Gudgeon (Gobio gobio)

The Gudgeon is a small, bottom-dwelling European native with a speckled brown and silver body and characteristic paired barbels at the corners of its mouth used for detecting food along pond and river substrates. It lives close to the substrate and serves as an excellent natural scavenger, clearing up uneaten food and organic debris. A charming and underrated choice for naturalistic, wildlife, or native species pond projects across Belgium and the Netherlands.

Keep in groups of at least 4 in a pond of 200 L or more with a fine gravel or sand substrate for natural foraging. Fully cold-tolerant; overwinters easily in Belgian ponds without any intervention. Feed naturally occurring pond invertebrates and supplement with sinking pellets. Compatible with all peaceful cold-water pond species. Requires no specialist care and is an excellent choice for natural pond biodiversity projects.