Koppe

Animals
Habitat: Wild river Lech
Class: Pisces

Koppe

Bullhead - this is what the bullhead(Cottus gobio) is commonly called because of its large, thick head and wide mouth. On stony stream bottoms, this 15 cm small brownish fish is almost invisible when at rest. The skin is smooth and scaleless. Its two dorsal fins with spiny rays and fan-shaped pectoral fins make the bullhead unmistakable.

The bullhead is a groundfish. It has no swim bladder and is also a poor swimmer. Therefore it moves jerkily over the ground with spread pectoral fins.

Rapidly flowing streams and smaller rivers with gravel and stone bottoms are their habitat. It feels most comfortable in pure water with high oxygen concentration and low water temperature. During the day it hides under stones, water plants or roots. Only at dusk does the bullhead go in search of insect larvae.

The spawning season falls in the months of February to May. 100 - 200 eggs are laid under stones or in a kind of spawning pit.

Due to its high demands on water quality, the Koppe is very sensitive to pollution. As it has already become very rare, it is counted among the endangered species in Austria.

The bullhead feels very comfortable at the Tyrolean Lech and its side waters. As part of a LIFE project, side waters were reconnected to the Lech. The result is a significant improvement in the chub population

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