Find Rainbow Trout plush toys in the Ocean at Animals N More.
Find Rainbow Trout stuffed animals, facts and information here at Animals N More. The rainbow trout stuffed animal shown here is in the Jeannie's Cottage online gift shop.
Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is a Freshwater fish that is native to the Western United States; and has been introduced throughout North America. It is not listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Rainbow trout are coldwater fish that can be found inmountain streams and lakes in North America. Because they are easily bred in hatcheries, rainbow trout have been introduced into much of the United States and now inhabit many streams and lakes throughout the country. Because of the popularity of this fish among anglers, it has been placed among the top five sport fishes in North America.
Rainbow trout got their name from their beautiful skin coloration. Coloration of the fish depends on a variety of things including sex, habitat, and maturity. Colors on the back can range from brown to olive to dark blue. Fish have a pinkish stripe running the length of their bodies, with a silvery white underside. They have small black spots on their backs, fins, and tail. Average mature fish are around 16 inches long and weigh between 2 and 8 pounds. (The largest rainbow ever caught, however, was in Canada and weighed 48 pounds.)
Rainbow trout can easily adapt to various aquatic habitats and environments. They prefer cool freshwater streams with gravel bottoms and natural cover, such as downed trees and boulders. These fish prefer water temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but can tolerate temperatures that vary from 32 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Opportunistic feeders, Rainbow Trout will eat anything from aquatic and terrestrial insects, to fish eggs, to small minnows, to crustaceans and worms.
The historical range of rainbow trout extends from Alaska to Mexico and includes British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada. Rainbow trout found primarily east of the Cascade Mountains in the U.S. and in the Upper Fraser River of British Columbia are often called redbands. Native rainbow trout are generally found in watersheds west of the Cascades. Most rainbow trout found outside their historical range are “domesticated” steelhead.
Whirling disease has developed in the last several decades and is a threat to trout fisheries across the United States. Primarily affecting hatchery-raised rainbow trout and other salmonids, whirling disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that causes fingerling trout to grow with badly curved spines and other skeletal deformities that can result in high fingerling mortality. Found in 22 states to date, whirling disease made its most significant appearance in wild waters in 1994 in Colorado (upper Colorado River) and Montana (Madison River). Significant efforts are being made to understand whirling disease through research and management of hatchery-raised rainbow trout and wild trout populations with the goal of protecting rainbow trout and other native trout fisheries nationwide.
Information about the Rainbow Trout is courtesy of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
