Lota lota (Linnaeus, 1758)
member of the Cuskfish Family (Lotidae)
McFarland Lake, Cook County, Minnesota 9 October 1984
In a Name?
Do They Live?
The burbot is a cold-water species and can be found in most of Minnesota's northern lakes and rivers, including Lake Superior. It is present but not common in prairie sites and parts of the lower Mississippi River. Burbot are not present in waters that typically exceed 21° C (69° F) during the summer. In streams, young burbot seek out shallow waters that have vegetation and debris. As they grow they move to rocky riffles and then on to pools or under banks that are cut from below by the passing water.
Big Do They Get?
Do They Eat?
This is one of the many voracious predatory fish in Minnesota. They eat mostly other fish. Depending on where they live, these might include sculpins, yellow perch, walleyes, troutperch, or lake trout. They also eat fish eggs, clams, and crayfish. Young burbots eat small crayfish, mayfly larvae, and other aquatic insects.
Do They Reproduce?
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Photographs by Konrad P. Schmidt
Text by Nicole Paulson & Jay T. Hatch in cooperation with
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' MinnAqua Aquatic Program
This page developed with funds from the
MinnAqua Program (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries)
Sport Fish Restoration Program (Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior)
Maintained by Jay T. Hatch
General College and James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Last updated 23 October 2002