Features

The European bullhead is a small fish, no bigger than 10 to 15 cm. It has a club-shaped body with a very long dorsal fin and large, fan-like pectoral fins. Its color is variable and is marbled brown and grey.

Habitat and way of life

The bullhead inhabits cold, clear, fast-flowing and unpolluted waters. It lives at the bottom, swims slowly and doesn’t travel far. Mostly, bullheads hide under and between rocks on the bed. In Munich, the bullhead can be found in the Isar, the Würm, in the city streams, the streams in the English Garden and in the fen streams (e.g. Erlbach, Lochhauser Fischbach). Reproduction Bullheads reproduce from February to May. The males care for the eggs by guarding them for 4 to 5 weeks.

Protection and endangerment

The bullhead is strictly protected in European law. It is sensitive to water pollution, shoring, lack of residual water management and silting.