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Animal profile

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.Least Concern

Field profile

Rainbow trout are a Pacific salmonid prized by anglers and farmed worldwide for food. The species includes both freshwater-resident fish and an anadromous form called steelhead, which migrates to sea before returning to spawn.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-09-12

Rainbow Trout

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.

Read with evidence →

Rainbow Trout | Daily Animal Facts