rainbow trout
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Rainbow trout are freshwater fish found in streams and rivers, known for their colorful appearance with a distinctive reddish stripe along their sides. They matter because they are important both as a food source for people who fish and as an indicator of healthy freshwater ecosystems.
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Oncorhynchus
- Image
- Female Rainbow Trout in hand.JPG
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Article
The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The steelhead (sometimes called steelhead trout) is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coastal rainbow trout (O. m. irideus) or Columbia River redband trout (O. m. gairdneri) that usually returns to freshwater to spawn after living two to three years in the ocean.
Adult freshwater stream rainbow trout average between 0.5 and 2.5 kilograms (1 and 5 lb), while lake-dwelling and anadromous forms may reach 9 kg (20 lb). Coloration varies widely based on subspecies, forms, and habitat. Adult fish are distinguished by a broad reddish stripe along the lateral line, from gills to the tail, which is most vivid in breeding males.