Italy has a remarkably varied freshwater fish fauna. Its Alpine streams, Po River floodplain, northern lakes, Apennine rivers, Mediterranean islands, canals, and wetlands support trout, grayling, cyprinids such as barbel and chub, pike, perch, gobies, loaches, lampreys, eels, and sturgeons. Common carp, goldfish, rainbow trout, bass, catfish, and other introduced fish are also widespread in some waters.
There is no single, universally agreed number of freshwater fish species for Italy. One national checklist reports 132 species currently present and 141 reported overall, while a 2014 biogeographic review identified 52 native and 51 introduced species under its own taxonomic and inclusion rules. The difference reflects changing species names, stocked and reintroduced populations, questionable records, and different definitions of “freshwater fish.” [C003][C004]
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Italy’s freshwater fish are shaped by geography
Italy is not one continuous freshwater habitat. The Alps drain toward the Po and the northern Adriatic, the Apennines divide river basins flowing toward different seas, and Sicily and Sardinia contain isolated Mediterranean waterways. Fish communities therefore change substantially from cold mountain headwaters to warm lowland rivers, lakes, irrigation canals, floodplains, and river mouths.
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Representative native and locally native freshwater fish
Trout, grayling, and other cold-water stream fish
Cold, oxygen-rich streams in the Alps and Apennines are the typical habitat of trout, grayling, sculpins, and some lampreys. Italy’s trout fauna includes several Mediterranean and regional lineages, including:
- Marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) — associated especially with the Po and northern Adriatic drainage. Its marbled pattern makes it one of Italy’s most recognizable native salmonids.
- Mediterranean trout lineages — found in mainland Mediterranean basins, Sicily, and Sardinia. Their taxonomy is complicated by historical stocking and hybridization with non-native brown-trout strains.
- Garda trout (Salmo carpio) — a highly localized fish associated with Lake Garda.
- Grayling — present in suitable northern and Alpine waters, including distinctive Adriatic lineages.
- Sculpins and brook-lamprey relatives — small bottom-dwelling fish of cool, clean streams.
These names should not always be treated as completely straightforward species labels. Genetic research and taxonomic revisions have changed the boundaries between trout and grayling lineages, and older sources may use different names. Stocking has also mixed native and introduced genetic material in some waters. [C004][C005][C006]
Cyprinids: the familiar fish of rivers, lakes, and canals
Cyprinids—the carp family—make up one of the most noticeable groups in Italian fresh waters. Native or historically native Italian forms include:
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- Italian and regional barbel lineages, including Barbus plebejus, Barbus caninus, and Barbus tyberinus
- Common chub
- Italian roach and rudd lineages, including Rutilus pigus, Scardinius hesperidicus, and Scardinius scardafa
- Italian nase lineages, including Protochondrostoma genei
- Gudgeons, minnows, tench, and loaches
Several of these fish are restricted to particular river systems or regions. The Po Basin and northern Adriatic drainages are especially important for Italian endemics and subendemics—species found nowhere else, or almost nowhere else, outside that region. [C002][C004][C005]
Common carp and goldfish are different cases. They are now familiar in ponds, lakes, canals, and lowland rivers throughout Italy, but they are generally considered introduced rather than part of the country’s original native fauna. A fish being commonly found in Italy does not necessarily mean it evolved there.
Pike, perch, and other predators
Suitable northern lakes, rivers, canals, and floodplain waters support predatory fish such as:
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- Italian pike (Esox cisalpinus) — recent taxonomy recognizes this Italian lineage rather than automatically identifying all Italian pike as the widespread northern pike, Esox lucius.
- European perch (Perca fluviatilis) — native in parts of the Alpine-Padanian system, although it has also been moved beyond portions of its historical range.
- Zander
- Largemouth bass
- European catfish
- Black bullhead
The last four examples are particularly useful reminders that an Italian river or lake may contain a mixture of native fish, historically introduced fish, stocked fish, and recently established non-native species. [C003][C004][C010]
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Italy also has many less familiar small fishes. These include the Po goby, Italian brook goby, other freshwater gobies of Adriatic drainages, spined loaches, stone loaches, and sculpins.
Small range does not mean low ecological importance. A fish restricted to one spring, tributary, lake, or drainage can be especially vulnerable to a single road project, pollution event, water-diversion scheme, invasive predator, or barrier. Channel modification, water abstraction, and loss of river connectivity are major concerns for several of these species. [C001][C002][C005]
Lampreys and sturgeons
Italy’s inland fauna includes lampreys such as Zanandrea’s lamprey or Lombardy lamprey (Lethenteron zanandreai) and other river lampreys. These animals are not typical aquarium fish: lampreys have unusual life cycles, and some spend part of their lives as burrowing larvae.
The Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) is one of Italy’s most important freshwater conservation species. It is associated with the Adriatic drainage and large rivers, but historical sturgeon diversity and abundance have been severely reduced. Sturgeons and lampreys are among the high-priority groups identified in Italian conservation work. [C001][C002][C005]
European eel: a freshwater-associated migrant
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) can occur in Italian rivers, lakes, canals, wetlands, and estuaries where migration remains possible. It is not a permanently freshwater fish: adults migrate to the sea to reproduce, while young eels move inland and may spend years in continental waters.
