Common Bully | Toitoi

The toitoi is a small but mighty local hero found all over Aotearoa. While they mostly love freshwater, they are amphidromous - meaning they can happily head into the sea for an adventure! They come in shades of black, brown, and grey, usually sporting a faint line on their cheek. Don’t underestimate them; they provide a vital link in the food chain for larger fish like tuna. Plus, they have a secret job: they act as a "bus" for the larvae of freshwater mussels (kakahi), carrying them on their gills to help the mussels settle in brand-new neighborhoods. While they are common, they are threatened by water pollution and rising water temperatures - anything over 20 degrees makes them unhappy.