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Burbot
Quappe
Scientific name: Lota lota
NativeFreshwater
Behavior
A classic cold-water bottom fish. Hides in rock crevices or under roots by day, active at dusk and night. Spawns in winter (December to March) at near-0°C water temperatures - the only native German freshwater fish that spawns in winter.
Features
The only purely freshwater/brackish member of the cod family. Elongated body, most distinctively a single barbel on the chin. Yellow-brown with marbled patterning. Up to 80 cm and 8 kg.
Distribution
Circumpolar, found across Europe, Asia, and North America. In Germany, populations have declined since the 1970s; listed as endangered and strictly protected in many states.