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How to catch South European Toothcarp

Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes, 1821)

About South European Toothcarp fishing

The Mediterranean banded killifish is a small member of the Aphaniidae family characterized by an elongated fusiform body with flattened sides and a broadly rounded caudal fin. Males display an olive green to bluish back with silvery flanks marked by ten to fifteen dark transverse bands alongside yellowish fins, while females exhibit a duller grey green appearance with faint narrow markings. Growing to a maximum length of nearly seven centimetres and a common length around five and a half centimetres, this short lived benthopelagic species inhabits shallow coastal lagoons, river mouths, saline marshes, and hypersaline pools down to twenty metres depth. It feeds by grazing on algae, detritus, small crustaceans, and aquatic insect larvae, completing its life cycle in still to slow flowing fresh, brackish, and marine waters where females deposit eggs on submerged vegetation from spring through early autumn.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    5.5 cm

  • Habitat

    Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Mediterranean banded killifish

South European Toothcarp

Truncate caudal shape

Caudal fin is more or less truncate, typical of the species.

Abdominal pelvic-fin

Pelvic fins are located far back on the abdomen.

Dark vertical bars

Series of dark vertical bars along the silvery-yellow body sides.

South European Toothcarp fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    5.5 cm (max 6.8 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    17.6–20.1 °C

  • Depth

    1–20 m

  • Longevity

    15.2 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Vulnerability score

    14.3

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Low

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Peak

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Active

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Low

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for South European Toothcarp

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch South European Toothcarp

Tips for catching South European Toothcarp

This tiny coastal inhabitant thrives in shallow lagoons, salt marshes and river mouths where dense aquatic vegetation and submerged weeds offer shelter and feeding zones. Because of its diminutive size and protected status in many regions, targeted angling is uncommon, but when studied or sampled by naturalists it is approached using ultra-light tackle in very shallow margins. Micro-presentations featuring tiny natural baits suspended near the bottom or close to weed beds align with its omnivorous diet of small invertebrates and plant detritus. Fishing is most productive during daylight hours in calmer warmer months when these schooling fish are actively foraging around coastal shallows.

Other names for South European Toothcarp

Local and alternate names anglers use for South European Toothcarp.

  • South European Toothcarp
  • Mediterranean banded killifish

Best equipment to catch South European Toothcarp

Compare fishing methods for South European Toothcarp — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.2 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for South European Toothcarp

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

Where South European Toothcarp spends the year — Non-migratory

Stays in the same waters year-round. Look for it on the same grounds rather than timing a run.

Where South European Toothcarp spends the year — Non-migratory 1. Eggs: Laid on the home grounds. 2. Juveniles: Grow up close by. 3. Adults: Keep to a small home range. 4. Spawners: Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.
Same water all year

1 Eggs

Same water all year

Laid on the home grounds.

2 Juveniles

Same water all year

Grow up close by.

3 Adults

Same water all year

Keep to a small home range.

4 Spawners

Same water all year

Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of South European Toothcarp

  • Diet

    Omnivore

  • Feeds by

    Grazes plants

  • Hunts

    Morning · Midday

Where South European Toothcarp lives

Lives near the bottom but swims in the water just above it. Cover the lower column, not only the mud.

Habitats
Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral
Continental shelf · 1–20 m
Water column
Benthopelagic
Just above the bed

Where this species lives