Origin
The ghibort (Gymnocephalus cernua) is part of the percid family. In Romania it can be found in all the larger rivers, starting with the characteristic area of mrena and up to the Danube River in the Black Sea.
It lives in large numbers in ponds near the Danube, in Danube, Olt, Mures, Crisuri, Somes, Timis, Bega, as well as in many lakes (Snagov, Cernica, Caldarusani, Zau De Campie etc.).
It occurs in many ponds and ponds, even in farms, where it is considered an undesirable species, consuming carp eggs and larvae.
Ghibort is found both in freshwater lakes near the Sea coast, and in semi-saline water lakes in the same region.
Ghibort Food
The ghibort feeds on benthic animals (which live on the bottom of the water), besides insects, insect larvae, Bream, crayfish, snails and shells, eats Roe and fish brood, with predilection the ROE of the hall and carp, and in general, the brood of all peaceful species of fish.
For this reason, in places where it breeds, it causes significant damage. In Carp farms ghibort is very harmful! Being itself a small fish, the ghibort is often the food of the Pike and the halls.
They are a little wary of him, because if the ghibort manages to stretch the spines of the dorsal fin when it is in the mouth of the pike or salaul, it can even cause the death of that fish.
Therefore, before swallowing the ghibort, the Pike is used to killing it by squeezing it strongly in the jaws.
Ghibort Features
The color of the ghibort varies depending on the colors prevailing in the natural environment where it lives. The back is greenish-brown or gray-green, the sides also greenish, with some yellowish shades, while the belly is yellowish-white.
On the upper half of the body, randomly spread or constituted in strings, black-brown dots are distinguished. Such points are found on the dorsal and caudal fins, where they form 4-7 strings. The sides of live specimens can sometimes iridescent metallic, with greenish-lilac shades.
The pectoral fins and ventral fin are colorless, transparent, in general, the coloration of the specimens coming from the backwaters is darker than that of the ghiborths coming from the rivers. The sting caused by the spines in the dorsal fin is extremely painful and can become infected.
Ghibort is a small fish with an average length of 12-15 cm, rarely 30-32 cm. The average weight in the waters of our country is 250-300 g, rarely exceeding 350 g.
Ghibort lives in rivers and freshwater lakes in lowland regions, less often in hilly waters. It can not be found in fast streams and with cold water from the mountains.
As a rule, it stands near the banks, where the depth of the water is not great, so it warms up faster, and where at the same time there is more abundant food. Ghibort, like salaul, can also be found in deeper places in lakes and ponds, with the bed covered by sand or clay.
It also hides in the shallows dug by the currents under the steeper banks. It does not like excessive sunlight, which is why on sunny days the fish swims less, is more inactive, rests, starting in search of food once evening, when it becomes more active, more mobile.
It is a fish that is maintained in smaller or larger cards, often grouping by age categories.
Reproduction Ghibort
Ghibort is an extremely prolific fish. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years.
Between March and April, before the start of water overflows especially in puddles, they migrate in very large groups to spawning sites.
Each female lays about 50000-120000 small eggs (with a diameter of 0.8-0.9 mm), yellow color.
The small waist and the fact that it has a lot of bones are reasons why the ghibort is not sought by fishermen.
Its meat is tasty, especially for the preparation of fish soup.
