Gibel carp Carassius auratus (Cyprinidae, Actinopterygii) in flowing water bodies of the Don River basin and the Lower Volga River basin

Abstract

Data on the occurrence of Gibel carp in flowing water bodies of the Don River basin and the Lower Volga River basin are given. It is shown that gibel carp actively seeks for habitats with flowing water and can persist for a long time in streams with a current velocity from 1.0 to 1.3 m/s and overcome chutes with a current velocity of 2.6 m/s and streams with a depth of less than the body depth of the fish. Therefore, gibel carp is proposed to be considered as a lake–river fish. The outbreak of this species in streams is associated with its spawning period, when it moves in search of spawning grounds. It is assumed that these movements may contribute to its settling in rivers.