- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold rainbow trout, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. Adults are marked by a broad reddish stripe along the lateral line from gills to tail, most vivid in breeding males. Freshwater stream fish average 0.5 to 2.5 kilograms, while lake-dwelling and sea-run forms may reach 9 kg. The steelhead is the anadromous form, which usually returns to freshwater to spawn after two to three years in the ocean. Introduced for food and sport in at least 45 countries, the species has harmed native fish elsewhere and appears on the list of the top 100 globally invasive species.
Rainbow Trout facts
- The steelhead, a sea-run form, is the official state fish of Washington.
- Walbaum named it in 1792 from specimens collected on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
- Genetic studies in 1989 showed Pacific Basin trout are closer to Pacific salmon than to Salmo.
- Males develop hooked jaws in the mating season.
Where to see rainbow trout in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 3 zoos holding rainbow trout by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds rainbow trout but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
