Amphipod is one of the most common crustaceans and is found in many reservoirs of Kazakhstan. Some of them inhabit the bottom layers of water, others are buried in the ground, creating their own significant accumulations. These crustaceans are a favorite food of benthivorous and some predatory fish species. Therefore, amphipods are often used as an object of acclimatization work in order to increase the production potential of water reservoirs. 

Amphipods, or heteropods (lat. Amphipoda), are a detachment of higher crayfish from the superorder Peracarida. About 9,000 species are known, they are distributed in the benthos of the seas and fresh water bodies around the world. Amphipods are actively involved in the process of cleaning water bodies, feeding on both plant and animal remains. At the same time, they can significantly spoil the catch of fishermen by nibbling on fish caught in the nets.