The Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus)

Class of the Actinopterygian order of Perciformes family of Percid Gymnocephalus cernuus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Ruffe is a fish with the General characteristics of the perciformes. Apart from its size, the Ruffe resembles the perch. Its body is elongated, slightly hunchbacked and more compressed in the rear than in the front. The body is covered in small ctenoid scales. His head is large with a rounded snout and a large eye. The sous-opercule and the Gill cover are very ornate, latter with several spines. The head is not covered with scales the Ruffe has a dorsal fin consisting of two parts: a first fin soft rays (posterior) and another with spiny rays (earlier) but there is no separation between them.

Normal size is 5-10 cm, but it can reach a maximum of 25 cm.

It has a greenish brown back with dark spots on the body referring to the dress of the Stud. The flanks are brown most clear and the belly is yellowish with black spots. The opercula have metallic glints.

The life expectancy of the Ruffe is approximately 4 years old.

The Ruffe is a benthivorous fish. The ornamentation of the head are sensory channels that allied to a very sensitive side line allows the Ruffe to detect prey and feed at night. It eats invertebrates (larvae of insects, zooplankton, chironomids, amphipods, oligochaetes), small crustaceans, molluscs, annelids, plant debris, eggs and fingerlings.

Ruffe sexual maturity is reached after 2 years. The breeding season occurs between April and may. The female may deposit between 40 000 to 1 000 000 of oocytes in several clutches within areas little deep or on obstacles. Eggs are presented in the form of cords coiled on twigs, aquatic plants and rocks.

The Ruffe is present in the water at low current, better adapted to its reduced swimming ability. She appreciates the funds of gravel or sand ponds and Lakes but it is also present in the rivers. She has a pretty good tolerance to degraded environments.

This fish originates from Central and Eastern Europe. Ruffe occurs from the southwest of England to the Urals. It is found in the southern part of Scandinavia and appears to have been introduced accidentally in Scotland and North America.

Ruffe rarely subject to specific fishing but can bite meat baits presented using a line to Roach. The Ruffe can serve as bright for fishing.