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Dams, weirs, water abstraction, pollution, habitat loss, and wider population pressures can prevent eels from completing these movements. Calling the eel a “migratory freshwater-associated fish” is more accurate than suggesting that its whole life cycle takes place in an Italian river. [C003][C010]
Which fish occur in different parts of Italy?
| Region or habitat | Representative fish | What shapes the community |
|---|---|---|
| Alps and Alpine foothills | Trout, grayling, sculpins, lampreys, cold-water cyprinids, perch, pike, and lake whitefish or lavaret in suitable lakes | Elevation, cold water, oxygen levels, barriers, connectivity, and stocking |
| Po Valley and northern Adriatic drainage | Barbel, bleak, chub, nase, roach and rudd lineages, gobies, loaches, pike, perch, eel, lampreys, and sturgeons | Large rivers, tributaries, floodplains, irrigation canals, wetlands, and extensive human alteration |
| Central Apennines and Tyrrhenian basins | Localized cyprinids and gobies, trout lineages, eel, and broadly distributed European species | Rapid changes from mountain tributaries to warm lowland rivers and lakes; repeated stocking can obscure original distributions |
| Southern Italy | Mediterranean trout lineages, cyprinids, gobies, eel, and other species adapted to warmer seasonal streams | Seasonal low flows, drought, water withdrawal, barriers, pollution, and isolation |
| Sicily and Sardinia | Localized Mediterranean freshwater lineages, including Mediterranean trout populations where suitable habitat remains | Island isolation, intermittent streams, limited connectivity, drought, and non-native introductions |
The same species may therefore be native in one Italian basin, introduced in another, or absent from a nearby drainage. Local distribution is often more informative than a country-wide list.
Introduced fish found in Italian waters
Italy’s freshwater fauna has been substantially reshaped by deliberate and accidental introductions. Common examples include:
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- common carp
- goldfish
- rainbow trout
- largemouth bass
- pumpkinseed
- European catfish
- zander
- mosquito fish
- black bullhead
- other introduced cyprinids and aquarium or aquaculture escapees
Introductions have occurred for sport fishing, aquaculture, ornamental ponds, biological control, and fish stocking. Their effects vary by species and location. Potential impacts include predation on native fish, competition for food and habitat, disease transmission, hybridization, genetic dilution of local lineages, and physical changes to aquatic habitats.
“Introduced” and “invasive” should not be used as synonyms. Introduced means that a species occurs outside its original range because of human activity; invasive generally implies that it is spreading and causing, or likely to cause, significant ecological or other harm. Legal status and documented impact can differ between species and regions. [C002][C003][C004][C006]
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why conservation status matters
Italy’s freshwater fishes face pressures that are often more serious than a simple species list suggests. ISPRA identifies habitat alteration, pollution, alien-species introductions, and excessive or illegal fishing among continuing threats. Dams, weirs, culverts, and other barriers interrupt migration; water abstraction lowers flows; and channelization removes shelter, spawning areas, and floodplain connections. [C001][C002]
Priority conservation species identified in Italian assessments include:
- Zanandrea’s lamprey
- Adriatic sturgeon
- Mediterranean trout
- Fibreno trout
- marble trout
- Garda trout
- Po spring goby
- Italian brook goby
The European Union Habitats Directive framework also recognizes numerous Italian freshwater fish and migratory taxa, including Adriatic sturgeon, Italian bleak, shads, Italian barbel lineages, Italian nase, loaches, lampreys, and gobies. Those listings are conservation designations, not a complete inventory of every fish found in Italy. [C005][C011]
How scientists judge the condition of Italian rivers
Healthy fish communities are not assessed only by asking whether a species is present. Italian river monitoring uses fish-community methods such as NISECI, developed in the context of the European Water Framework Directive. These assessments consider the composition of the fish community and can reveal problems through changes in abundance, age structure, native-species representation, and connectivity.
As a result, a river may contain many fish and still be ecologically degraded if native species have declined, invasive species dominate, young fish are missing, or migratory routes are blocked. [C007][C010]
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A concise list of fish found in Italy
For a general overview, representative names include:
- European eel
- marble trout
- Mediterranean trout
- grayling
- Italian pike
- European perch
- tench
- common chub
- Italian bleak
- Italian barbel
- Italian nase
- scardafa or Italian rudd lineages
- gudgeon
- spined loach
- Italian brook goby
- Po goby
- sculpin
- Zanandrea’s lamprey
- brook lamprey
- Adriatic sturgeon
- introduced examples: common carp, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, zander, European catfish, goldfish, pumpkinseed, and mosquito fish
This is a representative list, not a definitive national checklist. Scientific names and species boundaries can change as taxonomic research develops, and local presence depends on the river basin, habitat, season, stocking history, and whether the fish is native or introduced. [C003][C004][C011]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most distinctive freshwater fish in Italy?
The marble trout, Italian pike, Garda trout, Adriatic sturgeon, and several Po Basin cyprinids and gobies are especially distinctive. Some are endemic or nearly endemic to Italy or to particular Italian drainages.
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Are carp and goldfish native to Italy?
They are generally treated as introduced rather than part of Italy’s original native freshwater fauna, although both are now widespread in ponds, lakes, canals, and lowland rivers.
Can freshwater fish from Italy be kept as pets?
Not generally. Many Italian freshwater fish are wild, protected, difficult to maintain, or unsuitable for home aquariums. Never collect protected fish or release aquarium species into natural waters. Check current Italian and regional rules before keeping any native fish.
Why do sources give different numbers of Italian freshwater fish species?
Checklists use different dates, taxonomies, and inclusion rules. They may count native, introduced, stocked, reintroduced, questionable, or historically reported species differently. For that reason, a precise total should always identify its source and definition.
The Bottom Line
Italy’s freshwater fish include cold-water trout and grayling, numerous cyprinids, pike and perch, small gobies and loaches, lampreys, sturgeons, and migratory eels. The Po and northern Adriatic drainage has especially high local distinctiveness, while the Alps, Apennines, southern mainland, Sicily, and Sardinia each add different communities. A complete answer must separate native fish from introduced species and recognize that local habitat and stocking history matter as much as the national species list.
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