Brook Trout – Salvelinus fontinalis

Brook Trout – Salvelinus fontinalis

Description: Brook Trout are a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. Though commonly called a trout, the brook trout is actually a char. It is an attractive fish with white leading edges to its fins and red and yellow spots on its flanks. The hen fish develops a bright orange belly as it matures. They can be piscivorous so caution should be taken if introducing with small fish. They are native to the US and there is a small known population established in the north of Scotland.

Maximum Size: Upto 16″ but on average 10-12″ when mature.

Environment: Brook Trout are very quick growing and require a large pond (10000 litres/2200 Gallons+ ideally). All trout require good filtration (as would be for a large koi pond) and air pumps supplying plenty of oxygen. They will require some shade in the summer months. Brook Trout are popular for use in aquaponics systems due to their fast growth and food consumption.

Brook  Trout require year round feeding, even in the lowest temperatures.

Water Conditions: Brook Trout require a pH range of 7-8.5, Ammonia and Nitrite to be virtually 0ppm and dissolved oxygen saturation to remain above 8ppm. They are intolerable to lower oxygen saturation values and susceptible to high water temperatures above 22°C.

As with any pet, please fully research for yourself to ensure that you can accommodate a fish of this type in your home.