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Arctic Grayling
Thymallus arcticus

What do Arctic grayling look like? Arctic grayling have trout-like bodies with short heads and large eyes. It has a very large dorsal fin on its back. The mouth is small with teeth. The head of the grayling is olive green with mauve iridescence and the eyes are dark green and gold. The large dorsal fin is black with rows of spots - some are orange or mauve or red and others are blue green or emerald green. The back is dark purple or dark blue or dark olive green. The scales on the sides are silvery gray or blue. Their bellies are gray to white.

Where do they live? Arctic grayling live throughout northern British Columbia in the Arctic drainages, while a few are found in Montana. Arctic grayling like cold, rocky lakes and streams.

What is their life cycle? Arctic grayling do not spawn until they are six to nine years old. In the spring males pick a territory in a rocky stream and protect it from other males. They do not build nests. Instead they let the eggs fall to the stream bottom where they will hatch in about two weeks. Females will lay between four to seven thousand sticky eggs. Grayling are not known to spawn after they are 11 or 12 years old. The oldest known Arctic Grayling ever caught was 18 years old!

Did you know that … The largest grayling ever caught in Canada was 76 cm long and weighed 2.7 kg.

Food for Thought... Arctic Grayling are easily endangered. What about their spawning habits puts this species at risk?