Banded kōkopu
A striped New Zealand galaxiid that climbs waterfalls.
The banded kōkopu is a stout freshwater fish native to New Zealand and its offshore islands. It spends early life at sea before returning as whitebait. Adults grow up to 30 cm and display distinct vertical bands. They are known for climbing wet rock faces using surface tension.
- Grows up to 30 cm in length
- Climbs waterfalls using surface tension
- Eggs develop out of water in humid air
- Endemic to New Zealand and nearby islands
- Nocturnal fish with distinctive vertical bands
What it is
This fish has a stout, fleshy body with a large head and mouth. Its dorsal and anal fins sit close to the short, square tail fin. The caudal peduncle is deep with thick flanges. Adults are typically dark brown or olive with pale yellow vertical bands. A silver mark sits behind the gill cover above the pectoral fin. These bands help identify individuals over time. Juveniles are smaller and may have more numerous stripes along the whole body.
Where it lives
The species lives only in New Zealand, including the Chatham and Stewart Islands. In Nelson, they inhabit lowland coastal creeks and tributaries. They move inland to find refuge in pools or under undercut banks where vegetation hangs over the water. Only a few spawning sites are known. One new site was found in a York Stream tributary in 2018 following habitat restoration work.
How it lives
These fish are mostly active at night and can be watched using red light. They remain hidden during the day unless undisturbed. Young fish are strong climbers. They ascend waterfalls by moving into the splash zone and wriggling up wet surfaces. They use water surface tension and their large downturned fins to grip the rock. This ability allows them to reach upstream habitats that other fish cannot access.
Breeding and life cycle
They are diadromous, meaning they migrate between fresh and salt water. Larvae spend three to four months at sea feeding on plankton. They return to rivers as whitebait when they are about 40 mm long. Adults spawn during autumn and winter floods. They lay tiny eggs in flooded vegetation and leaf litter. As water recedes, the eggs stay moist in the humid air. A second flood triggers hatching, washing larvae back to the ocean.
Fish and people
Juvenile banded kōkopu are one of five galaxiid species caught as whitebait. This is a traditional food source in New Zealand. The fish hold cultural value as part of the native freshwater ecosystem. Observers often seek them out at night for wildlife viewing. Their unique climbing behaviour and distinctive markings make them a subject of interest for naturalists and students studying local biodiversity.
Questions people ask about Banded kōkopu
How do banded kōkopu climb waterfalls?
Juveniles move into the splash zone of waterfalls. They wriggle up the wet surface by using water surface tension and their large downturned fins for grip. This allows them to bypass vertical barriers.
What do banded kōkopu eat as juveniles?
After hatching, the larvae are carried to the sea. They live among and feed on plankton for three to four months before migrating back to freshwater streams as whitebait.
How can you tell them apart from giant kōkopu?
Look for a silver or white mark behind the gill cover above the pectoral fin. Banded kōkopu have this mark, while giant kōkopu do not. Their body bands also fork or fade, unlike the crisp edges on giants.
Good reading and sources
- Banded kōkopu on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Banded kōkopu", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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