Description
A migratory fish that breeds at sea.
How to identify it
Snake-like body, dorsal, caudal and anal fins joined, no pelvic fins.
Appearance
Snake-like body, cylindrical at the front and compressed towards the tail, slimy skin with tiny scales sunk into it that make it look smooth. Small, conical head, slightly protruding lower jaw, small, rounded pectoral fins. The colour changes with the stage: in the growth phase the back is greenish-brown and the flanks and belly are yellowish; when it matures for migration the back darkens, the flanks become silvery, the belly white and the eyes enlarge. It can also be told from the burbot by the absence of the barbel.
Habitat and habits
It lives in rivers, lakes, ponds and brackish lagoons, preferring soft beds rich in hiding places: plants, roots, trunks, gaps between stones. By day it stays holed up or half-buried, at night it comes out to look for food guided by smell, from worms to crayfish to small fish. It is active mainly in the warm season. After many years in fresh water, as an adult it goes down to the sea to reach the Sargasso Sea, where it spawns and dies. Dams and barriers obstruct both the upstream and the downstream journey.
There's more in the app
This species' bite index, recommended baits and methods, and the rules of the day for every water. Offline too.
Soon on Android and iPhone
