Hermaphroditic individuals in the population of Chinese crucians [Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758)] in Chany Lake (Western Siberia) were recorded during a water level regression phase between 2006 and 2014. This period was characterized by critical conditions affecting crucian spawning because of increasing water salinity and a wide amplitude of water temperature fluctuations in the shallow spawning zone. The average percentage of hermaphrodites in the population was 1.6% relative to females and approximately 16% relative to males. The morphological constitution of the gonads of the hermaphrodites evidenced their participation in spawning. According to the Fisher criterion (F), the females, males, and hermaphrodites were similar in body size, morphometric indicators and gonad maturity (P > 0.05). Since hermaphrodites were not recorded during periods of the transgressive water phase, there is a biological possibility that the formation of hermaphrodites occurs under harsh environmental conditions. According to this hypothesis, the appearance of hermaphrodites can be considered to be one of the compensatory mechanisms regulating the population size under adverse environmental conditions by increasing sperm concentrations in spawning areas.