Fish
Silver Bream
Blicca bjoerkna · also called white bream
In the murky water of a lowland canal, a shoal of silver bream drifts in a slow, silvery cloud, easy to mistake for young common bream.
Overview
The silver bream, Blicca bjoerkna, is a Least Concern carp relative of slow rivers, canals, and lakes across central, northern, and eastern Europe. Its deep silvery body, big eyes, and tolerance of murky water make it one of the commonest fish of lowland waters.
A bream that stays small
Although it shares the tall, flattened shape of the common bream, the silver bream stops growing at a much smaller size and has larger eyes and pinker fins.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Silver Bream: common questions
How is a silver bream different from a common bream?
It is more silvery and smaller, with larger eyes and pinkish bases to its pelvic and pectoral fins.
How big is a silver bream?
It usually reaches only 15 to 25 cm long, though occasionally more.
Does the silver bream interbreed with other fish?
Yes, it can interbreed with common bream and roach, producing hybrids that can be hard to identify.
Where is the silver bream found?
It lives in slow rivers, canals, and lakes across much of central, northern, and eastern Europe.