Rutilis rutilis - Roach
Phylum: Chordata - Class: Actinopterygii - Order: Cypriniformes - Family: Cyprinidae
Roach are fish of still or slow-flowing water. They are found in many English rivers and in some rivers of eastern Wales, generally in the lower reaches, and have also been stocked into many stillwater fisheries throughout Britain.
Roach spawn in April and May in the south of Britain; spawning can extend into June further north. Their diet comprises invertebrates and plant matter.
Hybrids of Roach with Rudd or with Bream are not uncommon, and that can make identification more difficult. A Roach of more than two pounds is the fish of a lifetime, although they can grow quite a lot bigger.
The British rod-caught record Roach, caught by Mr Keith Berry on a stillwater in Northern Ireland in 2006, weighed 4lb 4oz.
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