Differentiating bream is a big challenge for any angler, but you definitely need to recognize these fish.
Namely, because it is mandatory to release the wide, otherwise known as golden carp belonging to the non-catchable category. The silver carp, on the other hand, is an invasive fish that must be removed.
However, special cases also occur.
If you are not sure what you have caught, you must put the fish back in the water – as it may even be a protected individual – and the Hungarian Haltani Társaság (MHTT) is happy to answer any questions you may have.
“The approximately 1.3-kilo fish shown in the photo was caught by my son on August 19, 2023, in the heavily seaweedy section of the Hévíz channel near Fenékpuszta. Based on its body shape, the number of scales on the lateral line, and its convex dorsal fin, we guessed it to be a golden bream, or a broad bream. Do you also agree with this?” – a reader submitted his catch to the MHTT “What did I catch?” column.
As it turned out from the MHTT’s reply, it was not by chance that the angler was uncertain about the species.
“It cannot be ruled out that the fish is a broad carp (Carassius carassius(Carassius Gibelius), because it can rarely have such a high back. We don’t know whether the dorsal fin had a convex edge completely or only partially, but the rough serrations of its bone ray called the bognártske and the smoothness of its base are characteristic of the silver carp, as is the dark color of the fins,” MHTT responded to the photo, adding that the mentioned stamps look a bit uncertain, so it cannot be ruled out that the individual is a hybrid.
“In this case, the mother can be a broad-bred cormorant and the father can be a milky silver cormorant. The name of the hybrid is therefore broad-leaved-silver-leaved (Carassius carassius x Carassius gibelio) would be The question can only be decided with certainty through genetic testing,” the MHTT concluded its expert opinion.
We can only add that the number of scales on the lateral line of the broad crucian carp is always at least 32, which is a well-remembered characteristic of our native, non-catchable fish.
Also in the Hévíz canal, a fish in the shape of a carp, but without a moustache, was caught, you can read about the details of the story published the other day HERE.
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(photos: MHTT)
