Fish
Barbel
Barbus barbus
On a gravelly riffle in a clean river, a barbel noses along the bottom, its four barbels sweeping the stones for insect larvae.
Overview
The barbel, Barbus barbus, is a Least Concern carp relative of clean, fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed rivers across western and central Europe. Its barbels, torpedo shape, and fighting strength make it one of the most prized and most distinctive river fish of the region.
A fish with whiskers
The barbels around the mouth are packed with taste buds, and let the fish find food in the stones by feel and taste even in murky or fast water.
Status
Least Concern, though sensitive to river pollution and damming.
Barbel: common questions
What are the whiskers on a barbel?
They are four sensitive barbels around the mouth, which it uses to taste and feel for food on the river bed.
Are barbel eggs poisonous?
Yes, the roe is poisonous to humans, and can cause severe stomach upset if eaten.
Where does the barbel spawn?
It migrates upstream in early summer to spawn in clean, shallow gravel.
Where is the barbel found?
It lives in clean, fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed rivers across western and central Europe.