NEWS103
12
ur native European fishes include
only a few species as easily satisfied
as theTench.
It can both hibernate in winter and
aestivate in summer, and hence is able to
inhabitsmallbodiesofwater.Often it is the
only fish species in such pools, as it also
toleratesvery lowoxygenconcentrations.
TheTench isnative toallofEuropewith the
exception of a very small number of
regions (Greece, Dalmatia, the Medi-
terranean islands, and Scotland), aswell as
O
TricolorTench,photo from2004.
GreenTench,
Tinca tinca
All Photos:FrankSchäfer
Here in Europe a fish species that is completely and totally unique lives
right on thedoorstep: theTench,Tinca tinca.Normally this around 40 cm
long fish is best known from thedelicatessen.Most anglerswill probably
already havemade the acquaintance of this fish. But only a few people
know that the Tench is a splendid and very interesting fish for the
aquariumandgardenpond.
TheTench
- factsand fables
byPaulMenzler
largepartsofwesternAsia (it isabsentonly
from the Crimea). There is only the one
species of tench (
Tinca tinca
), and at
presentnosubspeciesareaccepted. In fact
theTench is sounique in its characteristics
that it is currently regarded as the only
memberof itsown subfamily, theTincinae,
within thecarp family (Cyprinidae).
Basic requirementsof theTench
The Tench is ecologically very adaptable
and even tolerates brackish water, for
which reason it iseven found in thestärker
ausgesüßten parts of the Baltic, as well as
in river estuaries. The most important
elements for theTenchareasoft substrate,
the presence of submerse plants, and the
existence of small snails and bivalves,
whichare itspreferred foods.The relatively
short gut of the fish indicates that it can
process plant material only inadequately,
sowhile this typeof foodmay formpartof
the natural dietary spectrum, a vegetarian
lifestyle is impossible for the Tench.
Aquatic insects and their larvae, small
Kaltwasser
