Tench
Alternative Name(s): The Doctor Fish
Scientific Name(s): Tinca tinca
Category: Pond
Difficulty:
Maximum Size: 66cms
Minimum Tank Volume: 0 litres
Minimum Tank Size: Pond or Lake Fish Only
Water Temperature Range: 15-25°C
Water pH Range: 6.0-8.0
Water Hardness Range: 4-10 dGH

General Information: Tench are found in the wild in still or slow flowing waters with rich plant life. They naturally have a dark olive-green skin in coloured water. There is also a gold variant. Young Tench need to be moved to a pond as soon as they outgrow a home aquarium which won't take long as they grow rapidly. They are bottom-dwelling fish.
Tank Requirements: None - see above. Pond or lake fish only.
Diet Requirements: To achieve natural colours feed a wide variety of natural food, bloodworm, daphnia, worms, maggots, water insects etc., as well as a good sinking Koi food.
Compatibility: Tench are quite happy with many non-predatory coarse fish, Carp, Roach, Bream, Rudd and Goldfish.
Recommendations: These require a mud and gravel substrate with a large amount of plants. Tench are also grouping fish and will benefit from being in groups of 3 or more. A slow flow rate will make the conditions realistic.
Common Problems: Tench are very shy fish and may take some time to adjust to being in a pond. They will settle more easily if you provide enough areas which are heavily stocked with plants to hide amongst.
Similar Species:
Sexing: The Tench is one of the few coarse fish where the sexes are easy to see. The mature male fish has a greatly thickened second ray and longer pelvic fin.
Breeding: Just like Carp, Tench require environmental clues to indicate when it is time to spawn. They also require the different seasons to develop the eggs and therefore would be unlikely to spawn in a tank.
Author(s): Violet, Fishlady | Photo: | Views: 40101
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