Perch

The Perch is a freshwater fish found in Age of Empires II and Age of Mythology.

Age of Empires II

Perch
Animal
Introduced in	Age of Empires II
Maximum food	200
Recommended no. of gatherers	1

The first appearance of Perches is in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. They are the rarest species of fish appearing in-game, but also among the less valuable ones.

They are tied with the Shore Fish for yielding 200 food, and appear in few maps, such as Continental, Nile Delta, and Salt Marsh.

Age of Mythology

Perch
Animal
Introduced in	Age of Mythology
Maximum food	Unlimited
Recommended no. of gatherers	1

Perch make another appearance in Age of Mythology, where they appear much more frequently than in Age of Empires II.

They typically appear in Egyptian/African-themed maps, most notably in River Nile, and might coexist with either Mahi-mahi (in some Mediterranean maps) or rarely, Salmon (only in the Midgard and the Sea of Worms). Like the other two species of fish, they yield unlimited food.

History

“	Scientific name -- Family Percidae Size -- varies Diet -- varies, predominantly plankton and small fish Perch are a diverse assemblage of fish species native to fresh water around the world. The Nile Perch, Lates niloticus, is among the largest of freshwater fish, but while it lives in Lake Nasser, it is unclear whether this species ever lived in the ancient Nile. Some fish caught by ancient Egyptians are recognizable today, such as tilapia and tiger fish, while others are more difficult to recognize.	”
—In-game History section

Trivia

• The appearance of the Perch in Age of Empires II is likely based on the European Perch, though it also bears a close resemblance to the closely-related Yellow Perch.
• The Nile Perch species hinted in the Age of Mythology history section isn't related, in reality, to the Percidae family.
• Ironically, while they are freshwater species, perches tend to appear quite frequently in brackish (such as in Salt Marsh) and saline (such as in Midgard) waters.
  • With this taken into account, their most realistic appearances are in the Nile Delta and River Nile maps, as freshwater fish.

Gallery

Herds of Perches in Salt Marsh, where they appear in large numbers

Nile Perches, swimming in the Nile River in Age of Mythology