Perch Colouring

little oik · Apr 26, 2011

I caught a small perch yesterday ,it was only about 4or 5 oz but it was the colour or lack of it that was brainer .It had no red on it at all no bars or fins .The stripes were a darker shade of green than the normal body colour .The lake in question is about 16ft deep max and a bog lake so dark water also has a lot of cabbage in the margins .
.Didnt know if it was down to the lake itself (see above )or is it a sport? Or is just a freak of nature ?
Never come across one before like this .Didnt know if you guys can shed any light on it

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Apr 26, 2011

I;ve never see a perch with no red in it's fins

harristom85 · Apr 26, 2011

baby zander?

Harvey · Apr 26, 2011

..........

little oik · Apr 26, 2011

no zander in the emerald isle I had to take a series of double takes at it .I went to take a snap of it but no power in the camera .It was extremely weird to say the least .There were bars on its flanks however they were shades of green and the fins were how can I put this just clear and slightly opaque if that makes sense .
I have found out that some Perch, if they live in deep and murky water don't always have the red bars but they have at least a hint of red in the fins

Wobbly Face (As Per Ed) · Apr 26, 2011

All down to water conditions, colour etc. Water that is coloured, the fish will appear washed out in marking including fins and tail. Dark water (peaty) they will appear dark.

little oik · Apr 26, 2011

thanks for the replies .I have caught plenty of tench ranging from orangey (not golden Tench) through to nearly black ones but this was the first Strange Perch that I have come across .

flightliner · Apr 26, 2011

Had a few like you describe at Ladybower res when fly fishing for trout, the water is extremely deep and has a peaty coloured run off from the high hills around, ugly little devils.

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 26, 2011

Fish that are in dark, deep water or hidden under structures or even at night will sometimes stop producing the chenicals that cause it to colour up in order to save energy. I once noticed this when I switched the tropical tank on one night from pitch black and the clown loach we had was almost white. I asked the local shopkeeper if that was right and that is what he told me. It must happen in all fish as last year I caught a pike of 16lbs that was so pale you'd have thought it had a sick note and I reckon it had come from under a landing stage where it had been dark.

Perch Colouring

little oik

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Lord Paul of Sheffield

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harristom85

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Harvey

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little oik

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Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)

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little oik

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flightliner

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Jeff Woodhouse

Moaning Marlow Meldrew