Roach

Overview

Everything you need to know about Roach, at a glance:

• Common Names: -
• Scientific Name: Rutilus rutilus
• Max Size: ~50cm
• Temperature Range: 10-22°C, though can survive temperatures close to freezing
• pH Range: 6.0-8.0
• Compatibility: Peaceful, will get along with other similarly sized pond fish
• Area Of Origin: Eurasia, but commonly found in UK waterways
• Suitable Foods: Variety of sticks, pellets, and flakes.
• Special Requirements: Best kept in small shoals

What is a Roach?

Roach are hardy, freshwater fish that are found in waterways across the UK. They typically gather in large shoals in lowland ponds, lakes, and slow-flowing rivers. Once a prize amongst anglers, Roach are now becoming increasingly popular in the pond keeping hobby.

Roach are members of the wider Carp family, though they don’t grow nearly as large as their distant cousins Koi, often maxing out at sizes of ~50cm. They’re typically slimmer than other types of Carp too, with a more streamlined body adapted for faster swimming speeds.

Roach are characterised by their silver base colours and dark, reddish-brown fins. They also have very distinct eyes, with a big red spot just above the iris and beside the pupil. These features help distinguish Roach from other similar-looking types of Carp, like Rudd, Dace, and Orfe.

How do I care for Roach?

Roach are some of the hardiest fish in the pond keeping hobby and are known for their ability to tolerate a wide range of aquatic environments. This makes them a great choice of fish for first-time pond keepers, particularly those interested in keeping species native to the UK. That said, they do require a degree of specialist care, just like any other pond fish.

As shoaling fish, Roach need to be kept in small groups of at least three to five individuals, though more is always better. The more Roach you have in your pond (space permitting) the more outgoing they’ll be – you may even be lucky enough to see them breed (typically between the months of March and June).

While they don’t grow quite as large as other types of Carp, Roach do often exceed 30cm in length and therefore need to be given quite a bit of space. They’re active swimmers too, so the bigger the surface area of your pond the better. A wide, shallow pond is a lot better than a narrow, deep pond for these fish.

Like most other types of pond fish, Roach thrive in a well-filtered and well-oxygenated environment. To create these conditions in your pond, get yourself a large pond filter and a powerful pond pump capable of running a fountain and/or waterfall. You could also run an air pump to further increase oxygen levels in your pond.

Roach are omnivorous and will readily accept a variety of sticks, flakes, and pellets. In the wild, Roach will eat insects and other small invertebrates. Try to simulate this protein-rich diet by occasionally offering them some live foods.

How is this Roach delivered?

All of our aquatic animals are dispatched from our livestock distributor and delivered directly to your doorstep. Our distributor dispatches and delivers livestock packages Tuesday through Friday to avoid animals being in transit over the weekend. To further minimise time spent travelling, all livestock deliveries are made before 1pm on the day of delivery.

After placing your livestock order, you’ll receive all the information needed to track your livestock order via email. If you have any problems regarding delivery, or concerns about the health/wellbeing of your animal(s) upon arrival, please contact us, Swell UK Ltd, immediately, or at least within 48 hours of receiving your livestock order.

Any other, non-livestock items that you purchase alongside livestock will be sent via standard or express delivery and arrive at your delivery address in a different package. This means that, depending on when you place your order, you may receive your non-livestock items before or after your livestock package.

For a detailed breakdown of when you can expect to receive your livestock package depending on the day you placed your order, be sure to check the delivery details in the specifications below.

How do you acclimate a Roach to a pond?

It’s very important that you acclimatise new fish to your pond. This is the process of gradually adjusting an animal to its new environment and it’s especially important in an aquatic setting where sudden changes in water temperature, pH, and nitrates can cause stress, illness and, in some cases, even death.

To acclimatise your Roach, add it to a large, dimly lit container and add a small amount of pond water every few minutes. Do this until water temperatures in this container match water temperatures in your pond, and for at least 20 minutes. If you don’t have a large container to hand, you can float the bag containing your fish in your pond instead.

You should always set up your pond and make sure it’s ready for fish prior to purchasing any. It’s also a good idea to let your pond filter mature for a few months before adding Roach.

Above photos are for illustration purposes only; livestock received may not exactly match those photographed.