Species learning profile
Tench
Tinca tinca
Tench (Tinca tinca) is a freshwater fish associated with lake habitat in Europe. A thick coat of slime protects its olive-green skin.
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At a glance
- Water
- Fresh water
- Habitat
- Lake
- Maximum length
- 84 cm
- Range
- Europe
- Family
- Tincidae
- Order
- Cypriniformes
Observe
How to identify Tench
- A thick coat of slime protects its olive-green skin.
- Guide context: lake habitat in Europe.
- Reported maximum length: 84 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with lake habitat across Europe. Temperature, oxygen, depth, and shoreline cover divide a lake into very different living zones.
Behavior
Roots through soft bottoms, often at dawn or dusk
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Insect larvae, molluscs, and plants.
Ecological role
Stirs sediment and recycles bottom nutrients.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
A thick coat of slime protects its olive-green skin.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Healthy lake populations depend on suitable temperature and oxygen, clean spawning areas, and balanced harvest and food webs.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Tench in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections