Not established in North America, including the Great Lakes
Cottus gobio has a low probability of establishment if introduced to the Great Lakes (Confidence level: Moderate).
Kolar and Lodge (2002) predicted that Cottus gobio would spread quickly if introduced.The native and introduced ranges of Cottus gobio have similar climatic and abiotic conditions as the Great Lakes (Grigorovich et al. 2003, Reid and Orlova 2002, US EPA 2008). This species can tolerate the temperature of the Great Lakes during the winter, however, as an oxyphilic species, may not be capable of overwintering in waters with low-oxygen levels. Evidence suggests that increased water temperatures due to climate change may negatively impact reproductive physiology of Cottus gobio. Gonadal maturation for male and female fish was disrupted when water temperature was raised 8°C, reflecting complete reproductive failure (Dorts et al. 2012). Reyjol et al. (2009) conducted a study on the effects of temperature on life-history traits of Cottus gobio and predict that a mean air warming of 3.7°C is enough to negatively affect their populations. This fish commonly inhabits cold, well-oxygenated streams and lakes, but has been found in large stagnant water bodies as a nonindigenous species (Nolte et al. 2005). Appropriate habitats are somewhat available in the Great Lakes. Hybrids of 2 Cottus gobio populations are thought to have greater potential to adapt to new habitats.
The diet of Cottus gobio is flexible, and changes seasonally. The prey types in its diet are present in the Great Lakes. However, there is no indication that Cottus gobio is a strong competitor. In the River Great Ouse, Britain, a crayfish native to North America, Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana), competes with Cottus gobio for shelter, and reduces its abundance (Guan and Wiles 1997). Pacifastacus leniusculus does not currently occur in the Great Lakes. Cottus gobio may be preyed on by some fish that occur in the Great Lakes including Salmo trutta and Esox lucius (Fuller 2014, Fuller et al. 2014).
Cottus gobio has moderate fecundity (Hänfling and Weetman 2006, Vila-Gispert et al. 2005). It requires large stones to make nests in order to reproduce (Smyly 1957); it is unlikely that the reproductive strategy of this species will aid its establishment in the Great Lakes.