Quick Predators

 
Atlantic Salmon diets vary greatly depending on the stage of life. Regardless of the stage of life, Atlantic Salmon are carnivorous predators!

As do all fish, salmon have complete digestive systems.  Salmon store much of their food as body fat.  Most of their body fat is acquired once they migrate to the ocean.  When spawning, the salmon to do not eat.  They live of their body fat for the entire reproductive period until they return to the ocean.

As young fry and parr, they mostly feed on mayflies, blackflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, chironomids and aquatic annelids.  The salmon start out feeding on the larva of these organism, but as they grow, they consume the actual adult organism.

<-- Chironomid         Caddisfly -->

 

When the salmon are more mature and move to the ocean, they consume larger organisms such as herring, alewives, small cod, smelts, capelin, and various amphipods, decapods and other various crustaceans.

 

 

 

 

 

You have to eat and grow before you can reproduce!

 

Questions? Comments? Contact me at webb.laur@students.uwlax.edu
Site Designed by Lauren Webb - Last Updated: 4.15.09
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
For more interesting organisms visit multiplerganisms.net

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