Amur bitterling
| Bitterling | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Rhodeus
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| Species: | R. sericeus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhodeus sericeus (Pallas, 1776)
| |
The bitterling is a small European fish of the carp family. It has a symbiotic relationship with the freshwater mussel. The bitterling lays her eggs in the mussel. When the eggs hatch, the fry feed on the mussel's blood. The mussel, in turn, releases larvae called glochidia, which attach to the gills or skin of the bitterling, or other freshwater fish, and grow in a cyst until they are ready to break forth. Surprisingly, the mussel remains unharmed by this intrusion.
Bitterlings usually reside in areas with dense plant growth. They are a hardy fish, and can survive in water that is not very well oxygenated. They grow to be 3-4 in. long at most. The bitterling's diet consists of small invertebrates.