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California Fish Website Species
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Sacramento Perch, Archoplites interruptus
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Photo of a Sacramento perch, approximately 12 cm (5”) long. Location:
Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture, UC Davis. Date: 5/21/2007.
Thanks to Christa Woodley.
Angler with adult Sacramento
perch. Photo courtesy of Patrick Crain.
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Appearance
and Identification:
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Deep bodied (depth up to 2.5 times SL), laterally compressed, max.
61 cm TL (3.6 kg)
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Large and oblique terminal mouth, maxilla extends to middle of eye
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Teeth present on jaws, tongue, and roof of mouth
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Coloration: brown sides and back with metallic green to purple
sheen, white underside, 6-7 vertical bars on sides, black spot on opercula
o
Breeding males: darker than normal, opercula purple, silvery
spotting
o
Breeding females: uniform coloration
·
Fin spines/rays:
dorsal 12-14 spines/10-11 rays, anal 6-8 spines/10-11 rays, pectoral 13-15 rays
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Lateral line scales (large): 38-48
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Life History:
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Sacramento perch were historically
abundant predators throughout the Central Valley of California, where they
occupied sloughs, lakes, and slow moving rivers. Today they are rare in their native
waters, though they have been introduced through the state and are most
often found in warm reservoirs and ponds where summer temperature range
form 18-28°C. Sacramento perch are capable of surviving
high temperatures, high salinities (up to 17ppt), high turbidity, and low
water clarity. Though Sacramento
perch are often found in clear water among beds of aquatic vegetation, they
achieve greater numbers in turbid lakes absent of plants. Typically they are found along the bottom
of inshore regions. Young-of-year
perch form shoals in these areas where aquatic and overhanging vegetation
provide cover. Sacramento perch are most abundant where
other centrarchids are absent. They feed by stalking, and prey items
vary with time, availability, and fish size. Sacramento
perch are opportunistic and feeding occurs all day with peaks at dawn and
dusk. Their diet is more diverse in
summer than in winter. Young-of-year
fish feed primarily on small crustaceans found on plants and in the
substrate. Juvenile perch in Clear Lake were found to feed mostly on
copepods and later cladocerans. Aquatic insect larvae and pupae become
increasingly important as the fish grow.
Adult fish may begin to feed on other fish, including young-of-year
perch. Growth is variable and
factors such as diet, overcrowding, and gender affect growth rates. Females
tend to be larger than males and adult fish grow more in weight than in
length. Sacramento perch reach sexual maturity in
year 2 or 3 and generally spawn from March through early August when water
temperatures range from 18-29°C.
Prior to spawning, perch gather in shallow areas abundant with
filamentous algae and macrophytes. These assembly areas may also have
submerged roots, rock piles, and sticks.
Male fish begin defending territories along shore where they create
shallow nests. They vehemently
defend their space until the arrival of a female perch, at which time they
begin courting. The male and female
perch release eggs and milt simultaneously, and upon completion the female
perch abandons the nest. Females
spawn with multiple males, producing a total of about 8,400-125,000
eggs. Egg production varies with
body size. Male perch guard their
nests and the embryos for several days.
The emergent larvae are planktonic for a
time period assumed to be about 1-2 weeks
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Links to Other Research
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Here's a list of California
watersheds where Sacramento
Perch may be found.
© 2003 - Regents of the University
of California
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Communication Services
E-Mail Web Master
ANR
Non-Discrimination Statement
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