Patagonian Perch

Percichthys trucha

The Patagonian perch (Percichthys trucha), also called the creole perch, is a freshwater fish reaching up to 46 cm. It has an olive-green to silvery body with darker spots and a moderately compressed profile. Found in freshwater systems throughout Patagonia in both Argentina and Chile, on both sides of the Andes, it inhabits cold lakes, rivers, and streams at depths of 0 to 30 meters. This predatory species feeds on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. It spawns in aggregations during spring, gathering at traditional sites in lakes and rivers. Popular as a sport fish in Patagonia's crystal-clear mountain lakes, it is also occasionally encountered by freshwater divers exploring the remarkable underwater landscapes of Patagonian lakes, where volcanic rock formations and clear water create otherworldly dive environments.