The Chub is a freshwater fish common in Europe and Western Asia. In the north-east its native range spreads up to the Northern Dvina, in Western Asia it extends up to the Euphrates. In the east it cannot be found anywhere beyond the Ural mountains. It inhabits small rivers with sufficiently strong currents, cold water and rapids. Often it stays in rapids or whirlpools, by the bank with overhanging bushes and trees. The chub doesn’t occur in big rivers with still water. Sometimes it may be found in lakes, e.g. Lake Ilmen, Lake Seliger. It prefers a sandy or stony bottom and avoids silted water bodies. It is an active predator. Young specimens feed on aquatic insect larvae and terrestrial insects, fallen into water. Adult fish have an extended diet, including mollusks, earthworms, juvenile fish and crayfish, frogs and plants. Sometimes small mice and nestlings fallen into water may become its prey. The chub is a rather large and beautiful fish. It reaches the length of 80 cm, its maximum weight is about 8 kg. Its back is dark green, almost black, its flanks are silvery. Some scales are dark on their edges. Chubs pectoral fins are orange, its pelvic and anal fins are scarlet, the caudal fin is black. The head is thick, wide and slightly flattened.