Spirlin

Identification

The schneider is a small, slender fish (8-13 cm) resembling the common bleak, but distinguished by its characteristic double row of dark dots along the lateral line. The back is greenish, the flanks silvery. Each scale along the lateral line bears two dark pigment spots, creating a striking dotted pattern.

Ecology

The schneider lives in fast-flowing, clear streams with pebble or gravel substrate. It forms small schools in the current, feeding on insect larvae, algae, and small invertebrates picked from stones.

In the Netherlands

A very rare species found exclusively in South Limburg, in streams such as the Geul and Gulp. With only 33 records in our database, it is one of the rarest freshwater fish in the Netherlands. The species is an indicator of good water quality.