Head to head
Ruffe vs European Perch
Ruffe
VS European Perch
The ruffe and the European perch are close relatives in the perch family that share many lakes and slow rivers across Europe, and both have become invasive when carried to other continents.
| Ruffe | European Perch | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Gymnocephalus cernua | Perca fluviatilis |
| Relationship | A fellow member of the perch family, the Percidae | The species on which the whole perch family is based |
| Dorsal fin | A single, continuous, spiny dorsal fin, with sharp spines on the gill covers | Two separate dorsal fins, the front one spiny with a black blotch at its rear corner |
| Colour and size | An olive-brown body spotted with dark flecks and a pale underside, usually under 15 cm long | A deep, greenish body with five to eight dark vertical bars and bright red to orange pelvic and anal fins |
| Senses | Large sensory pits on its head detect vibrations in the water and help it to hunt in the dark | Hunts by sight as an ambusher near cover and weed edges |
| Diet | Insect larvae, small crustaceans, worms, and the eggs and young of other fish, mostly at night | Insects and crustaceans when young, then mostly small fish such as roach, minnows, and smaller perch |
| Where it is invasive | Reached the Great Lakes of North America in the 1980s, probably in ships' ballast water, and spread widely there | Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where it is known as redfin and is a damaging pest of native fish |
| Conservation status | Least Concern in its native waters across Europe and northern Asia, and invasive in the Great Lakes | Least Concern, widespread across most of Europe and northern Asia |
Ruffe vs European Perch: common questions
How can you tell a ruffe from a perch?
The ruffe has a single, continuous, spiny dorsal fin and a small, speckled body, while the perch has two separate dorsal fins and dark vertical bars.
Which one is smaller?
The ruffe, which is usually under 15 cm long, while the perch grows far larger.
Are both invasive?
Yes, the ruffe spread through the Great Lakes of North America, and the perch is a pest in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.