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Roach Fact File

Some basic roach facts

Species - Roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.)

Weight - rarely 1.4kg (3lb), very few over 1.6kg (3.5lb)

Length - rarely exceed 40cm

Age - maximum 18 years

Location - lowland rivers, lakes, ponds, canals and drains

Behaviour - shoaling as young fish and adults

Preferred habitat - slow water, variable depth and dense weed, very adaptable

Feeding - most active from June to October, dawn and dusk

Natural food - zooplankton, bloodworm, snails, filamentous algae

Maturity - males 2-4 years, females 3-5 years

Fecundity - 1,000-15,000 eggs per female

Spawning times - April to early June, 8-14 oC

Spawning - dense weed, occasionally gravel

Migratory habits - limited home range, spawning migrations

Predators - pike, perch and zander