Gudgeon

The Gudgeon is a familiar small fish of European rivers and streams, found from Britain to Central Asia in clean, sandy or gravelly, flowing water. Its paired barbels at the corners of the mouth are used to taste and find invertebrates buried in the substrate.

In the aquarium gudgeon are active, sociable, and quite interactive at feeding time. They school loosely with their own species and are best kept in groups of four or more. They remain near the bottom, constantly sifting through sand for food.

A river biotope tank with fine sand, smooth gravel patches, and a moderate current from a powerhead is ideal. Gudgeon are perfectly cold-tolerant and require no heater in a typical home.

Water: 5–20°C, pH 6.5–8.0, GH 5–18; clean water with moderate current and good oxygenation. Tank: minimum 80 L, fine sand substrate, smooth gravel areas, gentle powerhead current. Feeding: omnivore — sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, daphnia, small live invertebrates. Breeding: spring spawner over gravel; rarely bred in aquaria without seasonal cycling. Compatibility: peaceful; ideal with European minnow, roach, stone loach, and other native coldwater species.