Gobio gobio

Gudgeon

The gudgeon ( gobio Gobio ) is a sociable living carp fish that is common in Western and Northern Europe and is found in fast-flowing, but also standing waters with gravelly or sandy ground and vegetation. Gudgeons are about 10 cm, rarely over 15 cm tall.

The ordinary gudgeon has a roundish body, a relatively large head, one under constant mouth and a pair of touch-sensitive barbels. He always lives at the bottom of the water and feeds on insect larvae, molluscs and crustaceans.

Gudgeons spawn at night in early summer at a water temperature of 12-18 ° C. The sticky eggs on plants or stones remain liable, and it takes up to 4 weeks until the young hatch, feed on planktonic crustaceans. The fish is considered very potent.

Significance for the Fisheries

The gudgeon is often used as bait for predators. He was already dragged into some water, which he would hardly have achieved on its own (eg Lunzer See c.1970 ). As a food fish it is about breaded and pan fried, very tasty. He is caught but rarely because of its small size for edible purposes. As fish for cold water aquariums it is to be recommended that this also applies to garden ponds.

Hazardous situation

The gudgeon is led by the World Conservation Union IUCN Red List of Threatened species and is referred to as not threatened (Least Concern ).

Trivia

In the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm " Of one who went forth to learn what fear was " the protagonist learns his lesson by gudgeons be put to bed to him while he sleeps.