Head to head
Rudd vs Roach
Rudd
VS Roach
The rudd and the roach are two deep-bodied, silvery fish with red fins that live in the same lakes and slow rivers across Europe, and anglers have been mixing them up for centuries.
| Rudd | Roach | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Scardinius erythrophthalmus | Rutilus rutilus |
| Relationship | A fellow member of the carp family, which readily interbreeds with the roach | A fellow member of the carp family, which readily interbreeds with the rudd |
| Colour | A deep, golden-bronze body with bright red pelvic and anal fins and a golden-yellow eye with a red fleck | A silvery body with reddish-orange pelvic and anal fins and, on most fish, a red flush in the iris |
| Dorsal fin | Set further back along the body, behind the pelvic fins | Set directly above the pelvic fins |
| Mouth | Points upwards, with the lower jaw sticking out, which suits it to feeding at the surface | Points forwards, suited to feeding in open water and on weed and the bottom |
| Diet | Insects that fall on the surface, small crustaceans, snails, and water plants | A broad diet of plant matter, algae, plankton, insect larvae, small snails, and freshwater shrimp |
| Habitat | Lakes, ponds, and slow rivers with plenty of water plants, often lying near the surface in warm weather | Lakes, reservoirs, ponds, canals, and the slower reaches of rivers, tolerating murk, warm water, and moderate pollution |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, native to most of Europe and western Asia and introduced to North America | Least Concern, widespread across Europe and northern Asia and introduced to places such as Ireland and Australia |
Rudd vs Roach: common questions
How can you tell a rudd from a roach?
Look at the dorsal fin and the mouth: the rudd has its dorsal fin set further back and an upturned mouth, while the roach has its dorsal fin directly above the pelvic fins.
Do rudd and roach interbreed?
Yes, they readily interbreed where they share spawning grounds, and the hybrids show a confusing blend of features that can be hard to identify.
Which one feeds at the surface?
The rudd, whose upturned mouth is suited to taking insects from the surface, especially in warm weather.