| Crayfish | Bream |
Crayfish
The Crayfish has no backbone, and although it is the largest invertebrate in
Irish freshwaters, most people have never seen it. This is probably due to its
shyness by day, and the result is that its distribution in Ireland is very poorly
known. One of the first people to discover them first in the Grand Canal was
Dick Warner.
He told us he discovered them in the Grand Canal in the 1960's. Crayfish live
in streams, lakes and rivers and canals in Ireland and prefer lime-rich water,
though they may also live elsewhere. They hide by day under stones or weed and
at night they crawl out to feed on dead leaves and plants, and in addition they
may feed on insects and worms.
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Bream
Deep-bodied, large-scaled bream like the still and slow flowing waters of the
canal. They feed on small water animals such as insect larvae and on some water
plants. The largest bream reach a length of about 80cm and weigh about 4.5kg.
The 'stripe' along a fish's side, is called the lateral line. It is a groove
of specialised tissue that detects vibrations in the water, in effect allowing
the fish to 'hear' and 'feel' water movements.
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Perch
Markings on the flanks camouflage perch among waterweeds. These five or so vertical
bars, the front dorsal fin which has prominent spines and the reddish other
fins, mark out the perch as an exceptionally handsome fish. When fully grown
they may weigh 2 kg. Perch feed on worms, snails, slugs, insects and small fish.
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Carp
The carp has a mouth inferior with thick lips and two pair of barbels, one pair
long. It has a forked tail fin, a dorsal fin long, a barbed bony ray in the
origin of the dorsal and of the anal fin. There are several varieties which
differ considerably in scaling and in the height of body. These include wild
carp, king carp, mirror carp and leather carp. Carp grow to over 40 lb.
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Pike
The pike is another species of fish which is often found in the waters of the
Grand Canal. It has a voracious nature and is a sleek predator with a mouthful
of sharp teeth. It is a very popular fish for fishermen to catch.
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Tench
Tiny scales, a greenish sheen, an almost unforked tail, and a bulky muscular
body characterises this still-water, bottom-feeding member of the carp family.
A good-sized tench weighs around 4 kg and is a powerful fighter when hooked.
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For more information on fish by the Grand Canal go to the Fish Ireland website.
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