Kokanee salmon between 29–40 gill rakers. As a freshwater-based fish, they are much smaller than their sea-going sockeye relatives due to less food availability. Size is the most significant morphological distinction between the kokanee and the Sockeye, but gill raker count can differ from Sockeye salmon as well. The main food source of this fish is plankton. “Kokanee have blue backs and silver sides and unlike other salmon and trout, except chum salmon, sockeye and kokanee lack distinct dark spots on their backs and tail fins. In addition, when compared to other trout, they have finer scales, larger eyes, and deeply forked
Sockeye salmon in freshwater lakes. The majority of sockeye spawn in rivers near lakes and juveniles will spend one to two years in the lake before migrating to the ocean, although some populations will migrate to saltwater in their first year. Adult sockeye will spend two to three years in the ocean before returning to freshwater. Females will spawn in 3–5 redds over a period of several days. The eggs usually hatch within six to nine weeks and the fry typically rear in lakes before migrating to the ocean. Males partake in competitive and sneaking tactics, formation of hierarchies, and non-hierarchical groupings