and releases sperm into the nest. The female quickly moves to the upstream edge of the nest and starts digging a new pit, covering the eggs. The whole process is repeated for several days until the female deposits all her eggs . Young fish move downstream at night, shortly after emergence . Reproductive strategy: synchronous ovarian organization, determinate fecundity .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; anadromous ; depth range 0 - 200 m . Subtropical; 10°C - 24°C ; 67°N - 32°N, 135°E - 117°W east of Kamchatka and sporadically in the Sea of Okhotsk as far south as the mouth of the Amur River along the mainland.
🌿 Ecology
a variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and small fishes
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked — Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 141 kcal |
| Protein | 19.3 g |
| Total Fat | 6.2 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 1,040 mg |
| EPA | 228 mg |
| DHA | 412 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
🌿 Sustainability
🏆 World Records
| Record Type | Value | Angler | Location | Date | Line Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 21.77 kg | Sean Konrad | Lake Diefenbaker, Canada | 05 Sep 2009 | All-Tackle |
Source: IGFA All-Tackle World Records database
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Baiser · Banana Trout · Coast angel trout · Golden Rainbow Trout · Hatchery Rainbow · Kamchatka steelhead · Kamchatka trout · Kamloops trout · Lightning trout · Pacific Trout · Palomino trout · Rainbow Trout · Steelhead · Steelhead trout · Summer salmon · redband trout · syeelhead trout · Baja California Rainbow Trout · Bow · Brown Trout · Coast Rainbow Trout · Coast Range Trout · Hardhead · Kamchatka Salmon · Kamloops · Lord-fish · Rainbow |
| 🌍AFR | Reënboogforel |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | تروات فولاذي الرأس · تروات قوس قزح · ثروات أحمر الشريط · سلمون قوس قزح |
| 🌍AZE | Al-əlvan qızılxallı |
| 🌍BEL | Стронга радужная |
| 🌍BEN | রেইনবো ট্রাউট |
| 🌍BOS | Kalifornijska pastrmka |
| 🌍BRE | Dluzh kanevedenn |
| 🌍BUL | Дъгова пъстърва |
| 🏳️Catalan | Truita arc de Sant Martí · Truita arc iris · Truita irisada |
| 🌍CES | pstruh duhový |
| 🌍CYM | Brithyll seiethliw · Brithyllod Seithliw · brithyll seithliw |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Regnbueørred · Stålhovedørred |
| 🇩🇪German | Forelle · Lachsforelle · Regenbogenforelle · Stahlkopfforelle |
| 🌍ELL | Αμερικάνικη πέστροφα |
| 🌍EPO | Ĉielarka truto |
| 🌍EST | Vikerforell |
| 🌍EUS | Ortzadar-amuarrain |
| 🌍FAO | Ælabogasíl |
| 🌍FAS | Ghezelalla-e-Rangin Kaman · Mahi Qezel Ala · Qezel Ala · Qezel Ala Ranginkaman |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kirjolohi |
| 🇫🇷French | Truite arc en ciel · Truite arc-en-ciel · truite · truite arc-en-ciel anadrome · truite saumonée |
| 🌍GLG | Troita arco da vella |
| 🌍HEB | טרוטת עין-הקשת |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Kalifornijska pastrva |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | Szivárványos pisztráng |
| 🌍HYE | Ծիածանափայլ իշխան |
| 🌍ISL | Regnbogasilungur · Urriöi |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Trota · Trota iridea · trotta iridea |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Niji-masu · Nijimasu · ニジマス |
| 🌍KAN | ರೇನ್ಬೋ ಟ್ರೌಟ್ |
| 🌍KAT | ცისარტყელა კალმახი |
| 🌍KAZ | Құбылмалы бахтах |
| 🌍KIR | Кубулжума жилингир |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 무지개송어 |
| 🌍LAV | Varavīksnes forele |
| 🌍LIT | Vaivorykštinis upėtakis |
| 🌍LTZ | Reeboufrel |
| 🌍MAL | റെയിൻബോ ട്രൗട്ട് |
| 🌍MKD | Калифорниска пастрмка |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Regenboogfore · Regenboogforel · forel · regnbågsforell · zalmforel |
| 🌍NNO | regnbogeaure |
| 🌍NOB | Aure · Regnbueaure · regnbueørret · Ørret |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Aure · Orret · Regnbueørret |
| 🌍PAN | سترنگی ٹراؤٹ |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Pstrag teczowy |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Truta · Truta-arco-iris |
| 🌍RON | Pastrav curcubeu |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Forel raduzhnaya · Mikizha · Mykizha · Микижа · камчатская семга · камчатский лосось · радужная форель |
| 🌍SLK | pstruh dúhový |
| 🌍SLV | Sarenka |
| 🌍SME | girjeluossa |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Cabeza de acero · Salmones del Pacífico · Trucha · Trucha Arco Iris · trucha arcoiris |
| 🌍SQI | Trofta ylberi · Trofte ylberi · trofta e Kalifornisë · trofta e ylbertë |
| 🌍SRP | Pastrva · Дужичаста пастрмка |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Regnbåge · Regnbågelax · Regnbågslax |
| 🌍TGL | Trutsang bahaghari |
| 🌍THA | ปลาเรนโบว์เทราต์ |
| 🌍TUR | Alabalik · Alabalik türü · Gökkuşağı alabalığı · Gökkuşağı alabalığı veya Çelikbaş |
| 🌍UKR | Пструг райдужний · Форель райдужна |
| 🌍VIE | Cá hồi vân |
| 🌍WLN | Trûte-airdiè |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 虹鳟 · 麥奇大麻哈魚 · 麥奇鉤吻鮭 · 麥奇鉤吻鱒 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fario gairdneri | Richardson | 1836 | Synonym |
| Onchorhynchus mykiss | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Onchorrhychus mykiss | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Onchorynchus mykiss | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus gairdnerii | Richardson | 1836 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus kamloops | Jordan | 1892 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdnerii | Richardson | 1836 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss gibbsi | Suckley | 1859 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss nelsoni | Evermann | 1908 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus myskis | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Oncorhynchus penshinensis | Pallas | 1814 | Synonym |
| Parasalmo mykiss | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Parasalmo penshinensis | Pallas | 1814 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdneri beardsleei | Jordan & Seale | 1896 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdneri gairdneri | Richardson | 1836 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdneri kamloops | Jordan | 1892 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdneri shasta | Jordan | 1894 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdneri gilberti | Jordan | 1894 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdnerii | Richardson | 1836 | Synonym |
| Salmo gairdnerii irideus | Gibbons | 1855 | Synonym |
| Salmo gibbsii | Suckley | 1859 | Synonym |
| Salmo gilberti | Jordan | 1894 | Synonym |
| Salmo iridea | Gibbons | 1855 | Synonym |
| Salmo irideus argentatus | Bajkov | 1927 | Synonym |
| Salmo irideux | Gibbons | 1855 | Synonym |
| Salmo kamloops | Jordan | 1892 | Synonym |
| Salmo kamloops whitehousei | Dymond | 1931 | Synonym |
| Salmo masoni | Suckley | 1860 | Synonym |
| Salmo mykiss | Walbaum | 1792 | Homotypic |
| Salmo nelsoni | Evermann | 1908 | Synonym |
… and 10 more synonyms
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 203 records indexed .
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