There are a few species of fish that exhibit a pink coloration. The most well-known pink fish are likely the pink salmon, pink rosefish, and pink rainbowfish.
Pink Salmon
Pink salmon, also known as humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), are a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. They are native to the northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. Pink salmon get their name from the light pink color of their flesh during spawning. They display this pink hue once they return from the ocean to their spawning grounds. The rest of the year, pink salmon are silver and blue in color, like other salmon.
During spawning, the pink salmon undergoes the following color changes:
- Breeding males develop a pronounced humped back and large teeth.
- The flesh of breeding males turns deep red.
- Females turn olive green with dark markings on the tails and backs.
- The flesh of breeding females turns pale pink or rose shaded.
After spawning, the salmon die within a few days or weeks. Pink salmon have a two-year life cycle, meaning they spawn and die before age two. They hatch in freshwater, migrate to the ocean, then return to their exact place of birth two years later to spawn.
Range and Habitat
Pink salmon are native to Pacific coastal streams and rivers from Korea and Russia, along the Alaskan coast, down to Washington state. They can be found along the west coast of North America from Baja California to Alaska.
Pink salmon migrate into coastal streams and rivers to spawn. The young salmon hatch in gravel beds in freshwater tributaries and grow rapidly. After a few months, the juvenile pink salmon migrate downstream into estuaries and coastal marine waters. They mature at sea, thousands of miles from their home rivers.
Rosefish
Rosefish (Sebastes norvegicus) are a species of rockfish that belong to the genus Sebastes. They are also known as ocean perch, Norway haddock, red perch, redfish, and heliotrope. Rosefish get their name from their distinct pink or rose-colored bodies. They display an orange or pinkish-red hue all over.
Characteristics
Some key facts about the rosefish:
- They have long, slim bodies and large mouths with noticeable fangs.
- Adults grow up to 60 cm long and weigh up to 3 kg.
- They are slow-growing and can live 60 years or more.
- Rosefish tend to school in large groups or shoals.
- They inhabit rocky, cold-water ocean bottoms from 30 to 900 m deep.
- Their diet consists of shrimp, squid, herring, capelin, and sometimes their own eggs.
- Rosefish are ovoviviparous – the eggs hatch inside the female and larvae are released.
- They are commercially fished for food and harvested for their roe (eggs).
Range
Rosefish are found in the north Atlantic Ocean, from Iceland, Greenland, and Scandinavia to the Barents Sea and around the British Isles. In North America, they range from Greenland and Labrador to Maine. They prefer cold water temperatures from 3 to 8°C.
Pink Rainbowfish
Pink rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parva) are a species of freshwater fish in the family Melanotaeniidae. They are native to Lake Tebera on New Guinea. As their name suggests, pink rainbowfish get their rosy pink color from selective breeding in the aquarium trade. Wild specimens actually display a silvery color with turquoise and red markings.
Characteristics
Some features of the pink rainbowfish include:
- Slender bodies that grow up to 6 cm long.
- Two dorsal fins – the front is rounded, the rear is elongated.
- Mostly pink overall, with some darker pink horizontal stripes.
- Faint turquoise stripes along the rear half of the body.
- Orange-red fins with white tips.
- Omnivorous – eat small crustaceans, insects, worms.
- Peaceful schooling fish suitable for community tanks.
- Bubble nest breeders.
Breeding
In the home aquarium, pink rainbowfish breed readily if provided good water quality and a balanced diet. The male builds a bubble nest and entices the female to lay her eggs inside. The eggs then hatch in a day or two. The fry are tiny but grow quickly with proper feeding.
Conclusion
While many fish display bright colors like orange or yellow, pink is a more uncommon and striking shade in the animal kingdom. The three main examples of noticeably pink-colored fish are the pink salmon, rosefish, and pink rainbowfish. Each inhabits different aquatic environments – be it cold ocean depths, coastal rivers, or freshwater tanks. Yet all share that vivid pink pigmentation that makes them stand out in the water.
