Fish
Vimba Bream
Vimba vimba · also called vimba, zaehrte
In early summer, a shoal of vimba bream pushes upstream over a stretch of clean gravel, the males darkened and flushed with orange.
Overview
The vimba bream, Vimba vimba, is a Least Concern carp relative of rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters across northern, central, and eastern Europe. Its pointed snout, upstream spawning runs, and breeding colours make it one of the more distinctive members of the carp family.
A bream that makes a run
Whether it lives in a river or at sea, the vimba bream returns each year to clean gravel in the river to spawn, which makes dams and pollution a serious threat.
Status
Least Concern, though lost from some rivers.
Vimba Bream: common questions
What does the vimba bream look like?
It is a slender, silvery fish with a pointed snout that overhangs the mouth, an olive to bluish-grey back, and a forked tail.
How does the vimba bream breed?
It migrates upstream in spring and early summer to spawn over clean gravel, with the male darkening and the fins turning bright.
How big is a vimba bream?
It usually reaches 25 to 35 cm in length, though some grow larger.
Where is the vimba bream found?
It lives in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters around the Baltic, North, Black, and Caspian Sea basins.