ExploreFish

Burbot

Lota

The Burbot is a unique fish that looks a bit like a catfish. It has a long body and is often found in cold waters!

Habitat: Cold lakes and rivers

Appearance

The Burbot has a snake-like body with mottled, dark brown or olive-green skin patterned with dark spots and blotches. It features a single prominent whisker, called a barbel, on its chin, and two short barbels near its nostrils, giving it a distinctive, whiskered appearance.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderGadiformesFamilyLotidaeGenusLota

Burbot

Interesting facts

A Burbot's mouth can open super wide to swallow surprisingly large prey whole.

Burbot is the ONLY freshwater fish related to ocean cod, like a unique freshwater cousin!

Their skin is slimy and lacks scales, feeling very smooth and eel-like.

They love the cold so much, they actively spawn under ice in winter!

Special abilities

Burbot can thrive in icy-cold waters because their bodies are adapted to sub-zero temperatures, helping them survive where most fish cannot.

Burbot has excellent low-light vision that helps them hunt prey in the dark depths or murky waters at night.

Burbot uses a sensitive chin barbel to feel for food on the dark lake bottom, helping them locate hidden prey.

Measurements & details

Length: 30-100 cm
Weight: 0.5-20 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Swim Speed: 8 km/h
Max Depth: 700 m
Water Type: Freshwater

Diet & Feeding

A hungry hunter, Burbot eats other fish, insects, and crustaceans from the lake bottom.

Age differences: Young Burbot eat insects and crustaceans, while adults primarily hunt other fish.

Primary Foods

minnows
perch
whitefish
crayfish
aquatic insects
smelt

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Larger northern pike are known predators of burbot.

hunts

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

Burbot frequently ambush and consume yellow perch.

hunts

Cisco

Coregonus artedi

In deep lakes, Burbot prey on cisco and other small fish.

eats

Virile Crayfish

Orconectes virilis

Crayfish are a common food source for burbot on the bottom.

Traits

Wildlife

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Piscivorous

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Ancient Lineage

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