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Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

ActinopterygiiCold, well-oxygenated rivers, streams and lakes; the migratory form also spends one to three years feeding in the open ocean before returning to fresh water to spawn.

· 2 min read

Steelhead and rainbow trout are one species

Anglers often treat them as separate fish, but steelhead and rainbow trout share identical DNA. The only difference is a lifestyle choice: whether a young fish swims to the ocean or stays in its home river.

1355published facts
1323animal profiles
3575cited sources
2026-09-12latest edition date

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