# 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! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Cold lakes and rivers - **Also known as:** Eelpout, Lota ![Burbot](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426041/objects/4678.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Gadiformes - **Family:** Lotidae - **Genus:** Lota ## 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 - **Arctic Adaptability:** Burbot can thrive in icy-cold waters because their bodies are adapted to sub-zero temperatures, helping them survive where most fish cannot. - **Night Vision Hunter:** Burbot has excellent low-light vision that helps them hunt prey in the dark depths or murky waters at night. - **Tactile Food Finder:** 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 - **Maximum 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Larger northern pike are known predators of burbot. - **Hunts:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Burbot? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Burbot? 30-100 cm ### How much does Burbot weigh? 0.5-20 kg ### How long does Burbot live? 10-15 years ### What does Burbot eat? A hungry hunter, Burbot eats other fish, insects, and crustaceans from the lake bottom. ### How fast can Burbot swim? 8 km/h ### Where is Burbot usually found? Cold lakes and rivers ### How does Burbot hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Burbot: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/burbot)