The zander is a genus of fish in the Percidae (perch) family. It is the most represented member of this family of freshwater fish in Europe. Zander are often called pike-perch as they resemble the pike with their elongated body and head, and the perch with their spiny dorsal fin. Zander are not, as is commonly believed, a pike and perch hybrid.
Its pointed head and long body means it is perfectly designed for rapid movement through the water. Its has numerous teeth and its huge upper jaw reaches behind the eye.
Zander can grow to a length of up to 1.30 metres and weigh ten kilograms. However, specimens caught for the market are usually 40 to 80 centimetres long and weigh up to 6 kilograms. The zander can live up to 20 years.
The back of the Zander is grey-green and has several dark transverse rings. The belly is white, but is usually a little darker in males during the spawning season. In the morning or evening, the zander typically hunts near the surface and spends the rest of its time concealed at the bottom. Zander spawn from mid-February to May. After hatching, the young are protected by the males until they are in a position to defend themselves. Already from a size of three to five centimetres, they begin to predatorily feed.. Adults feed exclusively on other kinds of fish. Unlike the pike, zander prefer to keep a little farther from shore.

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