Fish of the Year 2021 in Hungary

The presidency of the Hungarian Ichthyological Society has announced winner of the annual competition and the title "The fish of the year 2021 in Hungary" goes to the Ide (Leuciscus idus).

7,683 votes were received from the public on the website of the Hungarian Ichthyological Society by noon on December 31. 49% voted for the Ide, which likes the lowland sections of medium and large rivers. The Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus), which is relatively rare and protected fish, of only 8-10 centimeters in length and lives only in mountainous and hilly streams, received 31%. Coming in third with 20% of the vote is the European eel (Anguilla Anguilla), which bears ancient features and of which very few are left by today.

The ide usually inhabits large lowland rivers and nutrient-rich lakes. Adults are solitary while juveniles are gregarious. It undertakes migration to tributaries to spawn in moderate current on gravel or submerged vegetation, feeds on various aquatic and terrestrial animals and plant material. Larger individuals feed mainly on fishes. Feeding larvae and juveniles thrive in a wide variety of shoreline habitats and leave the shores for deeper waters when growing.